Layering it on - DC Style

It finally occurred to me WHY it is so easy to love Washington, D.C. Everywhere you go-the monuments  museums, bars, restaurants, and hotels are not one "note". They are layered with character and are inspiring, beautiful, cultural  and historical all at once. To stand at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument is to take in the walls of inspirational messages while surrounded by the rock of the monument and the cherry trees and the view and be reminded of the history. Walking to the Hirschorn Museum you pass embassies, the FBI, beloved historical restaurants, parks, the tidal basin, and iconic  views that reverberate greatness and echo with memories of Inaugurations and marches on Washington. 

We stayed at The Willard, reserved by the O'Briens and right next door to the Occidental (reception). Breathtakingly beautiful, the Willard is a cherished landmark. Every President since 1853 has stayed here and when they do, the Presidential flag is waving.  On August 28, 1963, the Reverend Martin Luther King finished his famous “I Have A Dream” speech while a guest at the Willard.  Mark Twain penned two books while enjoying the view from his room and no doubt, the Round Robin Bar as well.  At 1400 Pennsylvania Ave., some say the word "lobbyist" originated with diverse parties negotiating and communicating in the lobby at the Willard, but Mythbusters, D.C. said it really started with British Parliament. And I wanted to believe it so much!

On to the weekend!  

We arrived and went directly to RFD,  a bar serving over 300 International beers with 30 on tap. Joe and Christin met their friends there for a drink and we dropped in to say hi as well.

Taken the following day-these are ND friends Brian, Matt and Zan.  Zan is a Foreign Service diplomat stationed in Germany who travelled here to celebrate. He was married while on location in Northern Africa and had similar receptions at home himself. Great guys!

Joe and Christin started their day cheering Cara on in her half-marathon and hopped on  DC Bike-Share bikes to go the last 2 miles with her-way to go Cara!

I planned my Saturday around "open hours" and so started with MLK Memorial which is open 24/7. 

"The two boulders, which started as one, represent the Mountain of Despair. The boulders are split in half to give way to the Stone of Hope, which appears to have been thrust forward toward the horizon in a great monolithic struggle. The Stone of Hope and the Mountain of Despair together represent the soul-stirring words from Dr. King’s history-making "I Have a Dream" speech. On the visible side of the Stone of Hope, the text from King’s famed 1963 speech is cut sharply into the rock: "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope." Every visitor enters through the Mountain of Despair and tours the memorial as if moving through the struggle that Dr. King faced during his life. Visitors end in the open freedom of the plaza. The solitary Stone of Hope stands proudly in the plaza, where the civil rights leader gazes over the Tidal Basin toward the horizon, forever encouraging all citizens to strive for justice and equality. "

See what I mean? Inspiring, cultural, historical and beautiful- all while gazing out to the Tidal Basin and other monuments of greatness. If the cherry trees had been in bloom I would have needed a drink! My excitement must  explain why I thrust my phone at Kevin to take pictures instead of asking passers by to get the two of us!

Another take on "layering"--once again I wore "everything I brought" (like a famous fishing trip in Wisconsin  with Joe Nohner :D) despite the prediction for sunny and sixty-it started out cold and cloudy but eventually warmed up!

Consulting  Washington Post Editor's picks,  we walked on to the Hirschorn Museum to tour the sculpture garden and view the "Gravity's Edge" exhibit. 

I love the building behind the sculpture

Another exhibit in the video area called "The Black Box" was Santiago Sierra and Jorge Galindo's intriguing documentary about staging a procession through Madrid (?) with portraits of leaders hanging upside down and accompanied by powerful music. Questioning leadership is the message.

Still from Santiago Sierra and Jorge Galindo’s Los Encargados [Those in Charge], 2012. © Santiago Sierra and Jorge Galindo. Courtesy of Galería Helga de Alvear, Madrid 

February 14 to May 18, 2014 (Lower Level)
The opening credits for the popular TV series Homeland include a montage of presidential clips, among them a close-up of President Barack Obama. At first he is shown upside down, speaking the words, “We must—” The image is quickly righted and he continues, “and we will—remain vigilant at home and abroad.” The show, while fictional, poses real questions about the powers and politics of  leadership, both seen and unseen.

Noted for artworks that question the structure and impact of authority, Santiago Sierra (Spanish, b. Madrid, 1966) staged a performance that similarly invokes images of political leaders. In August 2012 he organized a motorcade of seven black Mercedes-Benz sedans topped with upended monumental portraits of King Juan Carlos I and the six prime ministers of the Spanish democracy by painter Jorge Galindo (Spanish, b. Madrid, 1965; lives and works in London). Bystanders, taken by surprise, posted cellphone documentation, and months later the artists’ multi camera black-and-white edit created a viral sensation.

We moved on to the National Building Museum to view the Dan Kiley Exhibit-a landscape artist.

The National Building Museum Great Hall is the site of Obama's Inaugural Ball. 

DAN KILEY EXHIBIT

See--beautiful, inspiring, cultural and historical……

OK time to rest the boots and grab some food! We stopped at a wonderful Spanish tapas place and enjoyed tapas with a peach sangria :D  Actually at "brunch" which lasted until 4 pm, the drinks are "limitless" but I stopped at one!

Reception!

We walked next door from the Willard to The Occidental Room and joined a wonderful party in a rich and gorgeous setting. We were delighted to meet Christin's grandmother, uncles, aunts, cousins and many of the O'Brien's friends. They were warm and welcoming to this "fly over state" couple and we had a blast.  Many of their ND friends were there (I think all of the "best friends" ) in addition to Christin's childhood friends and many of Joe's compadres from Michigan, Michigan State and NOAA. I loved reconnecting with the Notre Dame gang and meeting the environmental peers from  Ann Arbor, Lansing and NOAA.  

I wanted to concentrate on the meet and greet and so left my phone in my purse most of the time. Cara took some great shots. It was fun and the DJ was rockin'.  We left at 11:00 but later I saw pics on Facebook revealing pizza at 4 am :D     Well-the whole gang isn't together very often!

ND girls--Kate Distler, Patricia,  Beth and Liz

Christin and sis, Cara 

Zan (Alexander) and Joe

Matt, ENT surgeon, -may be stationed at Offutt for some of his  4 year air force repayment for  medical school

Everyone had a blast and the O'Brien's threw a great party!

Late night pizza in Adams Morgan

Brunch at Old Ebbitt Grill Atrium

Following a quick cup of coffee and a stroll past the White House on Sunday we headed home….

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On to the "Omaha Reception"………….. stay tuned!