Monday

Today I ventured out on my own while Anica went into work for the morning. I decided on the zoo, just a short walk away...




Time out! Both of you!


"I'm dreaming of an island, far, far away..."


Construction of the new Asian area to permanently house "Butterstick" aka Tai Shan.


We met for lunch then hunted down the car and drove out to the Aquatic Gardens which were created by Walter B. Shaw, a one-armed Civil War Veteran with a passion for water lilies. It's said that with the help of his daughter, Shaw dug over 45 ponds by hand. It's quite an amazing sight.






Next on the list was the National Arboretum. Some of the facilities were closed but we made the most of the Capital Columns; 22 columns that once stood around the Capital Building...


...and the National Herb Garden and the Asian Collections


When we got home, hungry and exhausted we decided to venture down Columbia and stopped off at Mantis where we were treated to a one-of-a-kind personal freak show! Above, see Anica doing her best Nutty Professor impersonation while Adam and Joe, our biometrics teachers, demonstrate...




We managed to escape unscathed and made a hasty retreat to a restaurant on Connecticut which I don't remember the name of (don't read too much into that...), maybe it was Cosi's? Anica?

Sunday continued...

Anica's apartment; there's even room to swing a cat. Juno!




A room with a view. In the distance you can see the National Cathedral. At night it stays lit until 1:00 a.m.


After visiting the WWII Memorial (see previous post), we walked past the 58,226 names of vets killed in Vietnam inscribed into the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial.


Then after visiting the Lincoln Memorial we made our way along the Mall to the Korean War Veteran's Memorial which is represented by 19 service men clad in weather-proof ponchos.


From there we headed out to make a round of the Basin. A couple of months ago it would have been awash with color from the blooming cherry trees, but it was still beautiful and tranquil and gave us a great view of the Jefferson Memorial which we stopped into after hiking through the Roosevelt Memorial (see previous post).


After this long trek we were craving a big, bad burger. So we decided to head back up 14th towards the Washington Hotel to dine on their rooftop terrace. We passed the Holocaust Memorial Museum on the way and regrettably didn't stop, but did get a shot of Joel Shapiro's sculpture, Loss and Regeneration. Joel has an untitled "guy" in the MFAH's Sculpture Garden.


Walking back from the Mall tour, we stopped off at the National Geographic Society HQ, unfortunately the building was closed but I got these shots of the courtyard...


Including this 1984 environmental sculpture, Marabar, by Elyn Zimmerman. Hmm, I wonder if she's any relation to Robert...


These whimsical life-size animals are dotted around the courtyard.



We made a slight detour to check out Meridian Hill Park, aka Malcolm X Park. There is a beautiful fountain that flows down the tiers shown above, but like a lot of water features in DC, this one was also not running during my visit. This park was extremely active; it's surrounded by housing which encourages gatherings like the impromptu drum jam that was going on as we walked through.


These Zipcars are located around the city for anyone to rent for about $9 per hour. The concept was born in 1999, inspired by a similar idea found in Germany. The hourly rate includes rental, insurance and gas. For a city that is short on parking, this is a great alternative to living with the hassles of car-ownership.

The arrival, Saturday

Row 22. Seat A. Just behind the wing, the way I like it...
Nothing like getting up at 5:30 a.m., having to wait 2-hours for a delayed train upon arrival then dashing off to a party! We started this trip as we meant to go on. How are your feet, Anica?


The rooftop view from Anica's boyfriend, John's apartment on Adams Mill. This was pre-party guests. Anica's apartment is just a stone's throw away, above the "m" in from.


Anica's handy-dandy purse which carried speakers and tequila. The party wouldn't have been complete without. When we left John's place in the wee hours I was worried about walking home, but to my surprise Adams Morgan was buzzing. I felt very safe, in fact the entire trip I felt extremely safe, even on the subway...

Sunday in DC

The tradesman's entrance to the White House


View from the Sky Terrace at the Washington Hotel. Protestors could be seen and heard in the street below which runs alongside the White House.


Anica cooling off at the Roosevelt Memorial.


I'm so glad I got to see this tribute to our armed forces; it meant so much...


Lincoln's view of the reflection pool and the Washington Monument.


The great man himself.


Anica reading up on the Real WWII Memorial.


One source of public transportation. My prefered method was by foot.


Inside the Ford Theater, looking towards the box where Abe sat, April 14, 1864, the night he was shot by Booth. There is a great museum in the basement.


Walking down 18th


Dupont Circle METRO Station - they all look the same but ain't they cool?


Following the Heritage Trails which lead you on walking tours of the various neighborhoods or quadrants of D.C.

Investing my Time

My day has consisted of two things: one that I enjoyed but it ended all too soon, and one that I didn't enjoy while it lasted by continued nevertheless when I got home. Here's the first:

Today I experienced my first Rotary Club luncheon. Rotary Club, I hear you wonder, Isn't that for good-ol'-boys? Well, yes. But let me explain: For openers we bowed our heads in prayer, which, while I don't claim to religiously speak to the Lord (sorry, faith-based joke), I do appreciate the value of prayer in our society; this was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, which being a naturalized citizen of this great country (Texas), I relish reciting at any opportunity; after the Pledge the room burst into song, God Bless America was the ditty accompanied by Mrs. Fenninger on piano, which nicely summed everything up. This preface was all a nice bonus to the real reason I was there, Mark Alan Robinson, aka the guy who recently had the green wedding...

Mark's presentation reaffirmed my commitment towards sustainablity and environmentally-conscious decisions. He greeted a mixed audience of eco-eager guests and skeptical regulars some of who seemed to wonder, "if the guy only uses 2-gallons of water each month, what does he do about his lawn?" I think some missed the point...

Of the numerous ways to cut foreign fuel dependence, one of Mark's suggestions was to turn up your thermostat by 3-degrees during the summer. I had to smile at this one, since December my air conditioner has clicked on maybe a dozen times. It's currently set at 80. I don't think I could improve much in that department if I tried...

So that was my fun for the day, and now I should be packing for my rapidly-approaching trip, but after sitting at the computer for the other 7 hours of my work day, I just couldn't resist getting straight back in the chair to do a little research as soon as I got home. No, I wasn't researching green hotels, recommended restaurants, or biodegradable plastics. I was actually exploring my mutual funds to see if I possess any socially responsible investments. To my shock and horror, I find the exact opposite (actually it was more or less as I expected, that's what you get with standard 401k funding options). It appears my worse nightmare has come true, I own a part (albeit tiny) of WALMART (I know more than one of you will not approve). Fortunately I make up for it in other areas; 0.17% of my S&P 500 fund is in Waste Management WMI, 2.99% is in General Electric GE and 0.08% is in Whole Foods WFMI. It's my intention to move more into these areas while moving away from the Johnson & Johnson and Proctor & Gambles of this world. What I really need is to invest in lunch with my financial advisor... Oh, and if anyone can find the symbol for Green Mountain Energy (not the Vermont Co. or the coffee producer) please let me know, I'm stumped...

So, here I am, ready to move on to something different. I'm giving an hour of my time to A Trip to the Stars. Something much more profitable.

My Visitors

Amy & Buffy

Hip Hip Hooray! Noelie's One Today! Well, Thursday, but who's counting?

Articles

I'm running on fumes these past few days. With only a hand full of hours of sleep here I am again, surfing the web, taking advantage of a restless mind, trying to absorb as much as possible while I have the opportunity. I wanted to share the links below with anyone interested (I apologize in advance for being such an obvious Jane Jacobs groupie)... Scroll down to see some fantastic pics of Levy Park in all its glory!

DenverPost.com - Corn ethanol not all that

DenverPost.com - Corn ethanol not all that

See, here's another negative ethanol article.

WHAT I SAY: Jane Jacobs is Dead; Long Live Jane Jacobs

WHAT I SAY: Jane Jacobs is Dead; Long Live Jane Jacobs

JS Online:Jacobs championed urban designs that worked for residents

JS Online:Jacobs championed urban designs that worked for residents

OpinionJournal - Leisure & Arts

OpinionJournal - Leisure & Arts

Article: What Jane Jacobs Really Saw - Today's urban planners falsely claim her legacy.

Reason: Peak Oil Panic: Is the planet running out of gas? If it is, what should the Bush administration do about it? by Ronald Bailey

Reason: Peak Oil Panic: Is the planet running out of gas? If it is, what should the Bush administration do about it? by Ronald Bailey