I love this building located near the Capitol. (more…)
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museum
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The Woodrow Wilson House is located at 2340 S Street, NW. I happened to stumble upon it during last weekend’s Dupont/Kalorama museum walk. Yeah, I should’ve posted about the museum walk last weekend but I didn’t know about it, I just randomly ran into it! It was pretty sweet though, did anyone else check it out? In front of the Wilson House there was even free coffee.
So about the Wilson House, their Web site says:
“The Woodrow Wilson House is a national historic landmark and house museum that focuses on President Woodrow Wilson’s “Washington Years (1912-1924)”. The museum promotes a greater awareness of Wilson’s public life and ideals for future generations through guided tours, exhibitions and educational programs. The museum also serves as a community preservation model and resource, dedicated to the stewardship and presentation of an authentic collection and property.”
It also bills itself as “Washington’s only Presidential Museum”. That’s pretty interesting in and of itself. So any fans of this spot? Is it a must visit?
Hours :
10 am – 4 pm, Tuesday – Sunday.
Closed Mondays, and Major Holidays.
Group tours by reservation with at least 3 day’s notice.
Admission:
$7.50 Adults; $6.50 Seniors; $3.00 Students
Under age 7 free
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This building (4400 Masschusetts Ave, NW) knocked my socks off. I liked it so much when I was in the area last week that I walked all the way back there from Petworth. It was well worth the effort. Sadly, my camera couldn’t get the whole building in one shot so I had to take a few which doesn’t do it perfect justice but you can a feel for it.
Below is the back of the section shown above:
The middle:
The back:
What do you think of the style? Anyone check out the art?
After the jump I also ran into hundreds of folks walking (I think) to combat breast cancer. (more…)
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Ed note: This post was submitted by Eric (not guest contributor Eric Nuzum).
While our neighborhood is full of little, under-explored gems, I’d have to give my vote to the Lincoln Cottage as the best and least well known spot around. It is located on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, just through the entrance at Upshur and Rock Creek Church.
I had visited the cottage back in September with some friends, but had my camera fail me that day, and this being my last day of unemployment, returned for some more photos and a chat with the visitor’s center staff. It is a worthwhile visit, both to better know the neighborhood, and as 2009 is the Lincoln Bicentennial, to better know a bit of this eminent president’s history. Recognizing that event, this sculpture and a new exhibition in the visitor’s center were added.
To escape the stifling heat of downtown, riverside D.C., and the pleading crowds that at the time were able to call upon the White House, Lincoln and his family spent the summers of 1862-1864 at the cottage. The home had been used for disabled and retired soldiers from 1852, until being made a summer cottage first for President Buchanan. Continues after the jump. (more…)
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image via SAAM, “Millard Sheets: Tenement Flats, 1934”
Of all of the amazing museums in DC, my undisputed favorite is the Smithsonian American Art Museum located at Gallery Place. Given that it is slightly north of the National Mall, I particularly like to show it off to out of town visitors who otherwise would have missed it. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of introducing the museum to an artist friend and we thoroughly enjoyed the current show titled, “1934: A New Deal for Artists”.
As the history of the Great Depression is being scrutinized for clues as to responses for our current economic turmoil, this exhibit is poignant. The show is comprised of fifty six paintings that resulted from the Public Works of Art Program, the first U.S. government support directly to individual artists. Recipients were tasked with expressing “The American Scene”. As such, the paintings present a variety of perspectives to a moment in time, ranging from urban and rural environments, to representations of leisure, labor, and industry. I was particularly intrigued that the program included minority artists who may have been denied other opportunities to present their work. Continues after the jump. (more…)
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At PoP’s request, I went to the National Building Museum. In the afternoon. In jeans. No ballgowns or tuxes in sight. Weird.
I had never been there during the day before. Well, I had once, but that was to tour the space for a fundraiser I was throwing. (we did not ultimately use the venue) But other than that, the Building Museum has always been to me a place where obligatory, formal-wear-required parties and balls and benefits take place, where all that there is to look forward to is the open bar and the hope that there will be passed hors d’oeuvres more interesting than mini-crabcakes. So when PoP asked, I gave an enthusiastic “Sure!” – especially since the very next day, I was meeting a friend for lunch at Eat First.
After lunch on Friday, we wandered over there. My friend, an employee at the GAO, said that she’d been inside many times. After all, on cold nights, it was an excellent (and warm) shortcut from her office to the Judiciary Square metro. And of course, those cookies at Firehook are fantastic. I asked if she knew what sort of stuff was in there, and other than the fountain and the columns, with which I was already familiar, she didn’t have much more of a clue than I.
To be fair, a former colleague’s wife works there. I’ve never met her, but I asked him once, “So what kind of stuff is there,” and he said, “You know, architectural stuff. An exhibit on DC. A ton of empty office space that they’re looking to rent.”
When we walked in, it was clear they were setting up for an event. Not the kind of black tie thing I was fairly used to, but something else, with a lot of booths. We later found out that it was for Discover Engineering Family Day, an event put on my the National Engineers Week Foundation and the Museum. Not ever having been especially prone to science, or math, or anything engineer-y, my response to learning this was, “Seriously?” In reality though, I wish I’d known about this in time to let all of you know beforehand (the event took place on Saturday the 21st) because it looked really cool. The woman I spoke to was from the National Science Foundation. They were in the process of constructing a tank where they would be simulating tsunamis! AND, where you could construct your own mini structures, to put in the line of the tsunami to be destroyed! When I excitedly explained how that was pretty much the coolest thing ever because tsunamis are my favorite natural disaster, the nice lady invited me back for the event. Unfortunately my extreme discomfort in the presence of one child, let alone hundreds, prevented that from happening – but damn, it seemed cool. Continues after the jump. (more…)
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The Meridian International Center is located at 1630 Crescent Place, NW just off 16th Street near Meridian Hill Park. If you weren’t looking for it you’d never find it. But you’ll be happy if you do. Currently they have an exhibit titled “Painting the Heart of Russia – The Timkov Collection”. Their Web site says:
“Opened on November 14, 2008, and on display until March 8, 2009, Meridian International Center presents selections from “The Timkov Collection”, provided by Timothy and Lisa Wyman, featuring remarkable landscapes by renowned Russian painter Nikolai Efimovich Timkov (1912-1993). Dr. Alison Hilton, an eminent scholar of Russian art history and Chair of the Department of Art and Art History at Georgetown University, will serve as co-curator of the exhibition.
“The greatest Russian Impressionist landscape painter of the second and third quarters of the 20th century.”
Dr. Albert Kostenevich
Impressionist Curator
Hermitage Museum”
Anyone check it out? You can see a preview of the gallery here.
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Ed. Note: The following post was written by Raz. You’ll always know if a contributor wrote the post from the title.
Entertainment is a tricky area to be thrifty in. A night out on the town always involves some form of spending. Here are some of my ideas for fun activities that are free or inexpensive.
- Movie Nights. With Netflix and the Red Box at Giant, there are numerous inexpensive ways to rent DVDs. Grab a movie, invite friends over, and have a movie night.
- Beer/Wine Tasting Event. Similar to a potluck, invite a bunch of friends for a beer or wine tasting. Have everyone bring a different type of beer or wine. As the host, provide note cards so people can write about what they like, and provide a few snacks.
- Game Night. My friends and I do these, and they are always a lot of fun. You actually don’t even need to buy games to host a game night. My friends just did one where they did Pictionary with a white board. Everyone wrote down something to draw on a piece of paper and put it in a hat. People then chose a slip out of the hat and drew it on the white board. I missed out on the event because I was sick, but apparently it was pretty hilarious with the ideas people contributed and the drawings they attempted. Other game favorites are cards, Apples to Apples, Catchphrase and Jenga. Continues after the jump. (more…)
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Remember the new Smithsonian Sant Ocean Hall Exhibit?
Two cool events happening this weekend at Ocean Hall – http://www.mnh.si.edu/calendar.asp
Saturday, Dec. 6 – “Animating the Ocean” is a free lecture featuring film clips from “Finding Nemo.” Production designers from Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar Animation Studios talk about how they adapt sea stories and bring ocean animation to life. Baird Auditorium, 2 pm
Sunday, Dec. 7 – “Crochet a Coral Reef” – Margaret Wertheim, physicist, journalist and co-founder of the Institute for Figuring, discusses her one-of-a-kind crochet coral reef project – an effort that brings artists, mathematicians and scientists together to generate global attention around the plight of coral reefs. Wertheim’s crocheted reefs have been exhibited in Chicago, London and New York, among other locations.Wertheim and Dr. Nancy Knowlton, the National Museum of Natural History Sant Chair for Marine Science, present a talk about reefs, ocean conservation and the art of crocheting a coral reef replica. Following the talk, audience members have the opportunity to participate in a crochet workshop (no experience necessary). Baird Auditorium, 1 to 2:15 and 2:30-5:00 pm for the workshop.
Also a local movie director opens film, War Child, at E Street Cinema today.
“Karim Chrobog, a local Washington DC Director, has a movie out Dec 5-11 at E Street Cinemas. The documentary is titled WAR CHILD and it follows the story of Emmanuel Jal, a former child soldier in Southern Sudan who is now a rising hip hop star in Africa. Emmanuel held 2 concerts in DC (one at the Natl Geographic Building and one at a nightclub downtown) and the film shows footage from the show as well as footage from meetings around DC. It’s powerful and moving, and you can view the trailer here: http://www.warchildmovie.com/“
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Since its debut in 2004, I have been a fan of the building that houses the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Although I had been inside, lured by friends who insisted that the NMAI cafeteria is absolutely the best place to eat on the Mall (it is), I had not yet explored the museum itself. An opportunity presented, therefore, when my daughter’s teacher was looking for chaperones for a class field trip. Subsequently, my first official visit to the NMAI involved a cramped ride in a yellow school bus and the company of 25 enthusiastic fifth graders.
As dramatic as the exterior of the building is, the interior is similarly fantastic, with entry into a vast open atrium. The open design embraces the possibility for experiential learning through performance and event space. Native American themes permeate the architecture and interior, not in an overt sense, but in references to natural materials and color palette, organic forms, the use of circular spaces, and significant ties to directional points.
We enjoyed a film presented in the round, with projection on small screens at the center and on the ceiling. The rich images were of daily life in various Native cultures, all emphasizing connection to the natural environment and sense of community.
Displays span the geographic and climatic conditions of the wide range of cultures that exist among Native American people. An effort to honor the history of each of the entities is balanced by a permanent exhibit that focuses on contemporary Native life. The multi-media exhibits include artifacts, photographs, models, music, and video presentations.
My favorite part of the interior of the museum was the collections exhibit that features handmade tools, pottery, dolls and icons, beadwork, arrowheads, and a history of the use of gold. The exterior of the museum and the related landscaping is worth spending some time appreciating, as well. In my notes, I wrote down a quote by Laura Lee George, a Hupa Indian:
In their prayers, people ask for the trees to have plenty of acorns. We also pray for a lot of fish and deer, for the world to be balanced, for babies to grow older in a good way, and for the people to walk in a balanced way on this earth.