Project DC: National Gallery of Art

Having parents in town is a great way to see more of the city, and my parents' recent visit was no exception. We always have such a great time when they're here, maybe because of the bountiful food and wine that always seems to appear, but mostly because they're just  really fun to be with. :)

I have to admit that my Project DC list keeps growing, sometimes because I've visited  or done something cool that I hadn't thought to put on the list to begin with, and sometimes because I just keep thinking of items that merit a place on the list. At this rate, I don't know if it will ever be done, but I figure it can't hurt to just keep going and see what happens!

Anyway, I mention this because originally, we were going to visit the National Portrait Gallery, but we were a bit overeager and arrived downtown before the museum even opened, and since we didn't want to push back our brunch reservations, we decided to just walk down the street to the National Gallery of Art, which had just opened for the day. Hooray!

First of all, this place is gorgeous. The galleries are beautiful and filled with beautiful pieces, and I appreciated that they were curated in such a way that visitors have a chance to absorb each piece without being overwhelmed by all the others. We were able to select a few areas of interest and peruse at our leisure, and by the time we left, we felt very satisfied with all we had seen. Renoir, Van Gogh, the Byzantine exhibit... it was all so fun!

Although there is really no wrong way to go through the galleries, I do recommend picking out a few that you want to prioritize. There is so much to see that you could easily burn out before making it to your favorites, and that would be such a shame. I will definitely be back to revisit a few favorites (I can't get enough Van Gogh!) and check out some new pieces.

For an impromptu visit, we had an excellent time at the National Gallery of Art. It was just the right amount of stimulation without being exhausting, and it was a lovely way to spend the morning. My parents loved it, and it made me feel good to take in the culture that DC offers. Until next time!

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Want to read more about having fun in DC? Follow along as I embark on Project DC:

1. Go to the Air and Space Museum.

2. Go for a leisurely hike in Rock Creek Park.

3. Go on a White House tour.

4. Buy DC artwork at Eastern Market.

5. Visit Old Town on a day trip. (Part 1)

6. Take a day trip to Annapolis.

7. Go to the Newseum.

8. Go back to Jazz in the Garden when it starts up again in the spring.

9. Go to the Holocaust Museum.

10. Eat at Ben's Chili Bowl.

11. See the FDR Memorial.

12. Take the hubs to the Lincoln Memorial.

13. Go to the National Portrait Gallery.

14. Go to the Corcoran.

15. Visit the Vietnam Memorial.

16. Go inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

17. Go to more embassy events.

18. See a show at Rock & Roll Hotel.

19. See the drum circle at Malcolm X Park.

20. Mini golf at H Street Country Club.

21. Evening drinks at POV.

22. Visit the National Archives.

23. See a Washington Ballet performance.

24. Walk through the National Arboretum.

25. Visit the MLK Memorial.

26. Go to the Jefferson Memorial.
27. Visit the National Gallery of Art.

Project DC: FDR Memorial

The FDR Memorial seemed like one of those sights that I should see while in DC. It seemed important, yet when the hubs and I added it to our list of touristy things to do one afternoon, I had to admit that I knew very little about it and had no idea what to expect. Just another memorial, right?

As it turns out, this memorial isn't just a simple statue tucked away downtown. It's a sprawling series of sculptures and tributes to FDR, and it is best appreciated by devoting adequate time to wander around. I was reminded of FDR's many contributions to our country, and I like how this memorial also gave me a bit of context for what was happening in the country during his presidency. 

The memorial area seems so quiet, perhaps because not as many tourists make it to this area of the Tidal Basin, or many because it's just the type of place that exists in hushed tones. Either way, it's beautiful, and I imagine it's even lovelier in the springtime when the tree buds and leaves add more dimension. There are even some parts of the memorial that include running water, but since we visited in January, we weren't able to witness it.... which basically means that we'll need to come back in a warmer season. :)

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Want to read more about having fun in DC? Follow along as I embark on Project DC:

1. Go to the Air and Space Museum.

2. Go for a leisurely hike in Rock Creek Park.

3. Go on a White House tour.

4. Buy DC artwork at Eastern Market.

5. Visit Old Town on a day trip. (Part 1)

6. Take a day trip to Annapolis.

7. Go to the Newseum.

8. Go back to Jazz in the Garden when it starts up again in the spring.

9. Go to the Holocaust Museum.

10. Eat at Ben's Chili Bowl.

11. See the FDR Memorial.

12. Take the hubs to the Lincoln Memorial.

13. Go to the National Portrait Gallery.

14. Go to the Corcoran.

15. Visit the Vietnam Memorial.

16. Go inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

17. Go to more embassy events.

18. See a show at Rock & Roll Hotel.

19. See the drum circle at Malcolm X Park.

20. Mini golf at H Street Country Club.

21. Evening drinks at POV.

22. Visit the National Archives.

23. See a Washington Ballet performance.

24. Walk through the National Arboretum.

25. Visit the MLK Memorial.

26. Go to the Jefferson Memorial.
27. Visit the National Gallery of Art.

Project DC: Rock Creek Park

Usually, unseasonably warm winter days make me a bit nervous about the reality of climate change (at heart, I'm a neurotic New Yorker, shhh), but sometimes I throw caution to the tropical wind and decide to enjoy a warm winter afternoon. Maybe it's because I had spent the previous weekend sick in bed with a fever, but on this particular day, I was craving some outdoor time.

The hubs agreed to humor my request to go on a leisurely hike through Rock Creek Park, and we promptly hopped on one of the E buses that go across town towards Friendship Heights. It conveniently dropped us off near the entrance of the Rock Creek Park Nature Center (Military Road NW & Glover Road NW). I love that it was so easy to get there, especially since there are times when living in Northeast DC without a car can be a hassle, but this was smooth and simple. There's also available parking near the Nature Center, which is good to know if we ever return with a vehicle.

We decided to do the Rapids Bridge Loop, an easy 2-mile circuit that meanders along the creek and back through the woods. On such a beautiful day, we initially didn't see too many people, though the trail became more populated as we got further into it. Even so, it wasn't crowded, and there were moments when everything was perfectly quiet and still-- very peaceful!

This trail is an easy one, and it probably took us a little over an hour to complete at a casual pace, including plenty of pauses along the way to crawl along the creek rocks, enjoy the view from Rapids Bridge, and explore moss-covered sandstone pieces left over from a 1959 renovation of the U.S. Capitol-- seriously!!! There are so many treasures tucked away in the park. 

After the trail cuts right, away from the creek, it leads uphill for a bit, but it shouldn't be too much of a challenge, even for novices (we're certainly no hiking experts ourselves). Just take it slow and enjoy your surroundings! I was amazed at how quiet some parts of the trail were, even though we weren't too far from the roads that cut through the park. Isn't it amazing how soothing it can be to be in the presence of nature? I loved it. I would love to return when the trails are a bit greener, though, as the park seemed rather brown and monochromatic-- typical for winter and still very beautiful, but I think it's an entirely different, even more stunning experience in the spring or fall. 

If the hubs and I had gotten an earlier start and thus had more daylight, we would have done one of the longer trails, but I think that this was a great start. The National Park Service recommends three easy hikes right near the Nature Center (Boulder Bridge Hike, 3 miles; Milkhouse Ford Hike, 1.75 miles; and the Rapids Bridge Hike, 2 miles), and since it was so easy for us to get there from our house, I think we will definitely return for some leisurely walks through the park on future sunny days. I'd also like to tackle some of the longer routes, like the Western Ridge Trail and the Valley Trail. 

At the end of the afternoon, just as the January chill started to seep in, we finished up our hike and headed back home. It was such a simple way to spend some time together, and I loved how invigorated it made me. I wish that we had something like this years ago, and I'm so thankful that the hubs indulged my urge to get outdoors. We need more time with the trees and the rocks, even if it's relatively brief. I love the city, I really do... but pavement and taxi cabs don't replenish me. But getting my boots muddy and scuffing them up as I crawl around creek rocks? Now that is good for the soul. 

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Want to read more about having fun in DC? Follow along as I embark on Project DC:

1. Go to the Air and Space Museum.

2. Go for a leisurely hike in Rock Creek Park.

3. Go on a White House tour.

4. Buy DC artwork at Eastern Market.

5. Visit Old Town on a day trip. (Part 1)

6. Take a day trip to Annapolis.

7. Go to the Newseum.

8. Go back to Jazz in the Garden when it starts up again in the spring.

9. Go to the Holocaust Museum.

10. Eat at Ben's Chili Bowl.

11. See the FDR Memorial.

12. Take the hubs to the Lincoln Memorial.

13. Go to the National Portrait Gallery.

14. Go to the Corcoran.

15. Visit the Vietnam Memorial.

16. Go inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

17. Go to more embassy events.

18. See a show at Rock & Roll Hotel.

19. See the drum circle at Malcolm X Park.

20. Mini golf at H Street Country Club.

21. Evening drinks at POV.

22. Visit the National Archives.

23. See a Washington Ballet performance.

24. Walk through the National Arboretum.

25. Visit the MLK Memorial.

26. Go to the Jefferson Memorial.

Project DC: Vietnam Veterans Memorial

When I was in elementary school, we took a family vacation down to DC. I remember stopping at the souvenir vendor trucks and picking out a t-shirt for myself and my best friend, Kristie, before we made our way to the Vietnam Memorial. I was so excited to do a pencil tracing of some of the names on the memorial, even though we didn't know any of the deceased. I think we lingered there a while as I walked up and down the memorial in awe, my little fingertips feeling the grooves of each letter engraved into that reflective black wall. Even at ten years old, I knew that this memorial was meaningful.

Since moving to DC as an adult, however, I hadn't made it back to the memorial. The hubs had never been before, which seemed like such a shame, so this past weekend, we decided to take advantage of a cherry, sunny day and head downtown. It was crowded, of course, and most people seemed to shuffle dutifully by from one end of the wall to the other. While the throngs of tourists are unavoidable mid-afternoon, I urge anyone who visits the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to take their time. It is such a simple yet powerful memorial, and there is something haunting about the reflection of living faces mirrored against the names of the deceased. Let yourself take in that feeling. You won't forget it.

We also visited the Three Soldiers Memorial and the Vietnam Women's Memorial, which round out the whole memorial experience. While I think that the wall is undoubtedly the highlight, I think these other two structures are also worthwhile and important.

This is the sort of memorial experience that is worth braving the tourist crowds. It's so close to the other major sights downtown, and if you let yourself slow down, you'll appreciate the magnitude of the experience.

Twitter  *  Bloglovin  *  Google+  *  Instagram *  Tumblr

Want to read more about having fun in DC? Follow along as I embark on Project DC:

1. Go to the Air and Space Museum.

2. Go for a leisurely hike in Rock Creek Park.

3. Go on a White House tour.

4. Buy DC artwork at Eastern Market.

5. Visit Old Town on a day trip. (Part 1)

6. Take a day trip to Annapolis.

7. Go to the Newseum.

8. Go back to Jazz in the Garden when it starts up again in the spring.

9. Go to the Holocaust Museum.

10. Eat at Ben's Chili Bowl.

11. See the FDR Memorial.

12. Take the hubs to the Lincoln Memorial.

13. Go to the National Portrait Gallery.

14. Go to the Corcoran.

15. Visit the Vietnam Memorial.

16. Go inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

17. Go to more embassy events.

18. See a show at Rock & Roll Hotel.

19. See the drum circle at Malcolm X Park.

20. Mini golf at H Street Country Club.

21. Evening drinks at POV.

22. Visit the National Archives.

23. See a Washington Ballet performance.

24. Walk through the National Arboretum.

25. Visit the MLK Memorial.

26. Go to the Jefferson Memorial.