See

Natural Wonder?

Okay, maybe I’m just being cynical here, but I was really disappointed when I saw Great Falls. I’d expected some gigantic deluge, and instead, saw a large river with big granite rocks and rapids. Is this really considered great? Granted, where I come from, natural wonders are as rampant as Mormons. But still! What’s with all the hype???

Patten and I propose a name switch: River with Rocks. Anyone want to sign our NPS petition?

Artist Speaking Event: Thursday, October 1

Patten and I sat captivated in the Hirshhorn’s black box theater, as we watched Guido’s “Nummer Acht (#8) everything is going to be alright.” Essentially, it’s a 10-minute video of a gigantic ship cutting through ice, with Guido walking in front of its prow. It’s absolutely mesmerizing. In her thorough review of the film, WaPo’s Jessica Dawson puts it this way:

Both boat and figure move in lockstep. Van der Werve continues forward while the icebreaker keeps pace. The scene appears as if it could go on indefinitely. To suggest just such an endless journey, van der Werve ends the film as suddenly as it began, snapping back to a silent black screen and final credits.

What to make of this? Though the action is minimal, the psychology is intense. The stark image of man pursued by industrial beast glues us to our seats. When will the man fall tragically through the ice? When will he break into a run? Will the ship give up pursuit? As time passes and it becomes clear that, in fact, nothing will happen next, the film turns into a philosophical exercise.

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Guido will be speaking about his film (and other works) at the Hirshhorn Museum this Thursday at 7 p.m., in the third-floor Lerner room. Nummer Acht—a snippet of which I’ve embed below—will be on display through October 11. If you haven’t seen it, get thee to the black box. If you’re like me, you’ll watch the video loop twice.

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Another Dupont Gem

So this is what it was like to live in Dupont a hundred years ago? Patten and I discovered this Beaux Arts mansion during the Dupont Kalorama Museum Walk in June; a few months later, we visited as bona fide tourists just to confirm how special this place was. Built as a winter home for Larz and Isabel Anderson in 1905, the Anderson House is a study in opulence: carved oak ceilings, marble floors, delicate Flemish tapestries, you name it. After the couple died, they donated the home to the Society of the Cincinnati, along with most of the furniture/artwork.

The Anderson House is open to the public from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free, as is the tour. Located directly across the street (Mass Ave), the Anderson House is the perfect aperitif to The Phillips Collection. Don’t miss either.

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Weekend To-Do’s

I’m having festival shock as I put together this week’s WTD. Like whoa! DC’s got some party in its blood this weekend. A sampling:

* Friday

11 a.m.-7 p.m.: Wrap up your work week with a gander through Penn Quarter’s Arts on Foot art market (Thurs.-Sat.) and festival (Sat. only).

5 p.m.-8:30 p.m.: It’s the last night of the National Gallery’s summer musical series, Jazz in the Garden. (pictured right) I’ve always thought this would be more enjoyable in sweater weather—and by the looks of today’s chilly forecast, the temps may be perfect.

* Saturday

7 a.m.: Fill your thermos, pack your donuts, and head down to the Mall to watch those fitter than you swim, run, and bike at the Nation’s Triathlon. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone swim in the Potomac, let alone 6,000 athletes. Should be amusing!

noon-6 p.m.: Ready to give up meat cold turkey? You’ll find supporters at DC’s Veg Fest, held this year at GWU. Listen to Rory Freedman espouse her vegan manifesto and/or vegan bodybuilder, Kenneth Williams, talk about how he bulks up without animal products.

* Sunday

noon-7 p.m.: If music, dance, art, and lots of people tickle you pink, head up 18th Street to Adams Morgan Day Festival.

… In 30 Minutes

Unfortunately, the two-year, $85 million remodel of the American History Museum isn’t all that impressive. Yes, that middle atrium is pretty, but most of the exhibits still reside in low-ceilinged, dark, claustrophobic rooms on both sides of the building. This is one of my least favorite museums in DC—I always leave feeling unfulfilled and exhausted. However, with a little discipline (i.e. set your Timex timer for 30 minutes), you can have a relatively enjoyable experience. And, there a few things worth seeing: [Note: The exclusion of Dorothy's original ruby slippers is on purpose!]

1. Star Spangled Banner (10 minutes)

To me, the new Star-Spangled Banner exhibit is the most interesting aspect of the museum’s renovation. Instead of hanging the tattered, nearly 200-year-old flag from the ceiling, they’ve placed it in a dark room on an inclined horizontal platform, behind a giant glass wall.  The low light levels not only protect the flag, but evoke the “dawn’s early light.” And I must say, it’s a pretty impressive sight. (pictured above; Photo courtesy of AHM)

2. Julia Child’s Kitchen (5 minutes)

Those working to master the art of French cooking may want to devote more than 5 minutes to this exhibit, but for those of us laymen that love her, but don’t obsess, several minutes are sufficient to check out her original kitchen. Don’t miss her bookshelf—you’ll find some fascinating books, including many that are named in the movie Julie and Julia. I’m also fascinated by her tools—the various juicers and mandolins—that line the front wall.

3. America On the Move (15 minutes)

Even those of us that think we have little interest in transportation will be fascinated with the set-up of this exhibit, as it sends visitors through transportation’s history from steam engines to Dodge minivans. Lots of fun cars are on display—and DC locals will be excited to see the streetcars that used to buzz through our city. (pictured below)

City Gem

The exterior of the Old Post Office may be beautiful, but inside it’s one touristy mess. You’ll enter security through the basement, and walk through a tacky food court with clever-named vendors (like Chick-En-Joy!) and uncomfortably low ceilings. But once you surface in the atrium, look up. Quite beautiful, no? Then head to the signs that say “Tower Tour.” You may wait in a painful line behind tie-dyed tour groups. Take a few deep breaths. I promise the reward is worth it. You’ll be stuffed inside an old glass-walled elevator as you ascend to the top of the building. Don’t imagine what would happen if the glass breaks.

Once you’ve reached the top, you’ll take yet another elevator, where you’ll soon arrive at one true GEM in this city. The observation deck at the top of the Old Post Office Tower offers one of the best views in the city: 360-degree shots of the Mall, Arlington, the cathedral, your office building, that rowdy tourist on the street below. Instead of glassing in the windows, they’ve used thick wire, which allows a pleasant breeze to cool the deck, even on the hottest of days. Unfortunately, there’s not really any place to sit. It’s a stand and look, then leave sort-of-place, but it’s definitely worth your time. Oh, did I mention? It’s completely free, thanks to our lovely National Park Service. En-joy!

Weekend To-Do’s

Is it already Friday? I was really hoping to get in a few more days of productive work. Shucks! To state the obvious: August weekends aren’t exactly the most happening times in this city, as everyone’s at the beach or inside, BUT… here a few options: 

* Friday

4 p.m.-6 p.m.: TGIF! Head downtown to Cafe Atlantico for a complimentary rum tasting.

* Saturday

10 a.m. Pack a picnic (or what you will) to enjoy a taste of the ’60s on the National Mall. The Woodstock Memorial Concert runs most of the day.

8:10 p.m.: Blankets in tow, take the red line up to the Grosvenor stop and get comfy on Strathmore’s lawn. The Dark Night is the feature film tonight at the Comcast Outdoor Film Festival.

* Sunday

All day: All National Parks are free yet again this weekend, so spend a day in the woods in Maryland or Virginia.

Patten snapped this a few weeks ago, but somehow I think this photo is a proper way to start our Monday. Happy start of the week!

Weekend To-Do’s

Save for today’s severe thunderstorm watch, it looks like this bearable weather is going to last yet another weekend, so try to keep it out-of-doors. Some ideas:

* Friday

8:30 p.m.: Tonight I’ll be juju-ing with King Sunny Ade at the 9:30 Club. Wikipedia calls this Nigerian juju master the Bob Marley of Africa. We shall see…  I hadn’t heard about him until yesterday, but this video has me excited. Tickets are still available for tonight’s show:

* Saturday

8 a.m.: Get thee a Zip Car and head to the mountains or the prairies or the bay, because EVERY single National Park in the U.S. is free today and tomorrow. This could be an excellent chance to see the wild horses at Assateague Island National Seashore or to hike Old Rag in the Shenandoah National Park. Click here for a list of other National Parks in the area.

10 a.m.-noon and 3 p.m.-5 p.m.: Head to Hains Point to lend a helping hand at the Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project. After a shower and a quick nap, attend the volunteer party at 3 p.m. at Hard Rock Cafe for free wine and appetizers.

* Sunday

6 p.m.-7 p.m.:  I’m not exactly sure what to make of SyncroSwim, but I want to go. The hour-long event—held at the Capitol Skyline Hotel—is essentially a series of 3-4 minute syncronised swimming routines, judged by a line-up of randoms, like Good Stuff’s Spike. It’s put on by WPA (Washington Project for the Arts) and it looks like there will be some sort of accompanying experimental video. Hmm. Sounds pleasantly odd to me. See you there?

Weekend To-Do’s

Today’s list is short and sweet, mainly because the most exciting thing going on this weekend is the Capital Fringe Festival. You could keep yourself busy all weekend with that alone, but I’ve offered two other things to do for those of you crazy people that aren’t in love with theater.

* Friday

9:30 p.m. Kick off your weekend with a play or two at the Capital Fringe Festival. The fest started yesterday and runs through July 26. I’ll be attending several, including Riding the Bull, which premiers tonight at 9:30. See you there!

* Saturday

6 p.m.-10 p.m.: Help Alexandria celebrate is 260th birthday with its annual music and firework show in Old Town. I went a few years ago and had a great time. Note: I happened to love the fact that there were hundreds of kids running around (yay, children do exist in this city!), but it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Beer and food stands abound. [tip: Examiner]

* Sunday

2 p.m.: Sunday’s nice weather calls for a first drink at the brand new W Hotel POV Roof Terrace. The pictures on their site have me so excited I can hardly stand it.