Washington, DC

Art a la Cart Family Day - This month’s family day at the Smithsonian American Art Museum is on Sunday, November 2 from 1pm to 4pm. There are four different interactive cart activities.

Los Días de los Muertos/Day of the Dead Two-Day Celebration - This event is being held on Saturday, November 1 and Sunday, November 2 at the National Museum of the American Indian from 10:30am to 4pm each day. Events include demonstrations of paper cutting, sugar skull, paper sculpture, paper mache, tortillas, mole, and pan de muerto. The museum’s Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe will also feature the traditional foods on a special menu for the weekend. While there check out the new exhibit opening at the museum on Saturday called Indian/Not Indian.

Check out weekend sports playing in D.C. on the Sports Events Coming Up This Week post.

The newest temporary exhibit at Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian opens tomorrow (November 1, 2008). This new exhibit is called “Fritz Scholder: Indian/Not Indian.” This is an interesting dual city exhibit simultaneously on display at the D.C. and New York City locations of the museum. The D.C. exhibit is described as surveying “Scholder’s forty-plus years as a working artist, with particular emphasis on his groundbreaking and controversial Indian paintings from the 1960s and 1970s.” The New York exhibit focuses more on his “works from the 1980s and 1990s, when he stopped using overt Indian imagery and explored mythical beings, the afterlife, and the unknown.” Thus the exhibits show the artist’s earlier works of the Indian and his later career that moved to more Not overtly Indian work. It is the first retrospective of his work since his death.

Wrap Up of results from October 20-26, 2008

D.C. United (MLS)

10/21 @ Cruz Azul Lost 0-2
10/26 @ Columbus Crew Lost 0-1

Washington Capitals

10/21 @ Flames Lost 1-2
10/23 @ Coyotes Lost 1-2
10/25 @ Stars Won 6-5

Washington Redskins

10/26 @ Lions Won 25-17

Washington Wizards

10/22 @ San Antonio (Preseason) Won 100-95
10/24 @ Cleveland (Preseason) Lost 80-107

Upcoming

D.C. United (MLS)

10/29 vs. CD Marathon

Washington Capitals

10/28 vs. Predators
11/1 @ Sabres

Washington Redskins

No game this week because they play Monday Night game on November 3.

Washington Wizards

10/29 vs. New Jersey
11/1 @ Detroit

The newest temporary exhibit at the National Gallery of Art opens today (October 26, 2008). This new exhibit is called “Jan Lievens: A Dutch Master Rediscovered.” Jan Lievens was a 17th century Dutch artist (mostly painter) who in his early career worked alongside Rembrandt. His works include subjects such as religion, head studies, and formal portraits. This exhibit includes 55 paintings (some are recently rediscovered ones), 30 prints, and 50 drawings done by Jan Lievens. This special exhibit is located in the Main Floor Galleries of the West Building. It is expected to remain on display until January 11, 2009.

Air and Scare - This event is being held at the National Air and Space Museum Udvar Hazy Center location. It is on Saturday, October 26, 2008, from 4pm to 8pm. Activities include trick-or-treating, Trick-or-Truth information stations about mysteries like Area 51, Discovery Stations with Halloween science experiments, Spook-tivity Stations with Halloween hands on activities such as crafts, Teen and Tween Zone with things like robot demonstrations, Tot Zone with dress up costumes, take a photo with a Star Wars character, face painting, and a showing of The Jetsons in the IMAX theater.

Boo at the Zoo - This is the special trick-or-treating event at the National Zoo. It is being held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night from 5:30pm to 8:30pm on each night. The Saturday night tickets are already sold out, though. Also, parking passes for every night are also sold out. It is geared towards kids ages 2 to 12. It includes 40 treat stations, animal encounters, keeper talks, and Halloween decorations to enjoy.

Ghosts of a Chance - This is a special Halloween themed scavenger hunt in the Luce Foundation Center. It goes from noon to 5pm on Saturday. The hunt includes several quests to save the museum from mischievous spirits. The first 50 people to complete all the quests it get a Ghost of a Chance t-shirt.

Imaginasia Family Programs - This weekend the Freer/Sackler Gallery has an Imaginasia Family Program on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. The Saturday one is called Beyond Space and Time and includes a mini diorama project. The Sunday one is called Where the Desert Blooms and includes creating a Nagaur palace garden to take home.

Check out weekend sports playing in D.C. on the Sports Events Coming Up This Week post.

The newest exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery opens tomorrow, October 24, 2008. It is called “Tokens of Affection and Regard: Photographic Jewelry and Its Makers.” This exhibit includes different photographic jewelry mostly dating back to the 1800s. In particular, the exhibit focuses on the period between 1840 and 1875 when photographic jewelry flourished. The exhibit includes examples from the four main photographic processes of the time, which were daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes and paper prints. I am not sure what all those are, but I remember seeing the small daquerreotypes exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery last time I visited and they are kind of cool looking because they have a holographic quality to them. The exhibit also includes photos of some of the famous American photographers that made photographic jewelry. The exhibit is expected to remain on display until June 21, 2009.

Wrap Up of results from October 13-19, 2008

D.C. United (MLS)

10/16 vs. New England Revolution Won 2-1

Washington Capitals

10/13 vs. Canucks Won 5-1
10/16 @ Penguins Won 4-3
10/18 vs. Devils Lost 3-4 in Overtime

Washington Redskins

10/19 vs. Browns Won 14-11

Washington Wizards

10/14 @ New Orleans (Preseason in Berlin) Lost 80-96
10/17 vs. New Orleans (Preseason in Barcelona) Lost 80-102

Upcoming

D.C. United (MLS)

10/21 @ Cruz Azul
10/26 @ Columbus Crew

Washington Capitals

10/21 @ Flames
10/23 @ Coyotes
10/25 @ Stars

Washington Redskins

10/26 @ Lions

Washington Wizards

10/22 @ San Antonio (Preseason)
10/24 @ Cleveland (Preseason)

Garden and Cosmos Opening Celebration 2-Day India Festival: This is a special event at the Sacler and Freer Galleries on Saturday, October 18, and Sunday, October 19, to celebrate the opening of the new exhibit Garden and Cosmos: The Royal Paintings of Jodhpur. Events includes performances, the galleries being open until 8pm on Saturday, Indian food available in the courtyard, and Festival of the Lights Family Program (this part is 4pm to 8pm on Saturday and 1pm to 4pm on Sunday). The Festival of the Lights part seems like a fun thing for families with younger kids, as it includes completing activity books, coloring woodblock prints, and making lanterns. See the full list of Saturday’s events here and the list of Sunday’s events here.

Check out weekend sports playing in D.C. on the Sports Events Coming Up This Week post.

Wrap Up of results from October 6-12, 2008

D.C. United (MLS)

10/9 @ Deportivo Saprissa Tied 2-2
10/12 @ Houston Dynamo Tied 0-0

Washington Capitals

10/10 @ Thrashers Lost 4-7
10/11 vs. Blackhawks Won 4-2

Washington Redskins

10/12 vs. Rams Lost 17-19

Washington Wizards

10/7 @ Dallas Preseason Lost 82-108
10/8 @ Memphis Preseason Won 89-80
10/10 vs. Detroit Preseason Lost 62-73

Upcoming

D.C. United (MLS)

10/16 vs. New England Revolution

Washington Capitals

10/13 vs. Canucks
10/16 @ Penguins
10/18 vs. Devils

Washington Redskins

10/19 vs. Browns

Washington Wizards

10/14 @ New Orleans (Preseason in Berlin)
10/17 vs. New Orleans (Preseason in Barcelona)

The newest exhibit at the Sackler Gallery opens tomorrow, October 11, 2008. This new exhibit is called “Garden and Cosmos: The Royal Paintings of Jodhpur.” This exhibit sounds pretty interesting in that it contains recently rediscovered “Indian paintings from the royal court collection of Marwar-Jodhpur (in the modern state of Rajasthan).” The exhibit is broken into three sections. One is paintings related to the Garden. One is paintings related to the Cosmos. The other part is about the kingdom of Marwar-Jodhpur and their court painting traditions of the 17th century. The main interesting thing is that very few have seen these works of art since they were created in the 1600s. This exhibit is one of the shorter temporary exhibits done by Smithsonian museums in that it is only going to be on display a few months until January 4, 2009.

Commemorative Cancels & Covers Family Day - This event is at the National Postal Museum. It is part of the ongoing celebration of the museum’s 15th anniversary. It is on Saturday, October 11 from 1pm to 3pm. Learn about commemorative cancel and covers and also mail get a special 15th anniversary cancel in the Museum store. I tried to figure out how to get this supposed cancel when I went and saw the new Alphabetilately exhibit a few weeks ago, but it was not obvious how to get it. Now I know I probably had to specifically ask for it in the store.

SAAM I Am OKeeffe and Adams Family Day - Learn about Ansel Adams and Georgia O’Keefe at this month’s Smithonsian American Art Museum’s family day. It is on Saturday from 1pm to 4pm.

Check out weekend sports playing in D.C. on the Sports Events Coming Up This Week post.

The newest exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery opens tomorrow, October 10, 2008. The new exhibit is called “Women of Our Time: Twentieth-Century Photographs.” This exhibit contains portraits of 91 women who were important figures in the 20th century. The portraits are of women who reached what the museum website calls “the summit of achievement politics, business, arts, sports, performance, music, humanitarianism and science.” Just a few of the women included in this exhibit are Marilyn Monroe, Helena Rubenstein, Hannah Arendt, Billie Holiday, Gloria Steinem and Sylvia Plath. The exhibit not only shows important women of the century, but it also has examples of photographs taken by some of the best photographers of the 20th century, such as Philippe Halsman, Lotte Jacobi, Lisette Model, Irving Penn and Edward Steichen. The exhibit is expected to remain on display until February 1, 2009.

Murder in the Executive Mansion is park of the Eleanor Roosevelt mystery book series written by Elliot Roosevelt. I really enjoyed this book for one because I tend to like mystery books. Secondly, I like the historical setting aspect of the book. This book’s main character is Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The story may not be real, but it does draw on several real historical events of the time period. The historical aspects include the royal visit from the King and Queen of England and some of the characters, such as the President and First Lady.

The main plot of the book is about one of the White House employees that worked for the First Lady being found dead in the White House after the King and Queen’s visit. The quest for the First Lady to help the police find the truth leads to some interesting things about the women’s past showing the woman was not as innocent as she appeared. The actual ending of who murdered her and why leads to an interesting use of the historical context of the time period. Saying much more than that would ruin the interest of the book and how it pulls you in to keep reading to find out why the woman was murdered.

Basic Information About this Book:

ISBN #: 0-312-955782
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Year of Publication: 195
Number of Pages: 242

If you have a suggestion of a D.C. related book that you would like to see featured in a future Book of the Week post, then please either comment on this post.

Listen to books on your Apple iPod

Wrap Up of results from October 6-12, 2008

D.C. United (MLS)

10/1 vs. Cruz Azul Lost 0-1
10/4 vs. Chivas USA Lost 0-3

Washington Capitals

9/29 @ Devils Won 3-2
10/1 @ Flyers Lost 1-2
10/3 vs. Flyers Won 5-1
10/5 vs. Bruins Lost 4-5 in Overtime

Washington Redskins

10/5 @ Eagles Won 23-17

Upcoming

D.C. United (MLS)

10/9 @ Deportivo Saprissa
10/12 @ Houston Dynamo

Washington Capitals

10/10 @ Thrashers
10/11 vs. Blackhawks

Washington Redskins

10/12 vs. Rams

Washington Wizards

10/7 @ Dallas Preseason
10/8 @ Memphis Preseason
10/10 vs. Detroit Preseason

The Alphabetilately exhibit opened a little over a week ago at the National Postal Museum. The exhibit is part of the celebration of the museum’s 15th anniversary. The exhibit has displays of stamps under 26 organization topics based on stamp collecting words that start with each letter of the alphabet. It is a fun exhibit to learn more about stamps and see some interesting stamps.

It starts with Advertising Covers, which includes things like images on envelopes and Zazzle stamps with company products. It ends with Zeppelin Post, which is about how the post was transported over the Atlantic with Zeppelins including some stamps with Zeppelins on them. In between there about things like Bisects (half stamps being used for half their value, which is illegal nowadays), Cinderella Stamps (things that look like real stamps that are not actual stamps), Joint Issues (stamps issued by two countries with same image), Se-tenant Sheets (sheets with multiple designs such as the 50 state sheets), and the X Cancel (the way stamps were canceled with pen or hand canceled with an X stamp).

The other things are Duck Stamps, EFOs (Errors, Freaks, and Oddities), Firsts, G Stamp, Handstamp, Inverts, Kansas City Roulettes, Local Post, Mulreadys, Numerals, Overprint, Persian Rug, Quality, Railway Post Office, Topical, Universal Postal Union, V-Mail, War Issues, and Yvert & Tellier.

Overall this is one of my favorite special exhibits I have ever seen at the National Postal Museum. I actually spent several hours going through this small one room exhibit. It has so much info per letter and several examples per each one to enjoy and help understand what some things really refer to. The info can be overwhelming, but it is also easy to just skim the info and still get a better understanding of stamp collecting terms.