Posted in Travels, Washington DC, tagged 9-11, The Pentagon, Washington DC on Thursday, 11 September, 2014| 1 Comment »
Remembering those who lost their lives on 9-11-2001 ~
“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.”
Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl
A view of The Pentagon as seen from the Potomac River.
Posted in movies, Washington DC, tagged Alexander Gardner, Mary Surratt, Tennis, The Conspirator, Washington DC on Tuesday, 9 September, 2014| 6 Comments »
I love visiting historic locations where famous (or infamous) events took place. I recently watched The Conspirator which is based on Dr. Kate Clifford Larson’s book The Assassin’s Accomplice. The movie follows the trial of Mary Surratt, the owner of the boarding house in Washington, DC where Booth and other conspirators plotted to kidnap President Lincoln, but then Booth changed the plan to murder.
Mary Surratt was arrested two days after President Lincoln died. She and her co-defendants were tried by military tribunal rather than in civil court. She was the first woman executed by the Federal government and the facts surrounding her trial and execution remain controversial. She and three others were hanged on July 7, 1865.
Robert Redford did a fabulous job as the director of this movie and it was produced by The American Film Company which uses historians to assure their films depict the events accurately. I’m usually so disappointed with movies and TV shows that play fast and loose with historical facts.
The main actors, James McAvoy (from X-Men) and Robin Wright (House of Cards) are fantastic. I didn’t recognize Robin Wright at first ~ she played the role of Mary Surratt so well. It’s a courtroom drama and the movie drags on a bit at times but for the historical accuracy, I highly recommend it.
I’ve already been to Ford’s Theater where President Lincoln was shot but I learned through the film that the conspirators were hanged at Fort McNair DC. Before I headed over to take a look, I looked up the photos taken by Alexander Gardner (a famous Scottish photographer who covered a lot of the US Civil War and the aftermath). Here are his photos (caution: graphic):
(c) Alexander Gardner. Photos from the Library of Congress collection
…and here’s what the location looks like now:
The site of the execution is now tennis courts at Fort McNair. John asked if I wanted to play some tennis there but the thought of that was too macabre for me.
Posted in DC, Photography, United States, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged Benches, DC, National Art Gallery, US Capitol, Washington DC, Washington Monument on Saturday, 6 September, 2014| 6 Comments »
US Capitol Building
As an early morning person, I love walking around cities before most people are up. Today, I took complete advantage of John’s jet-lag and the fact he was still mentally seven time zones ahead of DC. By 6:30 am, we were walking The Mall with our very happy dog, Maya. Other people were out and about early, mostly joggers, walkers and a whole lot of police. Not sure what was happening later in the day but they were definitely preparing for something big.
The National Art Gallery
Birds in flight at the National Art Gallery
Benches waiting to be filled
Early morning light on the Washington Monument
Posted in Travels, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged Mount Vernon, Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Wine Festival on Friday, 5 September, 2014| 2 Comments »
George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Northern Virginia is a favorite place of mine. I love the history and the serene setting. It’s only 14 miles south of DC and can be reached by car, bike, bus or boat. There’s always an interesting event happening. Here are the events coming up this fall:
To reserve any of the above, go to their events page.
Posted in Islands, Photography, Travels, United States, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged National Parks, Photography, President Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt Island, Travel, Washington DC on Sunday, 31 August, 2014| 12 Comments »
“We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune.” Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Island is a living memorial to the 26th President of the United States. It’s a perfect way to honor a man who was a great conservationist and loved being out-of-doors. During his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt’s conservation achievements included adding approximately 200 million acres to the national forests, reserves and wildlife refuges. He also advanced large-scale irrigation projects. President Roosevelt created the U.S. Forest Service and established five National Parks. He was a busy and effective conservationist.
In the 1930s, Mason’s Island was revamped from being overgrown and neglected to what is now the beautiful, forested wilderness called Theodore Roosevelt Island. The island is covered with trees and surrounded by water giving the feeling of being away from it all when in reality the city is very close-by.
The island is a great place to spend a morning or evening with your family, friends or your dog. There are several trails on the island for walking or running. My favorite is the Swamp Trail ~ about 1.3 miles around the island. I’ve visited the park several times and even if the parking lot is full, I haven’t felt crowded. On this visit, I saw two big yellow school buses but the students were all in one area doing exercises.
Fishing off Theodore Roosevelt Island
Walking along the water
Fallen log along the trail
Relaxing along the trail
View of Georgetown from the island
“Youth” statue on the Roosevelt Island
IF YOU GO: Theodore Roosevelt Island is open year-round from 6 am to 10 pm. No fees to enter the island but a permit is required if you plan an event on the island such as a wedding, memorial service, or group activity. The island is a .6 mile walk from Rosslyn Metro Station (Blue, Orange and Silver lines).There are restrooms on the island but they are closed during the winter (usually from October to April) ~ during this time a portable toilet is located near the restrooms. There are no food vendors so bring your own water/food. Occasionally there are ranger lead tours, for more information click here for the schedule.
Posted in DC, Photography, Travels, United States, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged DC, Fireworks, Photography, The Capitol, Travel, Washington DC, Washington Monument on Saturday, 5 July, 2014| 3 Comments »
It’d be YEARS since I’ve seen the DC fireworks in person. We braved the mobs of people and checked out the show. We didn’t go to the National Mall but watched from a lawn overlooking the city so we avoided the complete crush that I’m sure was at the Memorials. We couldn’t have picked a better view and, besides the main fireworks, we were afforded a glimpse of multiple firework displays in the distance and on the horizon.
The weather was perfect ~ cool but not cold, low humidity and clear skies.
Looking out to the Washington Monument and Capitol Building (notice the helicopter flying low)
It was a spectacular display of fireworks. They even had one part which spelled out USA.
We’re already planning next year’s adventure ~ we might even brave the crowds and see the fireworks from the Lincoln Memorial!
Posted in Travels, tagged Georgetown, Good Stuff Eatery, Milkshakes, Old Post Office, Photography, Travel, Washington DC on Tuesday, 8 April, 2014| 4 Comments »
Continuing Day 1 with our visitors:
After our tour of Arlington Cemetery, we road the metro to Rosslyn then grabbed a free Georgetown Shuttle to M Street in Georgetown. First stop: lunch at Good Stuff Eatery. It’s become our go-to place. and we’ve been to both the Georgetown and Capitol Hill restaurants frequently. The staff always delivers consistently, delicious food and the service is quick and friendly. How can you go wrong with the best burgers in DC (I get the ‘shroom veggie burger), rosemary french fries and yummy shakes. My favorite is the salted caramel.
Feeling stuffed and satisfied, we headed over to the second highest observation point in DC. The Washington Memorial is still under renovations so the Old Post Office tower is the next best view. It didn’t disappoint!
View of the Capitol Building from the observation deck at 270 feet at the Old Post Office Tower
View of the Washington Monument from the Old Post Office
Old Post Office Building
The interior looks lonely right now but The Old Post Office will be soon be transformed into The Trump International Hotel due to open in 2016.
Congress Bells in the Old Post Office Tower
If you’re in DC during the next couple of weeks, be sure to visit the Old Post Office Tower before it undergoes renovations. And I highly recommend Good Stuff Eatery if you’re a fan of Burgers, Fries and a Shakes. Besides Georgetown and Capitol Hill, they are also located in Crystal City in Northern Virginia.
Posted in DC, Exercise, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged Cherry Blossom Run, Running, Volunteer, Washington DC on Monday, 7 April, 2014| Leave a Comment »
It was a gorgeous day for the Cherry Blossom 5K run! This was our second time volunteering for the race and, this year, we brought our exchange student from Bangladesh. It was a great new experience for him and he really enjoyed himself. It’s hard not to get caught up in the excitement when the runners are coming through.
Lincoln Memorial at Dawn
Memorial Bridge as the sun comes up
We were assigned to the first Water/Gatorade station which is located just over the Memorial Bridge on the left side of the Lincoln Memorial. We woke at 4:15, took the metro to the Arlington Station, walked over the bridge and made it to our volunteer check-in spot at 6:00. Then it was time to fill the cups ~ all 1,000 of them.
We had plenty of Gatorade for the runners!
This is what it looked like once 18,000 runners went through the water/Gatorade stop
Happy Volunteers
Next year, I hope to run the Cherry Blossom 10M/5K ~ most likely the 5K. It’s always inspiring to see the runners go by with smiles on their faces even if they’re a little behind the rest of the pack. The last group of runners/walkers to go by got the biggest cheer from all the volunteers at the stop. Good for them to keep on going…
Posted in DC, Family, Photography, Travels, United States, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged Arlington Cemetery, DC, Photography, Travel, Virginia, Washington DC on Friday, 4 April, 2014| 9 Comments »
Arlington House ~ The Robert E. Lee Memorial
Arlington House was built by George Washington Parke Custis and his slaves between 1802 and 1818. His daughter, Mary Custis, great-granddaughter of First Lady Martha Washington, married Robert E. Lee. The Lees inherited Arlington House when her father passed away. Arlington House has a long, interesting history ~ it’s been a home for the Lee Family and Custis Families, a plantation estate and home to 63 slaves, a monument honoring George Washington, a military headquarters, a community for emancipated slaves and is currently a National Cemetery.
Arlington Cemetery
Old Guard Soldier at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.
We stayed for the changing of the guard ceremony which takes place on the hour (Oct-March) and every half hour (April -Sept). Note: the ceremony may seem “over” but don’t start talking until you leave the site of the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.” We were “shusshed” for whispering after the ceremony. I cringe at that as I would never want to be disrespectful in such a place of honor.
Eternal Flame at the John F. Kennedy gravesite
Arlington Amphitheater
Quote at the Women’s Memorial at Arlington Cemetery
Gravestone of George W. George ~ I tried to find more information about him but there wasn’t much on the internet. One of the fascinating things about Arlington Cemetery is all the famous people buried there. It reminded me of when I went through the National Portrait Gallery in London. I wanted to look up the stories of all the names I saw. I’m sure there’s an interesting life story behind all of those graves.
Burial site of Pierre L’Enfant, a French-born American civil engineer who designed the streets of Washington DC in the late 1700s. His grave has sweeping views of Washington DC ~ including the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol.
The family photo at Arlington Cemetery
If you visit Arlington Cemetery, check out their site here. The cemetery is open 7 Days a week, 365 days a year. The hours are 8am – 7pm (April – September) and 8am – 5pm (October – March). The parking garage closes 1 hour after cemetery. From the Arlington, it’s an easy walk over the Memorial Bridge to the Mall and the monuments.
Posted in DC, Virginia, tagged Children, DC, Easter Roll, Northern Virginia, Washington DC, White House on Sunday, 9 March, 2014| 4 Comments »
It’s not too late to enter the White House Easter Egg Roll. I’ve had a few friends attend the Easter Roll and, for them, it ranked as an experience of a lifetime. My daughter has aged out (it’s for children 13 and younger) but for anyone with young children who are within the DC area, here are the details:
The online White House Easter Egg Roll lottery will be open this weekend only. It ends Monday, 10 March at 10 am. The non-transferable tickets are free.
This year the event, which dates back to 1878, will be held on April 21 and will consist of several types of events. Besides the traditional rolling of hard-boiled eggs on the South Lawn, there will be live music, storytelling, sports courts and cooking stations. The results of the lottery will be available on March 14 and over 30,000 people are expected to attend.
For lottery registration go here. GOOD LUCK!
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Displaced Beachbums 