Let Us Raise A Standard...

My very last picture of Washington, D.C., taken from the car.

...to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God. - George Washington

*****

Today, I finally drove out of Washington, D.C., and am now underway to Washington State. The photo above, while not great, is literally the last picture I took in Washington, D.C.

I've loved writing this blog and hope to continue posting photos here from my archives and any subsequent visits. I especially appreciate those of you who have diligently read and commented. Thank you!

For the next couple of weeks, I'll be on the road and posting photos here from my travels across the United States. Please visit and see what I'm seeing, then join me in May at my new photo blog, Whidbey Island Confidential.

In a week or so, I'll post an entry here about the top ten sights and activities I recommend when visiting our nation's capital.

Bon voyage, D.C.!

Silhouette

Conversation in Silhouette...

This man and woman were in deep conversation the other night outside the Gift & Film stand near the Lincoln Memorial.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential / Janet Kincaid, 04/09

Blossoms

Simple elegance

Last year, I went crazy and took a ton of pictures of the Cherry Blossom Festival. This year, I went a bit minimalist and focused on the blossoms themselves and the people visiting our fair city. Here are just a couple of examples of the beauty to be had in Washington in the springtime. Click on the images to enlarge them and see their detail and elegance.

Blossoms in bokeh

Springtime beauty

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential / Janet Kincaid, 04/09

200

Lincoln--Preserver of the Nation

Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of America's most loved president, Abraham Lincoln. My favorite memorial in all of Washington--and perhaps even the United States--is the Lincoln Memorial. Anchoring the west end of the National Mall, this temple to our 16th president is inspiring.

Statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol

Lincoln busts in the U.S. Capitol. On the left, as a young representative from Illinois and
on the right, as a wizened president of a nation divided and reunited.

The Lincoln Memorial isn't the only monument or homage paid to the Great Emancipator in the Federal City, though. In the U.S. Capitol, there is a statue of Lincoln in the Rotunda and two busts--one of a young Lincoln, the other of a much-aged Lincoln.

Lincoln in Profile

For additional information about Lincoln at D.C. Confidential, go here. Click images to enlarge, if you'd like!

Upon his death, Edward Stanton, Lincoln's Secretary of State,
proclaimed "Now he belongs to the ages..."

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 02/09

Friends

My best friend from grad school, Mary Ellen, has been in town this past week for a conference and then a little sightseeing and such. Her husband, Mike, was here as well for a few days. On Sunday, we went to see the mosaics at the National Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Pentagon 9/11 Memorial at sunset

After that, we ventured out to the States to see the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. Then we wandered back into the city and visited some of the monuments and memorials on the west end of the National Mall, including the Lincoln Memorial.

Mike and Mary Ellen at the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial and at the Basilica

On Thursday, I'll post photos of our visit to the new Capitol Visitors' Center and the Library of Congress.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 02/09

The Challenges We Face Are Real...But They Will Be Met!

The Inauguration of Barack Obama as seen by spectators
on the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial.

Note the Washington Monument behind the Jumbotron and, way off
in the distance, the Capitol. (Click image to enlarge.)

Despite all the rhetoric from the networks that the Mall was packed, lines were painfully long, and access to the Mall supposedly difficult, I got on the 54 bus yesterday morning at 14th and Colorado NW around 9:15 and traveled down to 14th and L Streets NW. From there, I walked over to Constitution and 19th and entered the Mall unimpeded. I joined my fellow citizens near the Korean War Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial to see and listen to the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. All I'm going to say is it was indescribably awesome and I'm glad I braved the cold and the crowds to see this historic event!

L: Ms. Hazel, a D.C. resident who lives up around Brookland, came out to celebrate a moment she said she
never thought she'd live to see. R: Gretchen, in town from Chicago, was proud to see one of her town's
finest leaders rise to the highest office in the land.

A shout out to Hazel from Brookland here in the city and Gretchen from Chicago, two strangers who became friends while we shared this great moment in American history--along with millions of others--on the Mall, at home, and abroad. To see a slideshow of just some of the hundreds of thousands of people who gathered on the Mall in celebration, click on the slideshow below.



If you missed President Obama's speech, here is the transcript and video below.



And, finally, the beauty of the Neighborhood Ball--Beyonce singing "At Last" as the President and First Lady dance.



*****

To see really awesome photos from the inauguration by other D.C. photo bloggers, visit JuxtaExposed and The 42.

Video source: The Washington Post

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 01/09

And Thus, It Begins

The U.S. Capitol Inaugural Stage: On Tuesday, Barack Obama and Joseph Biden
will take the oath of office here in one of the world's finest examples of peaceful transitions in power.

Yesterday afternoon, I wandered down to the east end of the National Mall to see the set-up at the Capitol for Tuesday's inauguration of the 44th President of the United States. The crowds on the east end were impressive and the excitement was palpable. But it was on the west end of the Mall, at the pre-inaugural concert, that I should have been. (Although, I'm not a fan of huge crowds and this one was estimated to be nearly half a million deep.)

Check out these pictures from the Washington Post.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 01/09

Two Things Challenge: Real / Fake

The real deal: The Lincoln Memorial at sunrise

This week's Two Things Challenge was Real / Fake. To meet the challenge, I give you Daniel Chester French's real memorial to our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, and Hallmark's version of the same as a Christmas ornament. Personally, I prefer the real thing!

The fake: Hallmark's special edition Christmas ornament

Want to see how others interpreted this challenge? Go to Two Things Challenge and check it out!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

The Wall

Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Washington Monument

I haven't been out with my camera much in the last week or so. Today's picture is taken from my archives and is one that I didn't post when I took it earlier this year. This is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial with the Washington Monument in the background. I love this memorial for a variety of reasons, but what I appreciate most is its power to make grown men cry and the way it has quietly healed a nation.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

Two Things Challenge: Joint / Venture

Democracy: A joint venture between government and the people

This week's Two Things Challenge was Joint / Venture. This may be a stretch, but I chose two unusual photos to interpret this challenge. In the case of the former, the interaction between government and its citizens. Democracy only works when a nation's citizens actively engage and participate in government and politics. The above picture is a panel of presidents in the National Museum of American History. The panel spans from George Washington all the way to Barack Obama. The gentleman in the photo happened to step in at the right time and allowed me to capture the ideas of governance and citizenry in democracy.

Shopping with your wife/girlfriend/sister: a joint venture in domestic tranquility

In this second photo, I happened to be walking past a shop window the other night and noticed this couple in the midst of choosing a sweater. I know the majority of men don't care for shopping and often have to suck it up. I thought this composition captured the joint venture of shopping that so many couples find themselves in.

There you have it. A stretch, but what the heck! That's the whole point of these challenges, right? And speaking of the 2 Things Challenge, this post represents one full year of weekly entries. My first post for this challenge was on December 5, 2007 and the challenge was Colo{u}rful / Words. To see 52 weeks of interpretations at D.C. Confidential, click here. If you'd like to join in the fun, come on over to 2 Things Challenge!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

Vendor

Gastronomic wonders abound, sort of. If you don't mind indigestion, that is!

When you visit Washington, you have a number of options for cuisine. If you want to fork over the big bucks for a restaurant, there's no end to the possibilities. If you're down on the National Mall visiting the museums and such, your options are kind of limited. If you don't want to pay the high price for food in the cafes and restaurants in the museums, your only other option is to buy something from one of the many vendors that line the Mall on Pennsylvania, Constitution, and Independence Avenues.

While this photo is in black and white, if it was in color, it would show that this food vendor's trailer is yellow. The trailers in this size are all yellow, so you can't miss them. You also can't miss them if you're downwind! In this particular photo, the building behind the trailer is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

Thankful

Entrance to the exhibit hall for the American History Museum's
most prized artifact: The Star Spangled Banner.

On my way out to the states this morning to enjoy the bounteous blessings of comestible consumption, I stopped briefly at the newly renovated and reopened National Museum of American History. This is the Smithsonian's repository of some of our nation's greatest treasures of historical significance.

The highlight of the entire museum is the flag that flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor when the British laid siege to the port during the War of 1812. It was this flag that Francis Scott Key saw in the morning light and which inspired him to write The Star Spangled Banner--America's national anthem. Lines to see the flag were 20 deep this morning and I only had limited time, but I did capture this abstract flag outside the exhibit hall. I snapped a few more pictures in some of the galleries and will post a few of those next week.

Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday, even more than July 4th. In addition to just being grateful for the many privileges I, and my fellow Americans, enjoy and the right to participate in the democratic process by voting, I'm also thankful for family and friends who enrich my life. To those of you who have visited D.C. Confidential over the last year, thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Have a safe and fun-filled holiday.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/08

Reflections

In a parking lot : Arlington County, Virginia

Rainy reflections on a Monday night...

Last night, I was out in the States helping my sister with a project. On the way home, I had a call on my cell phone. Not wanting to drive on rain-slick roads in a car that probably needs a new rack of wheels, I pulled into the parking lot of IHOP* on Rte. 50 in Arlington to take the call. It was everything I could do to not go in and order a plate of pumpkin pancakes. Instead, I sat in the car and chatted. In the end, it was probably better for my waistline! This was the view out of my passenger-side window.

Washington Monument in the rain...

Eight miles later, I pulled into West Potomac Park and snapped this picture of the Washington Monument and the city-lit sky. There's not as much reflection going on in this one, obviously. I just liked the light. After that, I put the camera away and safely drove home!**

* International House of Pancakes, for those of you living outside the U.S. It's an 24/7 breakfast franchise.
** For those of you who worry about me driving and shooting, I'm just sayin'.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 10/08

Public Garden

The Castle--an example of Norman architecture
and the seat of the Smithsonian Institution.

The Smithsonian Institution Building, otherwise known as The Castle, opened on the National Mall in 1855. Designed by architect James Renwick, the castle is built of red sandstone from Seneca Creek in Maryland and is representative of Norman architecture--a combination of late Romanesque and early Gothic styles. Originally, the building was the residence of the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Joseph Henry and his family. For more than 100 years, it was also the only exhibit building in what would later become a vast network of museums and collections.

The Smithsonian Castle and Enid A. Haupt Gardens

In January 1865, the upper story and the north and south towers of the castle were destroyed in a fire. The building was reconstruction and, in 1884, the east wing was fireproofed and additional office space was added. It would be more than 80 years before any additional work was done on the castle. From 1968-1969, the interior of the building was restored to its original Victorian atmosphere. In 1987, a redesign of the exterior quadrangle resulted in a lovely public garden named for donor Enid A. Haupt.

English Dwarf Boxwoods in four varieties in the Haupt Garden.

The Haupt Garden is situated on four acres of land between the south side of the Castle and Independence Avenue NW. The garden doubles as the roof for the National Museum of African Art, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, and the S. Dillon Ripley Center. Some of the garden's highlights include the Haupt Parterre, the Moongate Garden, the Renwick Gates, and a Downing Urn.

I couldn't decide which picture of the Castle and Renwick Gate I liked best,
so I decided to post both and let Virginia decide!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

Bookish

The National Book Festival

On Saturday, I was among more than 120,000 visitors who went to the National Book Festival on the National Mall. Started in 2001, it was co-founded by First Lady Laura Bush--a former librarian and advocate of reading and literacy. The annual event is sponsored by the Library of Congress and hosted by the First Lady of the United States. The National Book Festival brings together local, national, and international authors and poets of renown. This year's festival was no exception and featured writers Salman Rushdie, Daniel Schor, Cokie Roberts, Tiki Barber, Eleanor Clift, Katherine Paterson, Laura Bush and Jenna Bush, Marisa de los Santos, Phillipa Gregory, Alexander McCall Smith, and 2008 poet laurete Kay Ryan, among many others.

A reading in the Children's Pavilion and the Scholastic Reading Bus

Pavilions were divided into categories ranging from Home & Family to Children & Teens, History & Biography to Fiction & Mystery. There was also a Pavilion of States where each U.S. state and several territories had tables set up and you could learn about local authors specific to each of the states and territories. There was a tent for buying books by featured authors and poets and, if you were willing to stand in very, very long lines, you could get your books signed by the author or poet.

L: Target was the Distinguished Benefactor sponsor of this event. Visitors could have their picture taken with
Bullseye, the Target mascot. C: Visitors browsing the book sales tent. R: Two lovely young ladies from Wyoming
who were hosting the Equality State's table in the Pavilion of States.

Here are some interesting facts and statistics about libraries, as provided by the State of Oklahoma. Across America, did you know:

• There are more public libraries than McDonald's in the U.S.--more than 16,500.
• Americans spend twice as much on salty snacks as they do on public libraries.
• Academic libraries answer 72.8 million reference questions each year--almost twice the attendance at college football games.
• The cost of materials has skyrocketed. The cost of a fiction hardcover has increased 53% since 1986, while the cost of some reference books has increased 224% since 1989.
• Research in Colorado and New York shows the highest acheiving students attend schools with good library media centers.
• Students make 1.5 billion visits to school libraries during the school year--100 million more visits than trips to movie theaters in 2005.

First Lady Laura Bush and her daughter, Jenna, were signing books
at the National Book Festival. This was the closest I could get.
(Click image to enlarge.)

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 09/08

End to End

The U.S. Capitol around sunset.
I couldn't get any closer than this with my tripod.

Today's pictures aren't really that new in terms of content, but they are in terms of having just been shot. Starting on the east end of the Mall is the U.S. Capitol. I wanted to go on the grounds with my tripod and take more pictures, but I was accosted by the Capitol Police. They told me my tripod was prohibited unless I had a permit from the Sergeant-at-Arms. Total crock o' crap, but whatever. I'll go back during regular hours and get a permit.

The Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
This is the view Martin Luther King, Jr., looked out upon when he delivered his immortal
"I Have a Dream" speech in 1963.

After that little debacle, I climbed in the car and headed down to the Lincoln Memorial. The next two pictures are the result of visiting my favorite memorial in the entire city. It also brought me in contact with tourists and, once again, provided me with an irksome moment. So: rant alert. As I was photographing Lincoln's eastward facing facade, I overheard a gentleman telling his friends about Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Said gentleman informed his friends that King delivered his speech near the Washington Monument looking westward toward the Lincoln Memorial.

It was everything I could do not to look at him and say, "Are you freakin' kidding?!" Instead, what I said was, "Actually, King gave his speech right here on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial looking out toward the Washington Monument. There's a plaque in the granite stairs up there," I gestured, "that marks where he stood."

Now, I don't expect folks to know every little thing there is to know about Washington, D.C., when they come here. For example, I don't expect people to know it was Daniel Chester French who sculpted Lincoln, or that the Washington Monument was constructed in sections, or that Franklin Roosevelt was the only president to appoint a full Supreme Court. But I do expect people to know what the significant buildings are and what important events happened in and around the city. In other words, I expect people to do a little homework before they visit a capital city. Whether it's Paris, Rome, London, Washington, Atlanta, Ottawa, Sydney, Vienna, Moscow, Toyko, Beijing, or wherever, please, I beg of you, do some homework before you visit these places. And if you live here, know what you're talking about before you open your mouth. Otherwise, you just look stupid.

Watching the sunset from below the Lincoln Memorial

Okay, rant over. Thanks for indulging me. And now for this last picture: a view of the Lincoln Memorial unlike most you've seen here. This was taken from halfway up the stairs that border the Potomac River to the west of Mr. Lincoln's temple.

To see more pictures from this evening's walk, go to Standing Room Only.

* * * * *

Oh, and apparently I've won an award from Rob over at Dusty Lens. Here are the details.

Rob from DUSTY LENS sent me this Arte y Pico Award. Thanks, Rob! The feeling is mutual!

1. You have to pick five blogs that you consider 'deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material and which contributes to the blogging community, no matter what language they are in.'
2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.
3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given him/her the award itself.
4. The award winner and the one who has given the prize has to show the Arte y Pico blog so that everyone will know the origin of the award.
5. Each award winner has to post these rules.

My choices are:

Odessa Photo-a-Day
Tauranga Photo-a-Day
Cheltenham Daily Photo
London Daily Nature Photo
San Francisco's Fog Bay

Just copy and paste the rules above, copy, save, and paste the Arte y Pico award on the left and go pick your five!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 07/08

KABOOM! KABOOM!

Rockets Red Glare : Fireworks on the National Mall : Lincoln Memorial

I vacillated whether to brave the weather, traffic, the crowds, and security this year in order to see the annual fireworks show on the National Mall. At around 7:00 I decided, what the heck! I've really wanted to take fireworks pictures and now that I have a good tripod, I didn't want to miss an opportunity. So, I drove from my neighborhood in tippy-top NW DC down to 15th and R Streets NW and parked. Then I walked nearly 2.5 miles to Memorial Bridge and the back side of the Lincoln Memorial where I set up my tripod and camera and got ready for the action to start. Here are the results of my first time taking pictures of fireworks (with appropriate equipment) and succeeding!

Bombs Bursting in Air : Fireworks on the National Mall : Lincoln Memorial

True Blue, All-American Fireworks : National Mall : Lincoln Memorial

Yee haw! : Fireworks on the National Mall : Lincoln Memorial

Hope everyone had a fun and safe July 4th!

Night Art

Doors as Art : National Museum of the American Indian : Independence Avenue NW

Washington is home to 11 Smithsonian museums right on the National Mall, three Smithsonians several blocks north of the Mall, and one Smithsonian each in D.C.'s Anacostia and Woodley Park neighborhoods, and the National Gallery of Art's East and West Buildings. Additionally, the area is now home to the newly opened Newseum. (The Smithsonian also has an air and space annex in Chantilly, Virginia, 35 miles west of Washington.)

Sculptures outside the National Air & Space Museum
(Click on images to enlarge.)

While each of the museums house impressive collections inside, many of them also have intriguing works of art on their grounds.

Sculpture outside the Hirschhorn Museum

Today's pictures are of a number of sculptures found on the grounds of the National Air & Space Museum, the Hirschhorn Museum, and the National Museum of the American Indian.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 6/08