A Day for Americana in the US Capital: Museum of National History and National Archives

Wednesday, Mar 15, 2017: Washington

(A Day for Americana)

We devoted this day to Americana. Awaking in Heather’s home, we were delighted at the prospect of getting a ride into the city with her as she and Maria had planned to drive to work. But first breakfast: Heather had toast with jam and butter ready for us and with some coffee, we felt ready to face the day. She and Maria dropped us off at the entrance to the Metro at Farragut West from where we rode to the Smithsonian Metro stop. Our first port of call was the Museum of National History on The Mall. Because we entered it from the Constitution Avenue side, we did not see the Mall. The day was still cold and very grey—it made sense to spend it in a museum and thankfully, the capital has some excellent ones.

Exploring the Museum of National History:

            The museum opened at 10.00 am and we were there just after at about 10.15, when there was already a crowd and a line outside the main entrance. Security clearance always takes ages in these buildings--a big hassle and a real mood-spoiler. Still, better safe, I suppose, than sorry.

            When we did get into the museum, we found that there was a highlights tour at 11. 30 am. Llew and I decided to join it. That would leave us an hour to wander about on our own. Using the museum brochure and the guide books we had carried, we made our way to the top floor first and thought of finding our way downstairs to the most important items. In total, on our own and in the company of the tour guide, this is what we saw:

1.     The Gunboat Philadelphia which went down in the Revolutionary War after being struck by a cannon ball. You can see the entire boat (pulled out of Lake Champlain in Vermont) with the cannon ball still stuck in its side.

2.     Lincoln’s Top Hat (worn on the evening he was killed at Ford’s Theater).

3.     Jefferson’s lap writing desk (a precursor of the laptop!).

4.     Archie Bunker (and Edith’s) armchairs and coffee table from the 1980s hit TV show, All In The Family.

5.     Mohammed Ali’s boxing gloves.

6.     Original puppets Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street.

7.     Julia Child’s entire kitchen from her last home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

8.     The original lunch counter from Woolworth’s in Greenboro, North Carolina, where the lunch-time sit-ins had continued for three whole months during the Civil Rights Movement. 

9.     Inauguration Ball Gowns of every American First Lady from Mary Todd Lincoln to Michelle Obama. (Melania Trump has yet to submit hers for inclusion). I particularly loved Hilary Clinton’s.

10.  Porcelain china dinner sets designed for the White House by every First Lady in America.

11.  A ship’s surgical set from the 1800s that contain a real saw with which limbs were amputated (without anesthesia).

12.   Clinton’s saxophone.

13.  A portion of the original Berlin Wall.

14.  Dorothy’s Ruby Red Shoes from the film The Wizard of Oz.

15.  A most unusual seated sculpture of George Washington wearing a Greek toga.

16.  The Biggest highlight of them all (and we saved the best for last), the original Star-Spangled Banner.

The last item requires a bit more commentary. It is the original flag that flew over Fort McKinley during the war of 1812 when the American Revolutionaries received a thrashing at the hands of British troops. Expecting the American ‘stars and stripes’ to be lowered by the morning, the poet Francis Scott Keys awoke to find (through his eye-glass) “that our flag was still there”. His joy resulted in the penning of a poem which eventually developed into the American national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. This original flag, mammoth in its dimensions, is now placed in a specially-constructed, climate-controlled room under very dim lighting (to ensure that the colors do not fade) and left open to the public with the words of the entire national anthem projected on a screen at the back. Bits from it that were cut off and given away as souvenirs, are missing and attempts are still being made to find them. Meanwhile, the person who sewed the flag, Mary Pickerling, with her two daughters and daughter-in-law, are revered by history and accounts of their lives and the sewing of the flag are available in the same room (where photography is strictly prohibited). We thought that this museum was superb for any history buff, for anyone who wishes to know something more about our country and for anyone who wishes to see how carefully we preserve those items that speak to our past with all its flaws and its failings.

Needless to say, we were starving by 1. 00 pm and decided to go in search of lunch.

Lunch at Paul’s:

I have always been a huge fan of the Belgian patisserie chain called Paul’s to which I had become endeared when I lived in London. In particular, I adore their hot chocolate and their almond croissants (which I have consumed by the hundreds during my European travels). I have always wondered why Paul has no American presence and when they will consider crossing the pond to open a shop in the US. So, imagine my delight when I discovered that Paul is alive and baking in the capital! Of course, I had to get my croissant and hot chocolate and with Llew as my partner in crime, off we went to the shop (a short ten minute walk away) and there we found it! Eureka!!!

Sadly, Paul in the US does not sell hot chocolate! What???? I was heartbroken. Even worse, their last almond croissant had just sold off—all they had was a chocolate almond croissant which we grabbed and shared. We also bought a slice of quiche each and ordered coffees instead of cocoa. It was small compensation for the kind of meal of which I had dreamed all morning! Still, at least it was a genuine European meal and I polished off every crumb from my plate.  Fortified, we decided to move on to the second item on our agenda on our day devoted to Americana.

A Tour of the National Archives:

Continuing with our determination to see places neither one of us had seen before, we crossed the street for, most conveniently, the National Archives building stood right there in front of us. Again, getting in proved odious, for we had to wait for a while as only a limited number of people are allowed into the building at any given time. After what seemed forever, we made our way through a side entrance of a handsome Neo-Classical, marble-clad building into the interior, where we joined another queue.

The greatest treasures of the National Archives are just three items: The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and The Bill of Rights. Can you imagine building an entire structure to house just three bits of paper??? Well, there you have it. In a grand building with a huge main hall constructed in a Rotunda (thanks Andrea Palladio for giving us the concept of the Rotunda that is so ubiquitous in Washington DC), we stood in line to see these three most seminal of democratic documents. There is strict security at every turn and strict rules prohibiting photography. This is what the guard on duty told us: “There are three rules here regarding cameras—No Photography, No Photography, No Photography. And for those who do not understand, no pictures can be taken at all, of anything!” Wow!

Well, the documents are faded, to say the least. Everyone looks long and hard for John Hancock’s signature on the Declaration of Independence and it is a good job he wrote such a huge one because it seems to be the only one that has survived the test of time. Even that has suffered fading, but the grand old J at the beginning of his first name is unmistakable. The rest are well…barely discernible at all. We moved from one glass case to the next, braving several heads in front of us, until we saw them all—it took us no more than ten minutes really to see the three.

And then, we were out of there. We found some good exhibitions in other halls which also had some wonderful documents that are part and parcel of our history—but we did not have the time or the energy to see any of them. I was particularly fascinated to see The Emancipation Proclamation of 1865 that set all slaves free. But there were many important letters and edicts pertaining to Civil Rights, to Womens’ Rights, etc. that are indeed a gold mine for any buff of American History. Llew and I loved every moment of it all and sincerely wish we had more time to peruse them with the attention they deserve.

We then took the metro back to Farragut West where we to met Heather and Maria who drove us back home to Heather’s place in Silver Spring—but not before we stopped en route at a Thai restaurant to pick up a ton of food.

Dinner was sorted as Heather put out the take-out containers of Chilli Beef, Thai Green curries, flat rice noodles with shrimp and Thai Fried Rice. Everything was finger-licking good and we were pleased that we were able to eat so much Thai food (one of our favorite cuisines) on this trip. Not long after, we decided to call it a night.

 

Until tomorrow, see ya...

 

 

 

A Day for Art and Artists in Washington DC: National Gallery of Art.

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2017: Washington

A Day for Art and Artists

            The day dawned white, quiet and still—the sort of morning that accompanies dire news of an impending snowstorm. With dread, I raised the blinds up in our room to survey the outside and found, to my deepest shock, that we had a mere sprinkle! What an anti-climax! Indeed, the area had no more than two inches in the worst-affected parts. It was not at all what we’d expected. Over breakfast of hot cereal and buttered toast with coffee, we decided to go ahead with our plans. Schools in the area were shut, many government offices would stay closed but public transportation was available and go we would.

Off to the National Gallery of Art:

            Our plan for the day was to explore the National Gallery of Art, one of the world’s premier collections and one we have had the pleasures of perusal on multiple occasions. Still, it is always a joy to say Hello to old favorites and it was with enthusiasm that we took to the Metro after Corinne dropped us off to the station. We bought ourselves SmartTickets (which look like London’s Oyster Cards) and with Top Up As You Go options, we filled ten dollars in each of our cards and were off and away. Metro service was pretty sporadic as the snow had scared personnel away—they were, therefore, running a skeletal service which made it a bit uncomfortable as we had to wait a long time for our train on a freezing platform with no winter shelters. But finally, we were aboard and heading into the capital, getting off at the station and making our way to the museum.

Exploring the Collection at the National Gallery of Art:

            The capital’s collection is so huge that it is contained in two buildings: the West Building is the older, marble-clad one that contains works from the Renaissance to the 19^th century. The East Building, the newer one, designed by the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei, contains Modern Art from the 19^th century to contemporary times. We decided to arm ourselves with audio guides which we obtained from the visually-stunning central hall or Rotunda. This is focused around a sculpture of Hermes (Mercury) that was completely surrounded by spring blooms: azaleas in the softest tones of pink, peach and mauve were amassed around the fountain and it was inevitable that we would pause there to take pictures.

            Our exploration of the collection began with the Portrait called Ginevra de Benci—a 15^th century Florentine aristocrat whose face (probably an engagement portrait) was painted in oil on wood by Leonardo da Vinci—it is the only Da Vinci work in North America. The back of the panel is equally interesting as it features the family crest with significant motifs.  Using our audio guide, we walked ourselves around the work and then paused to take in the other significant Renaissance works in the same or nearby galleries: works by Sandro Botticelli, Fra Lippo Lippi, etc. For the next three hours, we lost ourselves in the wealth of magnificent art as the museum filled with more patrons. Among the many canvasses we saw, here are a few:

1.     Madonna by Giotto

2.     Wonderful busts and wreaths from Lucia della Robbia on whom there was a special exhibit.

3.     The Alba Madonna by Raphael

4.     St. George Killing the Dragon by Raphael

5.     Portrait of Saskia by Rembrandt

6.     The Old Man by Rembrandt

7.     Lady with a Red Hat by Vermeer

8.     Delft Courtyard by Pieter de Hooch (my favorite Flemish painter)

9.     Self Portrait by Rembrandt

10.  The Mill by Rembrandt

11.  Daniel in the Lion’s Den by Peter Paul Rubens (the most arresting of the lot)

12.  A Woman and Child by Renoir

 

Feeling quite peckish by 1.00 pm, we stopped and walked along the psychedelic lit walkway towards the East Building to get to the Museum café for lunch. In a cafetaria style setting, we chose the NPG Burger which consisted of a patty with grilled onions, blue cheese and other fixings. We also picked up sweet potato fries and a soda and found ourselves a comfortable table where, surrounded by printed art works from the collection and the company of a few souls who had braved the elements to appreciate art, we had a substantial lunch.

            After lunch, we set off towards the East Building, pausing to appreciate the genius of Pei who has created a building that has distinct similarities to the Louvre, not just in the creation of the glass triangles but also in the wide open spaces that form the café and the gift shop. Here are the items we paused to appreciate in the Modern collection:

1.     The Couple by Gustav Klimt

2.     The massive Mobile by Alexander Calder in the main lobby

3.     Harlequin Family by Picasso (the first important group portrait of the 20^th century)

4.     The Artist’s Garden in Vetheuil by Claude Monet

5.     The Japanese Bridge in his Garden in Giverny by Monet

6.     Portrait of a Little Girl by Renoir

7.     Madame Monet with a Parasol (and her Daughter) by Monet

8.     Children on a Beach by Mary Cassat

9.     Portrait of a Man by Cezanne

10.  Still Life with Oranges by Cezanne

11.  Self Portrait by Van Gogh

12.  Roses by Van Gogh

13.  Dancers at the Bar by Degas

14.  A Mound of Butter with Eggs by Vollot

15.  At the Moulin Rouge by Toulouse-Lautrec

16.  Views of Rouen Cathedral by Monet

17.  Reclining Gypsy by Cezanne

18.  On the River Stour by Constable

Of course, there were hundreds of paintings that we saw and at which we paused, based on the Director’s Tour that was part of our exploration with our audio guide. But by 4.00pm, we were physically exhausted and ready to call a halt. We had seen the best that the museum had to offer and felt deeply edified by the experience. It was time to go out and enjoy a quiet evening in another venue.

We took the metro back to Lorton, Corinne met us as the station and drove us home and after a quick cup of tea and a nibble at her place, we said our goodbyes and thank-yous and made the drive to Silver Spring, Maryland, as we would be spending the next two nights at the home of my cousin Laura’s daughter, Heather, her husband Chrys and their little boy, Jeremy. The drive took about 45 minutes. All highways had been cleared and since many people had stayed at home, traffic was rather light.

We arrived at Heather’s place and had a lovely reunion with her and her family. She lives in a large apartment complex in a two-bedroom apartment but is in the midst of a move as she has just bought a home and will be leaving it shortly. Heather plied us with wine and nibbles and then served us a home-cooked dinner of roast pork which was very comforting on the cold evening. We also made the acquaintance of her next door neighbor Maria who is a work colleague and who was interesting company. Soon Maria’s son and daughter joined us too—making for a very companionable evening overall.

It was not long before we said goodnight and took a well-deserved rest.    

 

Until tomorrow, see ya...

 

Worming Around the Luray Caverns of Virginia

Monday, Mar 13, 2017: Washington-Luray,Virginia-Washington

Worming Around the Luray Caverns of Virginia

            We spent the next day in Washington by getting far away from it! In fact, since the blizzard was expected to be quite immense, we thought it best to stay local through the worst of it. It made sense then to go off into the wilds of Virginia on a beautiful day when the sun shone brightly and there was a less vicious nip in the air.

            Our aim was to get to the Shenandoah Valley National Park to see the Luray Caverns. Less than a month ago, whilst on our way back from North Carolina where we had been for the Memorial Service of Llew’s brother, we had seen signs pointing to these caverns. About six months ago, when Chriselle had joined me in London, the two of us had taken a ten-day trip to Eastern Europe and had visited the Postjona Caves in Slovenia—one of Europe’s biggest attractions. Since Llew had not been with us then and we had been completely bowled over by the sights within these caves, I persuaded them to drive with me to the Luray Caverns for a similar experience. And thus it was that we found ourselves heading out of the nation’s capital and into the beautiful mountains of Virginia in which these caves are concealed.

In the Heart of the Luray Caverns:

            The Luray Caverns are so-called because they are located in the small Virginian town of Luray. This sleepy hamlet would have remained unknown to the rest of the world were it not for the caves that were discovered quite by chance by three young men who were cavorting aimlessly in the area in the late 1880s. When they discovered cool air emanating from a hole in the ground, they suspected that there were hollows to be found beneath. They started digging and lo and behold, the caves revealed their hidden secret: miles of dark caverns had developed over the millennia through the action of water (a river ran close by) over rock. Over a long period of time, the drippings that carry mineral deposits develop into the stalagmites (rooted to the ground) and the stalactites (hanging from the ceiling) that give the caves’ interiors such an eerie aspect. After thousands of years, these calcified deposits join together to form pillars (of which we saw many grand examples).

            We bought tickets to enter for $28 per head and joined a guided tour which begins every twenty minutes to a half hour depending on the crowds. We were quite surprised to find that at least twenty people joined our tour. You descend deep down into the caves through stairs hewn into the rock and find yourself in a dimly-lit space surrounded by towering natural forms. For the next thirty minutes, we were led on a walking tour through man-made walking paved paths that passed by all sorts of interesting rock formations from rocks that hung like sheets of bacon to those that resembled eggs fried sunny side up! We passed the Fish Market where rocks seems to hang like slimy fish and underground grottos carved by arched rock bridges. Everywhere we turned, there were opportunities to take pictures. Often times we were in spaces so vast that they seemed like cathedrals. No wonder a musician has set up a pipe organ in the caves which is capable of making music when the organ’s hammers hit different parts of the rocks. Gives a whoel new meaning to the term ‘rock music’, eh? Everything was quite fascinating and we were enthralled through it all.   

            It was about 1. 30 pm by the time we re-surfaced from the depths of the earth to re-emerge on its surface. We were rather hungry by that point and decided to go out in search of food. Just a five minutes ride away were a few fast food places and it was in McDonald’s that we found hamburgers that sustained us (as there was not much else by way of choice). With burgers, fries and sodas, we felt ready to embark on the next part of our sightseeing—a peak into the Car and Carriage Caravan Museum that was just next-door.

The Car and Carriage Caravan Museum:

            If we were bowled over by the Luray Caverns, we were completely stunned by this amazing museum. In what looked like a warehouse space, we were whisked away to the late 1800s and to the age of the pioneer wagons that crossed the American frontier. We walked along pathways that were lined by the most wonderful collection of ancient wagons, caravans and carriages and then when technology arrived, into the age of the automobile--cars. Standing alongside these cars were models of human beings dressed suitably in Victorian or Edwardian garb. Among the more unusual items we saw were baby prams (perambulators) and carriages, covered milk vans that went delivering milk from door to door in rural Virginia as well as a host of plush cars from around the globe, many with vintage pedigrees. There were Model T Fords, of course, America’s great contribution to the Industrial Age as well as spiffy Bentleys and Rolls-Royces. We found it incredible that so valuable a collection of antique and vintage cars could be assembled here in the midst of nowhere--the collection of one man, H.T.N. Graves, the President of Luray Caverns--who set out, with his staff, to assemble the most impressive collection of vehicles from a historical standpoint. The end result is this marvelous cornucopia of treasures—some of it deeply glamorous (there is the vintage vehicle of Rudolph Valentino) and some of it genuinely rustic. Overall, it was a great pleasure to peruse these babies and we had a grand time.

Inside the Luray Museum:

            Our next port of call was the Luray Museum which is located right across the street and which offered some more striking insights into life in this sleepy region of the world. It is still incredible to me how much vintage memorabilia of yesteryear has been collected by this museum and then carefully curated in order to take a visitor on a tour of the region through past times. It would take an entire day to see the collection properly. As it was, Llew and I simply skimmed through the contents but were impressed at every turn. We saw the region’s history of mining, agriculture, metal-working, etc. we learned about the quiet daily life of a hard-working mountain and valley people who took enough pride in their work as to preserve so many aspects of their mundane lives. In going through room after room of what was essentially a log-cabin, we derived a composite idea of the Luray region and were deeply gratified by our discovery.

            By 3.30 pm, we were back in our car making our way to Washington for a last quiet evening with Corinne as we would be moving out of her home the next day.    

         Until tomorrow, see ya....

Vietnamese Dinner at Corinne’s:

            Corinne chose to treat us to a Vietnamese dinner at her home as she had picked up large bowls of pho (Vietnamese broth) filled with thin rice noodles, vegetables and bits of steak and meatballs floating in them. It made a very hearty supper indeed as we retold Corinne our discoveries of the day. It was not long before we cleared up and called it a night.

            We drifted off to bed with some dread as TV reports were riufe with awful news of the incoming blizzard—the area was expected to be engulfed with snow and we had little idea of whether or not we’d be marooned for the next couple of days in Corinne’s home while putting paid to the rest of our sightseeing plans.

            Little did we know how wrong we’d be…

Zootopia, an Impressionist Masterpiece and a Turkish Repast

Sunday, Mar 12, 2017: Washington

Zootopia, an Impressionist Masterpiece and a Turkish Repast

            We awoke on our second day in Washington to eat breakfast while listening to the telly that predicted the coming of a massive blizzard on Tuesday. Temperatures were supposed to get successively lower as the days progressed—so much for our desire to get away from the cold! Notwithstanding the predictions, we hurried through breakfast of muesli with yoghurt and hot buttered toast with coffee before we showered and got ready for a day outdoors.

            By 9.00 am, Corinne was driving us downtown—a very generous gesture on her part, although we were more than happy to take the metro (underground) from the nearest stop. As we drove through the main streets of the capital, I realized how much I was relishing the architecture of every building for each façade was completely different from the other. As we passed through churches, private residences, apartment buildings and the like, I felt silly that we had stayed away from the capital for so many years and made only cursory stops through it.

Exploring Washington’s Zoo:

            It is a little hard to imagine that we, who are devoted to museums and art galleries, would make a bee-line for the Zoo in a city that boasts the treasures of the Smithsonian .  But since our aim was to explore places we had never seen before and because the capital’s zoo is reputedly one of the country’s finest, it made perfect sense that we should head there first. Corinne dropped us right outside the main gate which is flanked by gigantic sculptured lions and, within minutes, we found ourselves at the Visitor’s Center. Sadly, they were unable to offer us maps, but our guidebooks did the trick in leading us to the most important parts of the zoo.

            The zoo is located in a sprawling mass of well-landscaped property. Laid out in the middle of the 19^th century, it is surprisingly natural in outlook and design. The highlights are the giant pandas that are always present in the zoo on loan from the Chinese. As one only rarely sees these animals, in the wild or in captivity, they are a huge attraction and most visitors head to their section first.

            Imagine our delight when we found the pandas (in the Asian section) bright, alert and hungry when we arrived at their pits. Bamboo grows in luxurious wildness all around their enclosures and for very good reason—pandas spend 18 out of 24 hours of each day eating—and all they eat is bamboo!!! Fortunately, bamboo grows very quickly. There has, therefore, been no dearth of food for their munching pleasure. To our good luck, one of the pandas decided to ham it just for our cameras and deliberately ambled towards a straw hammock where he parked himself with a huge stalk of bamboo that he slowly proceeded to consume. Our video cameras whirred and our still cameras and phone cameras had a field day as we tried to record the delightful sight. It was difficult to tear ourselves away from the sight but there were other pandas in the enclosure that also demanded our attention.

            Other creatures that left an impression on us were flying orangutans, massive black gorillas, lion-faced tamarins and a scary-looking anaconda (the world’s largest snake). There were loads of poisonous snakes such as adders, vipers and cobras in glass tanks but it was the boa constrictor, all curled up, together with the anaconda that was more memorable to me. In addition, we saw seals, sea lions, Asian elephants and—get this, a white Sumatran tiger (all seemingly within a few feet from us). There were birds galore, alligators, crocodiles, giant tortoises that were as big as small cars, and a host of other interesting animals that had us swooning. It truly was a wonderful morning and by pacing ourselves carefully, resting wherever we could, stretching our calves to avoid discomfort or foot soreness, we managed to see everything worthwhile in about four hours.

            Would we recommend a day at the Washington Zoo? Most certainly…and especially for children. Best of all it is free of charge!

On a Date with Renoir at the Phillips Collection:

            It is astonishing when you come to think of it, that one of the world’s most renowned Impressionist paintings is not to be found in the Louvre or the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, not in the National Gallery in London or even in the National Gallery in Washington---but in a small, nondescript private collection in Washington DC called The Phillips Collection. What is also astonishing is that we have never seen it ourselves—despite making several trips to Washington DC over the years. Hence, it was a priority on our To-Do List and since it was open until 7.00 pm on Sundays, it made sense to head to the Phillips.

            Located on a quiet side street not far from the famous Dupont Circle, The Phillips Collection has a hefty entry fee—fortunately, my Metropolitan Museum of Art ID card gets me (and a companion) into most of the world’s finest art collections for free--and the same perquisite prevailed here. Armed with our entry tags, we entered the lovely private mansion of a very wealthy couple called Duncan and Marjorie Acker Phillips whose love of contemporary art, led to their amassing of some of the most significant works in the 1920s. Although the canvasses hung initially in their home—a genteel mansion--they acquired the property next door to theirs and converted it into an art gallery for the browsing pleasure of the public.

Over the next few decades, they collected works by all the leading lights of the era. However, their most famous acquisition and the one that all art lovers head directly to see is the gorgeous painting entitled Luncheon of the Boating Party that occupies a room almost entirely by itself. Its vast proportions and pleasing composition leave the viewer stunned. Featuring as its central character, the model who would become Renoir’s wife, Aline Charigot, it was exhibited in 1882 and caused an immediate sensation. Duncan Phillips bought it in 1923 from its owner, the art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel for $125,000—probably the costliest painting he had ever owned.

Posed at the Maison Fournaise, a restaurant on the Seine at Chatou, are a host of friends and acquaintances that Renoir knew well, including the woman who would become his wife. They are casually dressed and seen making conversation over glasses of wine. The color in the composition is stunning but it is the soft images created through the famous blurred lens of the Impressionist painter that renders it delightfully charming. Needless to say, we spent a long while in front of the painting and whipped out our phones to get some Wikipedia notes on it—in order to appreciate its nuances more deeply. I am delighted to note that with the viewing of this painting, I have, in fact, seen all 100 Masterpieces of Art that the art critic Marina Vaizey provides in her book of the same name. I had bought the book several years ago in Bombay and it has taken me about 33 years to see them all as I have made my way through cities like Paris and Florence and small towns such as Cambridge and Oxford to see each of them in the flesh. 

            In addition to this masterpiece, the collection boasts works by Picasso (The Blue Room which features a canvas by Toulouse-Lautrec in the background was especially interesting), Degas, Van Gogh, Pissarro and Sisley which make the collection quite remarkable. What was even more interesting was a special retrospective on the work of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec which occupied almost an entire floor of the museum. Filled with the publicity posters that he designed for such night clubs as the Chat Noir, the Moulin de la Galette and the Moulin Rouge, viewers were able to see his works in progress.  A large number of the printed lithographs of the originals had been acquired by Phillips and they form a substantial part of his collection. From Aristide Bruant to the famous La Goulue, from Jane Avril to May Milton (whose figure hangs in a poster in Picasso’s Blue Room), the big names of the period are to be seen in glorious color as they reproduce the gaiety of a bygone era. It was simply delightful and we loved every second of the exhibition. We then walked across via a bridge to the mansion of the Phillips where a specially fitted Music Room with a splendid grand piano had been the venue of a concert that we could hear from the outside (tickets were required to enter). Inside we saw some of the most interesting paintings from Constable’s View of the River Stour to works by Bonnard and Degas.

            It was 7.00 pm when we finished our perusal of the museum (at which point, it was being shut). We spent a short while in the gift shop and then called Corinne who was supposed to pick us up for our next appointment: dinner with herself and her friends in a restaurant nearby.

Dinner at Ottoman Taverna:

            It was not long before Corinne and her friend Bill picked us up from the famed book shop at Dupont Circle called Kramerbooks which is also known for its Afterwords Café. We browsed about for a little bit while awaiting our pick-up and then coasted along to a Turkish Restaurant called Ottoman Taverna where our friends have eaten before and felt compelled to share their finds with us. Over the next couple of hours, we got to know another couple that joined Corinne and Bill—Debasis and his wife, Jyotsna Basu, who were originally from Calcutta. We ordered a number of delicious dishes—the lamb chops were a hot favorite. I ordered the Shrimp Stew as a starter and the Turkish lamb sausage over a white bean stew for my main course. Dessert was a sampler of kanafi (which Llew and I have relished all over the Middle East) and baklava—the layered dessert made with phyllo pastry and thyme honey. Not long after, we got back into Corinne’s car and made our way to her home for another restful night.      

            One thing was sure: we’d had a superb day and had crowned in with a memorable meal in the company of people who were tons of fun.     

Until tomorrow, see ya... 

Mr. Almeida Goes to Washington (With His Wife--Moi!)

MR ALMEIDA (AND HIS WIFE) GOES TO WASHINGTON

(OR WHAT I DID DURING MY SPRING BREAK)
 

            Why Washington DC? Well, primarily because we were looking for some place close at hand and warmer than Connecticut (ha!) to spend Spring Break. We had last been tourists in our nation’s capital more than 25 years ago (when Llew, Chriselle and I had led my Dad who was visiting from Bombay on a tour of a few north-eastern US cities) and thought the time was ripe to re-discover the rich cultural and historical heritage of our own land. Also, we had a load of friends and relatives (some of whom have emigrated recently to the USA) who had extended frequent offers of hospitality. We thought it would be terrific to spend some quality time with them. So, there we were…Mr. Almeida and his wife would go to Washington!

            Much has changed in our country since we last trod the capital’s touristic pavements. While in the years before the tragedy of 9/11, one could merely line up for entry tickets into the Capitol, the White House or the Pentagon, today, you need no less than three weeks of planning, writing to your own state senator’s office and procuring of timed tickets to enter these hallowed grounds. We felt fortunate that we had done tours of the first two, albeit decades ago. We’d have liked to have gone inside the Pentagon, but there is always something one ought to leave behind for a future trip, right? Well, as it turned out, we found several things we’ll have to do on another trip. Our aim was to try to get to as many places for the first time ever as possible. That way, we’d not feel bored, our touring would not be repetitive and, hopefully, we’d come away learning a lot more about our country and its people than we knew already.

            So, off we went…please join me now on your own armchair travels through Pierre L’Enfant’s beautifully designed city of Washington.

Sat, Mar 11, 2017: New York-Washington

            We left our home in Southport, Connecticut, at exactly 7. 15 am on a quiet Saturday morning and by doing extraordinary time (though not hair-raising speeds), we arrived at our friend Corinne’s place in Lorton, VA, at just after 12 noon—exactly five hours from door to door. Corinne was delighted to see us again after a good ten years at least. Having just moved into a beautiful gated community, she was eager to share her new home with us. We were pleased with our en suite room on the main floor of her house and by the very classy way she has furnished and decorated her space to reflect her taste and interests.

            After a late lunch of Pakistani-style Lamb (Corinne is a Catholic Goan from Karachi and a very old and good friend of Llew) and an endless catch-up on all that has gone on since her recent retirement from the International Monetary Fund where she worked for decades, we decided to go out for Mass. My aim was to attend Mass at the National (Episcopalian) Cathedral which we have visited before. But Corinne suggested the National Basilica (Catholic) of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Washington. She offered to drive us there and since neither of us had been there before, we opted to hear Mass there.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: 

            As we were approaching the basilica, I was struck by its glorious architecture—Byzantine-Gothic in conception, it has humongous proportions. In fact, with its dome and its single minaret, you might well believe you are heading into a mosque. The parking lot was packed when we arrived just as Mass began. We hurried inside and were stunned by the size of the place and the congregation. At least 2,500 people can be seated in its pews with several hundred more standees. Mass had begun and the booming voice of the pastor echoed around the soaring heights of the nave. The ceiling and the shrines or Lady Chapels that encircle the basilica are covered with Byzantine-style mosaics composed of tiny bits of stone composed to form images of saints and of Our Lady. The dominant image just behind the altar is of Christ in Majesty. After Mass and Communion, we toured the precincts of the church and were struck by the varied shrines representing devotion to various avatars of the Virgin Mother: as Mother of Sorrows, as our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (headquartered in Paris, France), as the Black Madonna of Poland, as our Lady of Guadalupe, etc. As we circumnavigated the church, pausing to pray or to light a candle at each of the altars or shrines, we were stunned by the beauty, the workmanship and the devotion of the faithful that were involved in this mammoth project.

            Corinne then led us down to the Crypt from where the Sunday Roman Catholic Mass is televised nationally throughout the USA through the mini-church in the basement. Sculpture of newer saints such as St. Teresa of Calcutta are dotted around these vast marble floors while stained glass windows in niches brought jeweled tones into the interior. It was all quite fascinating indeed and we could not believe that we have never toured a place that was initiated in the mid-1800s and that has become a primary center for Roman Catholic worship in America.  

Dinner at Le Thai Restaurant:

            Night had fallen by the time we entered Corinne’s car for the 25-minute drive home to Lorton. At her suggestion, we opted for Thai cuisine (which we both adore) at a modest place called Le Thai where the owner, Bobby, has known Corinne for years. We had Tiger Tears (marinated steak in a chilli dipping sauce) and Thai Chicken Wings for appetizers (both superb), Chicken Pad Thai, Panang Curry with Shrimp and Pad Se Ew (wide rice noodles with broccoli in a spicy soy sauce). Everything was grand with the proper balance of sweet, sour, spicy that is the hallmark of good Thai cuisine. We had no room for dessert, so we returned home to gab some more with hot tea as we slowly made our way to bed.

            It has been a great first day and we were quite pleased with the start of our holiday.