On our way before the sun rises via train to DC; our annual trip begins. After checking into our hotel, Gary arranged lunch at Farmers and Distillers, one of our group’s favorite restaurants.
After lunch, we went to the new Spy Museum. What a change from the old museum, it is a lot bigger, more interactive and very educational. We all enjoyed our visit!
We finished our day with dinner at Jaleo, another favorite where we love the food and the owner’s philosophy! Thanks Jinx for making dinner arrangements and getting tickets for the Spy Museum.
Saturday
First stop today was the Renwick, where Gary discovered there was an installation representing the temples built by David Best at the Burning Man Festival. The temples are massive, intricate structures build as places for reflection and prayer; burnt at the end of the Festival. This traveling exhibit gives you insight into the construction of the temples but perhaps not into the actual size of the structures. Note the photo of the actual 2016 temple.
2016 Burning Man Temple
A very cool exhibit was an installation that looked like sculptures of sawed off logs in a natural setting. But, the grain in each log sculpture contained the code to generate a computer image of a plant. It was a very creative artistic concept, combining sculpture with computer technology!
After lunch, we headed to the Museum of Natural History to see the new David H. Koch Hall of Fossils. It is an awesome collection of fossils depicting the evolution and extinction of animals through the eons on our ever changing Earth. One interested in anthropology could easily spend an afternoon in the Hall.
Walking back to the hotel, we discovered David has a street named after his family. It’s abbreviated to H Street on the signs! Following a “Senility Break”, we walked around the block to another one of favorite restaurants for dinner, Busboys and Poets for dinner.
Sunday
Norman and Jinx headed to the Holocaust Museum this morning and the rest of us to the Portrait Museum. After viewing the Obama portraits, we wandered around the eloquent third floor into a modern art exhibit. One piece inspired the TOF Brothers to pose for the camera!
After lunch, we spent a few hours in the American History Museum before heading back to the hotel. Following our “Senility Break”, we set out for our evening activities. On our way to Old Ebbitt Grill for dinner, we noticed another one of David’s relatives is lauded on the streets of Washington, DC.
We have not been to Old Ebbitt Grill, the oldest saloon in Washington founded in 1856. However, the food and the atmosphere were so good, we all agreed we might have to make it a regular stop!
Following dinner, we walked around the block to the National Theatre to see Jersey Boys. It was a fantastic show! Thanks Gretchen for making dinner arrangements and getting our show tickets.
Monday
Alas, it’s our last day in D.C., but before we head to the train station there is more to see. We’re going to the National Gallery of Art. Emily wanted to check out the Pastels exhibit which was very cool. There were stations that showed the techniques the artists used to draw the paintings.
We all wandered around the galleries on our own. Gretchen and I found an artist who was in a program that allowed her to copy a masterpiece! Also, we were lucky to see an exhibit on Verrocchio, the sculptor and artist of renaissance Florence whose students included Leonardo da Vinci!
As the light began to fade on the horizon, our train made its way across the Potomac River taking us home. It was another great trip. Thanks so much to Gary for his organizational work, and for the leadership he brings to our trip every year. We appreciate your efforts!
PS.
Many thanks to Emily and David for a wonderful New Years Eve party. We appreciate your efforts! It’s sure to be a great year!
