Capitol Fourth Dress Rehearsal and Parade

Because of the threat of rain today, the Capitol fourth dress rehearsal concert was packed last evening. It turned out to be a beautiful evening, and we had a chance to hear Smokey Robinson and Kenny Loggins, as well as a few other folks. It is amazing to know that these events take place just a couple of blocks from where we live, and it feels weird to walk from a very crowded place to a quiet suburban neighborhood. Then this morning we decided to get our walk in before the expected showers, and passed through the parade route along Constitution Avenue and the Archives. The line to get in was winding around the block, but on the crowded steps out front was a band playing, with George, John, Tom, and Ben acting as hosts to the gathering below. We passed by a few floats, including the Tazmanian Devil, that was being blown up for the big event. These are the times we miss living just down the street from the rest of the family! We are hoping the rain stays away so we can watch the fireworks from our annual spot near the house office buildings. That's where the neighbors gather and we see a lot of familiar faces. This is our tenth year living in DC. It feels like just yesterday that we moved. 

Secret Gardens on the National Mall

Washington is known for it's ability to grow just about anything - and the famous saying is if you don't have any allergies before you arrive, you will certainly have them once you live here. Fortunately for me, I have not been totally cursed, but my poor husband suffers a lot from the almost every day symptoms associated with allergies. We aren't sure if it is at all related to environmental factors or are side effects from medication, or both. But one contributing factor is all around us. The US Botanical, Sculpture, and Smithsonian Castle gardens are meticulously manicured and changed up every season. But beyond the obvious walkways are the gardens that you need to look for. Visitors and locals alike pass by them without knowing they exist. One of these is the walkway between Constitution Avenue and the interior of the Mall in between the sculpture Garden and the Natural History Museum. It is filled with butterflies and beautiful landscapes. Peeking through the myriad of plant life can be seen the majestic white marble structures including the Archives. When we lived in Milwaukee, Grant Park overlooking Lake Michigan was a block away and we frequently walked through it. But nothing compares to the gardens here in Washington - even if you have allergies. 

Memorial Day Parade on Constitution Avenue and Newseum Front Pages

As is our habit whenever I am not working, I get up earlier than I used to and we go for a walk on the Mall. It was eerily quiet in our neighborhood on Capitol Hill because all the Federal workers, including myself, were off. The Memorial Day parade was scheduled for 2 PM. We were on our way much earlier than that, but decided to stop by the parade route on the way back home along Constitution Avenue. The folks setting up and making final preparations were hard at work. Right across from the Archives and next to the sculpture garden were the VIP seats, covered with umbrellas and separate VIP Porta potties. The food trucks and vendors were also setting up shop and the command center vehicle was already parked. The Avenue itself was very quiet. We then made our way towards the Newseum. The headlines from each state and several countries are on display and changed daily. Most of the headlines reflected the holiday with the exception of Texas and Oklahoma. Floods and ravaging weather took a priority. I particularly checked the states we are most associated with - Florida, DC, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Connecticut. I'm sorry we missed the actual parade today, but was glad we got a feel for it, and we have seen it before. It was a beautiful weekend for all the events here in the Capitol city, and we always try to make the most it. And it's all right in our back yard. 

A Monday Morning Walk Along Pennsylvania Avenue

I suppose you could take it all for granted. But whenever we take a walk in the neighborhood the views are spectacular and I am reminded of where we live - in a big way. Every Monday morning we take an early walk to the mall. We try to stay in the shade on the hot and humid days so we changed our route to Pennsylvania Avenue yesterday. The first recognizable building was the Archives, followed by the National Gallery of Art. In between the street vendors were setting up shop, near the Newseum  and across from the Canadian Embassy. The fountains are sparkling in between the cloud and sun cover. At the end of the Avenue is the Capitol Building - not as elegant during this very long restoration period - but imposing all the same. The line to the Capitol Visitor Center is always long this time of year. Everywhere the tourists are snapping photos of the blooming azaleas and all the landmarks. We are frequently asked to take photos for the visitors and I happily comply. After all they come from all the ends of the earth to see the neighborhood we call home. That's pretty special. 

Sackler Celebrates Nowruz

We have visited the Sackler Gallery many times, but always try to go for the Persian New Year celebration. As it was a beautiful day for a walk, we headed out to the Mall along Independence Avenue. At the entrance was a tiny little fire where you are supposed to jump over it. We didn't, but the kids did. Once inside, there was a huge haft sin on display. We went down the steps into an exhibit of 1000 archived photos from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A lady sat down beside us and asked where we were from, as a set up to tell us she was from Tehran. If you ever ask an Iranian where he/she is from, it's always Tehran. My husband is from Rasht, and very proud of it! Alongside that were kids coloring. One floor down was another fire jump and a room filled with all kinds of folks making colorful masks and crowns. The face painting line was long, but the line for Moby Dick kabobs and Persian food was even longer. We did stop to see the Falnama, and made a wish as we opened the book, and visited the ancient delights. Those pieces reminded me of the many places we stopped while we were in Iran not so long ago visiting every corner of the country. These are some beautiful traditions that everyone there seemed to be enjoying.  What a great place to see them. I can see my husband loves it, even if he doesn't say so out loud.