Other Stuff in DC
Anna gave me a great tour of the Smithsonian American History Museum. She does a lot of work there behind the scenes. It was great to get an insider tour of the place. I saw all the sites, the Ruby Slippers, the First Ladies' collection, including Michelle Obama's Inaugural Ball gown and jewelry, Julia Child's kitchen, and more.
We checked out the new numismatics exhibit, the gunboat Philadelphia, the Apollo Theater gallery, the Star-Spangled Banner, the musical instrument collection (always a favorite), the Science in American Life exhibit, and a lot more. Anna told me a great shaggy dog story about one of the curatorial staff getting caught trying on the C-3PO costume.
Another thing I saw on the Mall with Sahil and Natalia was the National Botanical Garden. The green house there was great. They have zones of different plant types, and different climate groups. I think my personal favorites were the cacti, but I also loved the obligatory orchids section, the second story canopy walk, and all the bromeliads. It's pretty hot in most of the galleries, but still incredibly pleasant and calming.
While on the Mall that day, we went up to take pictures at both the Capitol building and the White House. When they tell you that the White House is small, they are telling the truth. It's small, and hidden in the trees. Nowadays, it's really hard to get to see the inside of any of this stuff, including the Pentagon. Sigh... But at least the outsides are pretty!
We checked out the new numismatics exhibit, the gunboat Philadelphia, the Apollo Theater gallery, the Star-Spangled Banner, the musical instrument collection (always a favorite), the Science in American Life exhibit, and a lot more. Anna told me a great shaggy dog story about one of the curatorial staff getting caught trying on the C-3PO costume.
Another thing I saw on the Mall with Sahil and Natalia was the National Botanical Garden. The green house there was great. They have zones of different plant types, and different climate groups. I think my personal favorites were the cacti, but I also loved the obligatory orchids section, the second story canopy walk, and all the bromeliads. It's pretty hot in most of the galleries, but still incredibly pleasant and calming.
While on the Mall that day, we went up to take pictures at both the Capitol building and the White House. When they tell you that the White House is small, they are telling the truth. It's small, and hidden in the trees. Nowadays, it's really hard to get to see the inside of any of this stuff, including the Pentagon. Sigh... But at least the outsides are pretty!