2-12-2011 Cupid Undie Run and Folger Museum

Saturday and time to do something. A road trip to the Coast is not a good idea - too cold and grey. We had the Folger Shakespeare Library on our list for a long time so that was it. First we went to the Textile Museum by Dupont Circle. This small Museum, in an old house among the Embassies, is real a treasure. There were two displays, one on "Ikats" - very colorful clothes and robes from Uzbeckistan, and one on repurposing fabrics - making new things out of old fabrics. Learned lots about weaving and dying.

Lunch at one of the many restaurants by Dupont Circle - this time an Italian place, pretty empty at noon. They had a brunch and I had Blueberry pancakes - with Italian sausage - Mmmmmm good.

Caught the Metro over to Union Station and walked south to get to the Folger. On the way, we came across the 2nd annual Cupid Undie run, where lots of 20 and 30 somethings, dressed only in their Valentines underwear, run for about a mile on the streets around the Capital. We had read about it and had tried to get there on time - we made it. Quite a show. It was sunny but very cold and windy - more than the undies were red!

 

The Folger was neat too. It had a display on home remedies by women of Shakespeare's time. The theater was in use so we couldn't see that - have to go back for a show I guess. Found the well known statue of Puck outside the Building.

2-6-2011 Chinese New Year Parade and Car Show

Looking for something to do in town on Sunday, since it was pretty cold and we had just gotten back from a trip and not feeling much like travelling, we decided to check out the Chinese New Years parade in DC's Chinatown. This is a few square blocks by the Verizon Center - easy to get to on Metro. Lots of people lining the street but the Parade was so lame! It sealed our opinion of parades back here - they are just an opportunity for random folks to walk down the street and be seen. Lame bands, lame dragons, lame, lame. No more DC parades.

After that, we went to the final day of the DC New Car show. Got all enthused by the new Chevys, amazed by the hybrid engines in the Fords and wowed by the $185K Mercedes - now that's my kind of car. Lots of fun.

1-22-2011 U-H Air&Space with Mike McElwee

Our buddy (nephew) Mike McElwee came back for another visit! We went out to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum on Saturday. Mike had never seen it while this was our third visit - it is such a big place that even the third time had new finds. We watched an IMAX on a new Boeing airplane being made. Then split up to wander. We found an early helicopter prototype made by a person with the same last name as our neighbors in Albuquerque. I wonder ... And we saw the gondola from the balloon flight across the Atlantic made by the two fellows from Albuquerque, Anderson and Abruzzo.

1-16-2011 Rock Creek Park visit

Rock Creek Park was on our list to see so we drove into DC and drove through the Park. We went to the visitor's center, saw the exhibits on flora and then took a walk through the woods, along Rock Creek. Very wintry, but it was a pleasant day. A good outing for a Sunday.

1-15-2011 Renwick, St. Matt's, Strathmore

We had a date at 8pm at the Strathmore for a show that featured the Boston Symphony playing in front of a artsy movie. The movie was Sci-Fi themed and the music was composed for the film. They also played Star Wars selections. It was a really good show. We had never been to the Strathmore before. Other than the time on the Metro it took, it is very easy to get to and a large well designed venue. Very comfortable.

 

Before going out we went downtown in the afternoon to visit the Renwick gallery, another bucket list item we had not yet seen. Lots of unique art there and the building is pretty neat also. There was a big display of wood bowl carvings - and some things that did not really resemble bowls, but all gorgeous. Also there was a display of art from the Japanese that had been imprisoned in the camps all across the US during WWII. We found that there was one near Santa Fe! The grandfather clock that looks like it wrapped in cloth is actually all wood - even close up it looks like a cloth wrapped on the clock!

We went to dinner at a Greek place by DuPont Circle - Zorba's Cafe. Great food - good place.

After the Renwick we went to Mass at St. Matthews. We had been here before but it is such an awesome Church. Pictured is the testament to John Kennedy engraved into the floor where his casket was placed during the Funeral Mass.