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Saturday, March 22, 2008

Another day in the city.

We pulled up the Smithsonian website today to see what places we have not yet seen. We are only missing a few museums in the city. The Hirshhorn Art Museum was one of them. Even though we have heard from everyone "don't waste your time" we still had to go see it for ourselves.
We started off with reservations at Old Ebbitt Grill for brunch. (if you go make reservations) It was founded in 1856 and has hosted the likes of President McKinley,Presidents Grant, Andrew Johnson, Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt and Harding.
We were lucky enough to get seating in the main area with the mahogany booths.
I had the Eggs Chesapeake, which had the most beautiful poached eggs on top of yummy crab cakes.
I was surprised the girls behaved themselves as well as they did. It was a little more upscale than where we usually eat out with them, but they still did have kid friendly cups and coloring pages. It had a picture of a donkey and a elephant in front of the capital.
You can tell they were a bit out of their element by Annie Kate's question of, "Where is a napkin so I can squirt ketchup on it to dip my fries into" I explained this is not the kind of place you eat ketchup off of a napkin. We then decided to walk to the Hirshhorn about a mile away. The girls found the warm air blowing on the grates on the street. They were laughing to hard as it was blowing up their dresses.

it was blowing so hard it even blew up Sally Jane's pony tails.
Caroline looks like a clothespin doll her dress got so big!

Then just when I think I have walked every street we found this old church with cool red doors
and beautiful fence.

Who knew i had walked past the Ronald Reagan Building and International trade center tons of times and never knew that is what is was called.
We have never gone to the gardens on the back side of the Smithsonian castle. The flowers in bloom but in two weeks this place will be even more amazing. I added a photo of me in front of the Environmental Protection Agency for my "me in D.C. " gallery. (big deal huh?)

This is me coming out of the Hirshhorn. I tried to smile I really did. This was the best I could do.This was Jeff in the Hirshhorn and this was the best he could do. Let's just say it was no our thing.
There was an exhibit: The Cinema Effect: Illusion, Reality, and the Moving Image
- it had a sign "not all images are suitable for children" and what do we do(parents of the year) - walk right in. half way through i am turning the stroller and fighting to get out with Sj and AK. it was pitch black and freaked me out. It was like a haunted house in the spring time.
Anyway, I don't put it high on my list of things to do in D.C. unless that is your thing and if it is , "i am fine with that" (i am sure i will get some email of someone I have offended because their grandpa created the museum)
we sat on the mall(the strip of grass between the Washington Monument and the Capitol - I wonder if people think we go to the shopping mall every time I mention that) by the carousel and ate popcorn and watched the girls pick up rocks and all the fun and different people that walk by. Even the police woman got our attention on her awesome horse.

The walk back to the car seemed more than a mile, but we said how well the girls have been trained for sight seeing. They all slept the whole way home.

Have you been to the Hirshhorn?
Do you have a relative who has artwork there?
Do you like crab cakes as much as me?
Wouldn't you love to be a kid again and stand on the street and
let your dress blow up and think it was funny?

17 comments:

Kristin said...

I had THE BEST petit fillet at Old Ebbit Grille. LOVE IT! Ditto on the Hirshorn...

stacy{s} said...

When I was young and visiting DC my parents said "Hey-Let's go the the Mall." I was highly disappointed when when found out it was just grass not a mall like I knew "mall" and even worse it was without a playground. :)

Looks like a great day. You are totally racking up the way cute Caroline pics these days. All the girls look so cute. Have a great spring break!

Rachel said...

LOVE the girls dresses! What a fun weekend you are having together!

LeAnne said...

I've never been to the Hishorn, but all the other places you've mentioned make me homesick. I grew up on the Maryland-side of DC and have many memories of family excursions to DC. I remember many a spring picnics on the mall.

Are the cherry blossoms out yet?

Shar said...

We're not supposed to let our dresses blow up anymore? That's what happened when I got out of the car today in our church parking lot. It's a good thing I was on time and there were lots of others in the parking lot to witness. I'm usually just late and all by myself. Dang Farmington winds!

What a fun family weekend! You always do such fun things with your girls.

Liz said...

I have not been to that museum.

I love the pictures of the girls dresses blowing up by the wind. My kids do this on our heater vents, so funny!

Oh, and I like Crab cakes, but I know Ben LOVES them! I think this is from our days in NOLA. Oh the food you could get in that town!

Tasha said...

I love crabcakes and you are in the best places for them!

Deidra said...

I went to the Hirshorn when I was in DC in September (it had been closed when I was there for my internship). I actually enjoyed the museum, but my favorite part of art museums are the awesome gift shops.

That little light experiment thing was CRAZY! I walked in and was soooo disoriented. There was lady in there trying me to figure out what the heck was going on. Finally I found the bench (not too impressed with the art installment), but I got to sit in the dark with this little old Columbian woman and chat for probably 20 minutes. It ended up being the highlight of my day.

michelle said...

Ha, I love the pictures of you and Jeff trying to smile after going through the museum! Oh well, so it was not your thing, if you hadn't gone there you might have always wondered. LOVE the photos of the girls with their dresses blowing up! Eat your heart out, Marilyn Monroe...

Becky said...

Love the pictures of the girls on the grate! Looks like you had a great day (despite the art museum).

Windy said...

I love the fact that you're exposing your children to all of these wonderful sites. I have always wanted to spend a few years living on the East Coast, so that we could visit all of the historical sites. Maybe someday!

Bond Girl 007 said...

oh kristi, all your pictures are fabulous, specially the girlss....that red door is beautiful, all those pictures reminded me of europe....wow....how fun to be part of the city and enjoy it too. I must come to DC AND VISIT YOU. I have not been there since we lived there from 70-73 now that is a long long long time ago....

Stephanie said...

I love the Hirschorn, and I love the crab cakes at Old Ebbitt Grill, and I also took a picture of my friend Whitney outside that very church. What a back drop, no?

Rebecca said...

I love the Old Ebbit! Isn't this the perfect time of year for pictures in D.C.? Your's are beautiful. (As is your blog!)

danielle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
danielle said...

I just love those pictures of Sally Jane & Caroline with their dresses poofed out! They are so darling Kristi!

Jill said...

You do such a good job of documenting your outings, you always end up making me want to get out and do something more.

I love the pictures of the red door and the fleur de lis ironwork fence.