D.C. is better with friends

I'm working on my latest piece that represents our ties to the past.  It is a lot of fun and I am really enjoying the process.  It is a little slow to churn out though, feeling as though I am grinding through it.  But, I don't care because it is a very personal piece.  I will get back to my latest Crystal Bridges painting when I finish this piece.  I don't normally skip around with my work, but the Crystal Bridges piece is...aloof.  

I just returned from Washington D.C. last week.  Went to the opening party for District Commons and BTS with my friend Suzanne.  I have eaten at all of Jeff's restaurants except Passion Fish.  I have never eaten so much food in my life!  Washington is such a beautiful city.  I saw the Hope Diamond and all of the other jewels at the Museum of Natural History.  Picked up a beautiful crystal piece for my youngest in the gift shop.  Then continued to the National Gallery of Art, the largest marble building in the world, and only had time to see the Impressionists.  These paintings are temporarily downstairs since they are renovating upstairs.  Have to say, my favorite was Picasso.  I know, right?  My least favorite...Van Gogh.  At least, the ones they have there.  Loved the texture, but why are the people green? The subjects look like I felt when I was going through chemo.  Not a pleasant connection for me.  Suzanne's favorite was the "Girl with Watering Can".  It is charming.  My biggest disappointment was that there are only two watercolors in the entire collection in this building.  One Andrew Wyeth, and although good, I wouldn't call it one of his standout pieces; and the other was something with watercolor and chalk that frankly, did nothing for me.  It reminded me of when I test colors before I paint, only on a larger scale.  I don't recall that the piece had lights, darks, direction, or any armature.  I had no reaction to it at all.  Perhaps contemplation and zoning-out was the point.  I asked at the information desk where to find more watercolors, but they didn't know and then verified that those were the only two in that building.  Very sad.  But as the museum was about to close, I just barely got to the gift shop in time.  Wish I had more time to peruse the shop, but  picked up some Andy Warhol playing cards for my eldest.  Fantastic. 

Scott, Suzanne and I went on a "road tour" and saw embassy row, National Cathedral (with earthquake damage), and Hillary's home.  Then they dropped me at the Lincoln monument and told me to run to the top and turn around and take a photo.  Which I did, but was very disappointed to see that the reflecting pool has been dug up and we are left with a mud pit.  Took a photo of it anyway....sort of a reflection of the way congress works these days I guess.  Then swung over to the Korean memorial, which was my favorite.  It is haunting.  You feel it.  Then ran over to the Vietnam memorial and took photos of the names of my Dad's friends.  It was so hot and humid at the Vietnam memorial.   The gentleman at the center said they brought a thermometer down there and it was 150 degrees.  I believe it.  I wish I could have lingered but it was brutal.  Then I quickly hiked over to the Second World War memorial, where I ran out of film.  I liked this better than I thought I would, but it still looks very...German.   Hopped back in the car and jumped out at the Martin Luther King, but I really don't like it at all.  The statue represents him with his arms crossed and frowning, in fact he looks angry.   He looks closed off, defensive, cold...not what I think he was about at all.  I did like all his quotes (the correct ones anyway) on the wall and where he is noted to have said them.  But, it is rather a juxtaposition with the statue.  I can't believe that was the best choice.  If it was, they should have started the process over.  Yuck.  Then Scott and I went through the FDR memorial.  Another favorite, although I wish I could have seen it in the spring as I hear it is beautiful at that time.  But it is approachable and I thought it was well thought out.  Particularly liked the braille on the posts.  Nice touch.  Then a quick drive through Capitol Hill and it was time for dinner.  I never saw the White House, got close but all you could see were trees. 
     My only regret is that I didn't have my good camera with me, so I didn't get any good shots of all the ladders and work at District Commons.  Lost opportunity.   Angst. 
    On another note, waiting to hear about my latest entries and am going to enter the Delta Show this weekend.  Okay, I guess we are all caught up.  

"My most brilliant achievement was my ability to persuade my wife to marry me."  - Winston Churchill