Summer 2015 East Coast -- Monuments and Memorials

After the museums, we took a twilight walk down the mall to see the monuments and memorials. Walking east, the first is the WWII Memorial.

The monument is elliptical shaped pool with one arch dedicated each to the Atlantic and Pacific theaters with a stele honoring those who fought from each state. 

Although the WWII Memorial has the largest footprint, to me it didn't make much of an emotional impression. It didn't make me think because had I not been paying attention it looked like park with a pool.

However, this monument we all know.  Even though it is familiar, it's grandeur gives you pause to stop and just look.  Greek revival....good call.

We all know the opening to the Gettysburg Address, but here's the entire text.  Powerful words.

The Vietnam War Memorial.  The reason why it's powerful is how different it is.  I had seen pictures but this one you have to experience.  Walking down INTO the heart of the memorial, you feel enveloped by the black marble.

And then you see and yourself reflected in the names.  In comparison to the WWII Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial is an emotional experience.

Looking on the map of the mall, I saw that there was a Korean War Memorial as well.  This one was completely different, and my favorite. The iconography of the soldiers tromping through the bushes was another emotional experience.

The powerful dedication

This is the entrance to......

.....the MLK Memorial.  Did you know it was designed by a Chinese artist?  MLK was placed here so he is directly along the line between the Lincoln Memorial, where he gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech and.....

.....The Jefferson Memorial

Onions and I decided to walk around the Tidal Basin to the Jefferson Memorial and came upon the FDR Memorial.

The FDR Memorial is an example of what I call "trying to do too much" because it was a series of installations that told a story. It wasn't an experience more of a "lecture."

The FDR Memorial did include Eleanor, which gives is major points.

We timed it perfectly because we arrived at the Jefferson Memorial at sunset.

We finished our perfect evening stroll along the Mall with the Jefferson Memorial just as its lights turned on.

The many faces of the Washington Monument

Summer 2015 East Coast -- Smithsonian

Hey Barack, just coming by to drop off an invitation to the wedding!

It was hot in the afternoon, so we ducked into a couple of the Smithsonian museums.  The first was the Natural History Museum.  I actually wasn't that impressend given that I've actually seen many of the animals live (penguins, tigers, etc.).

Over at the American History Museum, I was expecting more actual history, but once I adjusted my expectations, I realized these artifacts explained the history.  Here's the famous Woolworth's lunch counter.  Enjoy the trip down memory lane.

There was one of these sitting in my grandparent's basement up until a few years ago.

Man, on hot days, lunches got pretty gross in these.  Plus those thermoses always carried the flavor of previous drinks AND took up most of the space in the lunchbox itself.

Word

Onions checking out Julia Child's kitchen.

I'm just checking out Julia Child!

"Why is George Washington Naked?" -- Onions  Yeah, Why?

Lincoln's top hat on the night of his assassination.

Again, word.

We made the obligatory stop into see the First Ladies exhibit and Onions exclaims, "Jackie Kennedy is so beautiful!"  Did you know she was 31 when she became First Lady? 

Summer 2015 East Coast -- Reunions

Peter and his wife now have two boys, so "my room" has been given away.  It was still nice to over for a morning breakfast....and get grilled about having babies ourselves.

So  this is what they mean by the Flatiron Building.

When planning this trip, I realized that a few of us from my days in Rome would be in NYC at the same time so we arranged to have a long lunch and catch up.  Brian B. on the left and Gunny S. on the right.

The famed DD in from Brazil.

After lunch, we just took a walk.  First stop Washington Square Park.  Looks like I'm going to have to show Onions "When Harry Met Sally."

Thanks to my living in Italy, I know the significance of Garibaldi.

After walking down Broadway and ducking in and out of the stores, we ended up in the heart of Greenwich Village.  Big Gay Ice Cream, great name but crappy ice cream.  We should have stopped and had ice cream at one of the many ice cream turcks along the walk.

We also made a quick pilgrimage to the start of the gay rights movement, The Stonewall.  It's kind of amazing how the riots happened even before I was born, but at least I knew about this place through cultural reference.

But Onions, I'll give him the fact that he grew up in China, but some of the people I know his age, don't understand the significance of what happened here.

In NYC, have to see a show.  I chose Jersey Boys because I thought it would be the most accessible, with the least amount of talking, but the story was a bit more complicated than I remember.  Still, I love the music and wanted Onions to see a show here.

The reunions continued the next day when we met up with the Chen sisters, daughters of my former colleague in Beijing.

Then a walk along the High Line and it's new northern extension to catch the bus to DC.

While checking mail in DC, I saw Alysa J., a former Italy student, posted she had a new job in DC, we messaged and were able to grab a dinner. 

While in DC, the reunions continued.  We had a mini-Cornell reunion.  Ian L, Linda C., Nora B. (her husband taking the picture) and David A. (the host).  Only David's wife and I were the members of the reunions WITHOUT a PHD.

Megan M. took us to the National Archives to see the Declaration of Indpendence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.  It was moving....and Onions started to comprehend how amazing it is that we Americans are all organized around a couple pieces of paper.

Before we left, we got to hang out with Ian one more time!  We have lunch at a restaurant right next to the International Monetary Fund.....only in DC.