Enoy a spotlight tour at the Phillips Collection (very near the American Guest House), every noon during the work week. Present exhibitions include works from Pousette-Dart and Robert Ryman. Additional information online at http://www.phillipscollection.org/.
The Capitol Building is one of our nations most famous and recognizable structures. It also carries with it a rich history where upon it has been built, burnt, rebuilt and extended since its inception in 1793. It is the place where many of the laws that govern our nation are created, debated, demolished or passed. Visitors are able to watch this process when the either body of Congress is in session, but must obtain a pass through the office of their state’s Senator.
Other attractions in in the Capitol Visitor Center includes a guided tour, Exhibition Hall, the gift shops and restaurants. The building is open to visitors Monday to Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and admission is free. Visitors with official business appointments can enter the building at 7:15am. Tours must be scheduled in advance through the website here.
The Capitol is located at First Street and East Capitol Street, NE on the Mall on the opposite side of the Lincoln Memorial.
This is a place where history is either made or broken and can provide a visitor with an enlightening view of part of our countries history. So, be sure to put it on your DC to-do list! For more information, please see their FAQ.
Happy travels! -Vanessa, Innkeeper
From the Smithsonian’s Museum of African-American History and Culture …
Performance Reading: Some Sing, Some Cry:
A Conversation and Performance Featuring Ntozake Shange and Ifa Bayesa
Friday, September 17, 2010 • 7 PM • Natural History Museum
Authors Ntozake Shange (for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf) and her sister Ifa Bayesa (The Ballad of Emmett Till) read from their new novel Some Sing, Some Cry. Set against such seismic events in American history as post-Civil War Reconstruction and two world wars, the book follows the Mayfield family as they migrate from a rice plantation off the coast of South Carolina to Charleston and cities beyond. The evening also includes a performance by vocalists and a string ensemble of original compositions by Ifa Bayesa.
Native Americans have a rich history with the diversity of tribes that dotted the American landscape at one time in our Nations past. To truly learn the history of our land, one must reach back to its origins. One way to see that is through the eyes of the Native American people. For a great introduction, come visit the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian located in the National Museum. There you will find an array of exhibits, museum shops, a resource center for kids, films showcasing certain aspects of their history and the fabulous Mitisam Cafe with foods from various parts of the world.
Admission is free for all and they are open from 10:00 am to 5:30pm daily. It is located between the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Capitol building.
Ongoing exhibits include the Return to a Native Place: Algonquian Peoples of the Chesapeake, where one can learn about the people who once lived here while the region was being colonized in the 1600’s; Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World, where patrons are exposed to indigenous cosmologies from eight cultural philosophies of native people from across the Western Hemisphere; and Our Peoples: Giving Voice to Our Histories, where Native Americans tell their own stories and the impact that the last 500 years has had on their culture.
Did you know Jimi Hendrix was part Cherokee Indian? The exhibit, Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians in Popular Culture explores the vast array of Native artists and their impact of American music. This exhibit runs until January 2, 2011, so see it while it’s still here!
-Vanessa, Innkeeper
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FREE Summer Concert: Uke Fest 2010: Ladies of the Uke |
Whether they’re channeling the sounds of the islands or branding a new style of rock that is equal parts zany and charming, these ukulele ladies offer unstoppable summer fun. The concert features The Sweater Set, Victoria Vox, The Hula Honeys, The Riders and Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer.
Bring your own uke or buy one on the spot courtesy of House of Musical Traditions and join us at 6PM for an audience strum-along!
Full details at
http://www.strathmore.org/eventstickets/calendar/view.asp?id=5929!
(Posted by Sonya, Night Manager)
Come one come all to the 2010 Renaissance Festival in Crownsville, MD from August 28 to October 24! It’s a fun filled fest full of merriment, jousting, food and imagination! It’s a great way to to spend a day with the family as there is something for everyone to enjoy. The festival includes music, magic shows, comedy, shops with all kinds of medieval accoutrements including jewelry, clothes, pottery, wood work, leather-work, and glass blown creations. For the kids, there will be free pony rides, archery, a maze and tons of games. The people that populate the fair are a fun crowd always up for a good jest. Go and enjoy the fabulous shows and tasty turkey legs!
It’s open weekends from 10am to 7pm. Admission prices for adults is $18.00, seniors (62 and up) $15.00, children (7-15) $8.00 and children under 6 are admitted at no cost. Make sure you get your map and guidebook at the entrance so you can plan which shows to visit and see what demonstrations they offer. Many shops demonstrate how they have created their beautiful works of art, including the glass blowers and pottery makers.
The Festival is located at the intersection of Route 450 and Crownsville Road. For more info visit their website Maryland Renaissance Festival.
Dust off your feathered cap and shine your boots for dressing up is encouraged, though not mandatory. And if you plan on going, be sure to see the knights joust and the royal family’s parade. This festival is not one to miss, so brush up on your medieval lingo and have fun!
-Vanessa, Innkeeper
Saturday–Monday, September 4–6 from 2 p.m. – 10 p.m. each day
Venues throughout the Kennedy Center
FREE! No tickets required, limited seating available.
The Kennedy Center hosts its ninth annual Page-to-Stage festival, featuring more than 40 D.C.-area theater companies. This three-day event offers free readings and open rehearsals of plays and musicals being developed by local, regional, and national playwrights, librettists, and composers.
Don’t miss your chance for a first look at outstanding works for upcoming season premieres!
For more information, visit
http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showEvent&event=XKPTS.
(Posted by Sonya, Night Manager)
The last free screening of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” will be shown at 9pm at Stead Park Field in Dupont on August 24th. Bring a blanket and a picnic basket to enjoy the outside screening! Gates open at 8:45pm and come early for space is limited.
Location:
Stead Park Field
1625 P St, NW
Metro: Dupont Circle and walk or take the S2 or S4 bus along 16th St to P St
Synopsis of the movie from IMDB.com:
“Toula Portokalos is 30, Greek, and works in her family’s restaurant, Dancing Zorba’s, in Chicago. All her father Gus wants is for her to get married to a nice Greek boy. But Toula is looking for more in life. Her mother convinces Gus to let her take some computer classes at college (making him think it’s his idea). With those classes under her belt, she then takes over her aunt’s travel agency (again making her father think it’s his idea). She meets Ian Miller, a high school English teacher, WASP, and dreamboat she had made a fool of herself over at the restaurant; they date secretly for a while before her family finds out. Her father is livid over her dating a non-Greek. He has to learn to accept Ian; Ian has to learn to accept Toula’s huge family, and Toula has to learn to accept herself.”
August 13 and 14 • Allan Harris
Tony Bennett calls Allan Harris “my favorite singer.” The New York Times raves about “the protean talent that is Allan Harris.” A three-time winner of the New York Nightlife Award for “Outstanding Jazz Vocalist,” Mr. Harris makes a rare D.C. appearance before embarking on a tour of Italy. Joining Mr. Harris will be Chris Grasso, piano; Tommy Cecil, bass; and Todd Harrison, drums.
On Friday and Saturday nights, the Empress Lounge showcases top jazz vocalists from Washington D.C. and beyond. The lounge offers light fare, a complete bar menu and valet parking. No tickets or reservations are required; seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Visit http://chrisgrassomusic.com/mandarin.htm for more information.
(Posted by Sonya, Night Manager)
Ever see a large mass of cyclists riding casually down the streets of DC? If so, then you have witnessed the urban phenomenon that is Critical Mass! Groups of cyclists at most major cities have been gathering together for a friendly, social bike ride to celebrate the use of non-motorized transportation. It’s an all ages party whose major goal is awareness of alternative transportation to help ease global warming.
In DC, the ride begins at Dupont Circle on the first Friday of every month at 6pm. The ride route varies each time and lasts for about two hours.
So, what are you waiting for? Join in the celebration and enjoy a different mode of travel while still getting a great look at the city!
-Vanessa, Innkeeper