Visiting the Kennedy Center

We have visited the Kennedy Center three times. The first was a very long time ago before we moved to DC. We came to town for a visit and took an evening bus tour that dropped us off for a few minutes. Then we went to see our grandson perform with his kindergarten class - about sixteen years ago! Then we decided to take a morning walk and ended up there a couple of weeks ago. At the time we hadn’t planned to actually go inside, but decided to anyway. It was very cold outside and it offered a respite. The place was empty! They actually had a tour available that we could have taken but we had a parking meter to contend with and didn’t have enough time. So we just got a map and began to explore. It is very red inside and there are many flags of both nations and states. It must be a spectacle to witness the comings and goings inside when there are special events. There are several theaters as well. You can come to see a movie or listen to the symphony. On the second floor we visited the Kennedy Museum. Obviously the focus is on the arts. We were the only ones in it. Unfortunately we didn’t think to go out on the top floor veranda where there is a 365 degree view of the city and beyond. Maybe next time - whenever that may be. When we got home I read about all that goes on there. Since the addition of the new pedestrian bridge it is easier to walk there if you park near the Lincoln Memorial. Neither my husband nor I are in to plays or shows that much anymore. And just down the street is the watergate complex. All I can say is that there is always something to see or visit here. But I feel less inclined than before. 

Walking to the Kennedy Center

We tend to take the same paths for our morning walk. I’ve been wanting to walk to the Kennedy Center since the pedestrian bridge over the Rock Creek Parkway was constructed a couple of years ago. We were at the center when we first moved to Capitol Hill back in 2006 to see a grade school show our grandson was in of all things. We have never attended a concert or play there. And before we moved to Capitol Hill we took a night tour in DC and this was one of the stops. So we parked at the Lincoln Memorial and started walking along the Rock Creek Parkway along the Potomac River, past the Memorial Bridge, the steps to the Lincoln Memorial, and then to the foot bridge. We were the only people out. Then we walked around the building until we got to the front and decided to go in to see what was there. After that we walked to the newly constructed garden area that I am sure is quite busy in the summer months with picnics and concerts. There is a statue of President Kennedy there and a few other sculptures. There are also additional outbuildings where other activities take place. In the way back I think the presidential helicopter flew overhead in its way to the White House. Across the river Arlington was in full view. It was an interesting walk overall. The Kennedy center was completed in the 70’s and it looks like it. We were watching a movie last night and ironically the last scene took place in the Kennedy Center - and we were just there. 

A Drive Along the Icy Potomac River

For the first time in about three weeks we are feeling next to normal. Both my husband and I had this horrible respiratory virus since before the holidays. The sun is out after several ugly cold, snowy, and windy days. It doesn't matter how cold it is outside - to me - as long as the sun is out. It's just so much more cheerful! On top of that, our niece in Denmark just sent word and a photo that she had her first baby boy; our friend traveling in Burma updated us with her current status; and our friend in England called. It's feeling more like being in the land of the living. We haven't ventured out past the city limits of late, so we took a ride to Great Falls for lunch. Along the GW Parkway, the icy and reflective Potomac River was in full view. There is always something magical about this path. In the distance one sees the major landmarks that remind anyone where they are. The snow almost looks like sand on the beaches in Florida. But the clothes being worn obviously aren't Floridian. The sky is blue, and all is right with the world. Sometimes it takes being sick and stuck in the house several days to appreciate who we know, what we have, and what is around us. It's a good feeling. 

Summer is Beginning to Look Like Fall

It was a dreary Saturday afternoon. It's been awhile since the whole day felt like rain. I much prefer the sunshine to the dampness. At least DC has more warm days than Wisconsin ever did. A lot of the usual sights around the city were beginning to look more like the fall rather than the final days of summer. I'm sure the bride was hoping for a brighter day at the WWI Memorial. The crowds were much smaller everywhere. In fact, several of the most prominent settings were completely devoid of visitors. When we passed through George Washington University, the students were moving in to the dorms...one of my colleagues from Milwaukee now works at GW Hospital; another colleague just lost her only son to Marquette last week when she helped him move in to his dorm for his freshman year. I remember doing the same thing like it was yesterday way back in 1971 at Florida State. I was really homesick for about a month. The Smithsonian African American Museum is making progress...it's at least five stories above ground. My husband was complaining that we always go by the same places all the time and should explore the city more. Therein lies the difference between me and him. He loves the urban life, and I prefer a less intense place. He likes to explore; I prefer familiar. Living where we do combines the best of both worlds - even on a dreary day like today.