Catching Up...Yet again, yet again.

Hum, so, wow.  It's been a long, long time since I've updated my blog.  Bad, mommy blogger, bad.  Suffice it to say that I have actually been going to museums and other historic sites.  I just haven't had (ahem, or taken) the time to actually sit down and devote an entire nap time to writing.  That said...I'm not going to devote this entire nap time to writing either, so I'm going to do more of a photo essay...for the sake of time, yours and mine.  

Since the end of February, Diggory and I have been to six sites together, and I went to one more without him.  So, yes, I'm a little behind in my one-a-week, goal...maybe I'll play catch up one of these days.  First, I wanted to go to the Alexandria Black History Museum, and I thought Black History Month would be the perfect motivation to final get there.  It's a very small museum, but the permanent exhibition, Securing the Blessings of Liberty, on the history of African-Americans in the Alexandria region is extremely well done, full of information, and just every so slightly text-heavy...an incredible feat for such a large and important topic.  I especially liked the panel of photographs listing homes in the area with important slave and African-American histories.  Maybe we'll devise our own walking tour one of these days.  From a logistical stand point, there's plenty of free and metered street parking in the area, and the museum is directly across Wythe Street from the Charles Houston Recreation Center, which has a small soft playroom.  

Checking out the permanent exhibition at the Alexandria Black History Museum.

The Alexandria Black History Museum in the background, across the street, is partially housed inside the historic Robert H. Robinson Library, built in 1940 following a sit-in at the segregated Alexandria Library.

Over the next several weeks, Diggory and I visited several sites with my parents, aka Nana Lynn and Grandpa, who were in town for a few weeks.  First, we visited the Nordic Cool exhibition at the Kennedy Center.  The exhibition closed on March 17th...another reminder to get my posts up in a timely manner...but the building and performances themselves have an excellent history, and it's a marvel of architecture, to be sure.  There's a parking ramp under the Kennedy Center, and it's not terribly expensive, if I recall.  If you're on the metro, there's a free shuttle to and from the Kennedy Center from the Foggy Bottom metro station.   

Checking out Scandinavian design with Grandpa.

Half Norwegian?  I think so.  (Posing with the Lego mural.)

Building with Legos.  I didn't know they were Danish-designed, did you?

"Hi, Grandpa!"  Inside one of the artworks in the Nordic Cool exhibition.

My very own little Viking.  He's only an eighth Norwegian, but he somehow got the blonde hair and blue eyes!  Woo hoo!

Just a few days later, we all made the trek to Hot Springs, Virginia for the Virginia Association of Museums Annual Conference.  I was presenting a workshop on mannequin dressing for museum textile collections with a lovely friend and colleague of mine...and I have to admit, I was perhaps a little more excited about spending some time at The Homestead than I was about the conference itself.  The Homestead was opened in 1766 and has an extremely rich history. The Jefferson Pools are their own little wonder...ever taken a dip in a hot spring, surrounded by an octagonal building built (and just ever so slightly patched up) in 1761?  I have.  

Diggory and Grandpa at The Homestead.

Building a snowman at The Homestead.

Inside the Ladies' Pool House in Warm Spring, Virginia.

The lobby at The Homestead.

See, we actually did do some work?!  The presenters at VAM.

On our sojourn back to Northern Virginia, we stopped at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.  A check box ticked off on that ol' bucket list.  I won't describe all the details, but I was pleasantly surprised that they were so child friendly and accommodating.  Diggory got sort of upset at one point, and the tour guides guided my mom (God, love her) someplace else (where ever that was) and brought us the stroller, etc.  I think he just really didn't want to be on the tour...he wanted to run around, and I don't blame him, he'd been strapped into the car seat for over two hours already.  So, once the tour was over, he did get to run around, and he promptly fell into the mud.  Red mud.  It was awesome.  Luckily, there were bathrooms nearby.  Logistically, the site itself is great...the new(ish) visitor's center and museum are extremely accessible, there's a shuttle up to the house itself, the cafe is great (lots of high chairs and indoor and outdoor seating), and there are family restrooms just past the entrance.    

Yep, red mud.

Our tour group entering Monticello.

Momma and Diggory at Monticello.

Grandpa taking pictures...we did a lot of that.  Beautiful day, and beautiful views of the Charlottesville area.

Before Grandpa and Nana left, we needed to check some things off Grandpa's sight seeing list.  Namely, the exhibition The Civil War in American Art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (which is beautiful and closes on April 28th) and President Lincoln's Cottage.  Both of these don't really count as blog-worthy sites, not because they're not awesome (they are) but because Diggory and I already "did" SAAM last year and he didn't come with my dad and me to Lincoln's Cottage.  But, alas, they are museums...and you should go to them.  A few notes about Lincoln's Cottage.  It's accessible through the Eagle Gate of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Northwest Washington, DC.  Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12.  Children under six are not encouraged to visit, due to battlefield imagery and tour length of approximately one hour, though I suspect it's more of the tour length that's the issue.  Tours are guided in small groups, and once you're in the house and on your tour, an upset child would be a huge distraction and inconvenience.  Just sayin'.

Nana pushing the stroller through the water scrims in the courtyard at SAAM/NPG.  Do you see our "artful" designs in the lower left?   

Taking pictures after the tour at President Lincoln's Cottage.  Wonderfully restored, great visitor's center and permanent exhibition, free parking, not hard to get to.  

Ha, ha!  That brings us to today!  This morning Diggory and I ventured into Georgetown to run an errand, and I thought, "Hey, let's just check out the Old Stone House while we're all the way into the city."  So, we did.  And it's true when they call it an urban oasis.  The garden in the back is so sweet and quiet, in the midst of the chaos that is M Street NW.  I've walked by many times, and I think I did poke my head in the gift shop on the lower level once, but I'd never been into the actually museum.  Very interesting, indeed.  The house itself is the oldest structure still standing in the District of Columbia.  Built between 1764 and 1766, the house was used as a residence and merchant's shop, and even a car dealership until it was transferred to the National Park Service in 1950.  And, wonder of all wonders, more than 85% of the structure is original...that's really quite a feat.  Parking can be tricky in Georgetown, but there's a public ramp right next door...and don't discount street parking, though it can be a little tight.  The last two times I've been in Georgetown I've found a free spot and a metered spot within two blocks of where I needed to be, and today, our meter still had 48 minutes left on it when we arrived.  And that's really something...especially when a quarter only buys you seven minutes.  There aren't any public restrooms at the Old Stone house, but there's a bounty of restaurants and cafes nearby, and a Barnes and Noble right across the street, if need be.  Oh, and other than the ground floor, it's definitely not stroller accessible...but you probably assumed that.

Okay, that's it for today!  Where will be go next?  I've got some ideas...stay tuned.

Enjoying the sunshine on the steps of the Old Stone House.

The dining room in the Old Stone House.

 Climbing the stairs to the garden at the Old Stone House..."Look, Mom! No hands!"

Gadsby's Tavern Museum

Diggory and I took the bus (yes, the bus) to Gadsby's Tavern Museum in Old Town Alexandria yesterday morning.  I'll start off by saying that the bus ride itself was a lovely adventure, and Diggory was so excited about it that we went out to the bus stop almost fifteen minutes early to wait with unbridled anticipation.  Silly goose.  Even though the route each way takes almost 45 minutes, Diggory was (mostly) content and happy and I don't mind taking a gander at the beautiful homes along upper King Street in the Rosemont neighborhood.  A girl can dream.  

"Ride bus, mommy? Hooray!"

Our bus route brought us to within one block of the museum at 134 N. Royal Street.  There are two entrances...one to the museum and one to the restaurant (which is really fun, by the way), but the museum entrance will be clearly marked.  As a bit of background, the museum actually consists of two buildings named for John Gadsby, who operated the c. 1785 tavern and the c. 1792 City Hotel between 1796 and 1808.  The establishment was the site of numerous theatrical performances, dances and balls, and meetings of local organizations, and welcomed the likes of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Marquis de Lafayette as its guests.  

We were there to take part in the tavern's hospitality as well, meeting our friend Amanda and her two lovely children at the museum for Tavern Toddlers, a program for walkers through age 36 months held in the historic ballroom every Monday (September through April) from 10:30am to 12:00pm.  It's open play time with books and toys (blocks, a tunnel, and old-school clothespins...sounds weird, but Diggory thought they were awesome...etc.), music for dancing, and a craft.  The admission is $7.00 per child, but you can buy a pass of five visits for $30.00.  There were about 15 children there during the height of the organized chaos, which I'm told is a fairly typical turnout, though there are sometimes as few as four and as many as twenty...depending on the weather.    

Yep, we take our photo in mirrors.

Diggory and his pal inside the tunnel.

As for logistics...street parking with a two-hour meter limit is available all around the museum, but if you prefer the convenience and reliability of a parking garage, there's a garage under City Hall (on the adjacent block).  The entrance is on N. Fairfax Street...sort of across from the Carlyle House.  I wouldn't recommend bringing a stroller, because there are a lot of stairs, but if you do, you can park it inside the museum.  The ballroom is on the second floor (above the restaurant side of the building) and the restrooms are up more stairs from there, on the third floor.  There's no changing table, but I was told it's okay to change diapers in the ballroom, if you need to do that.  

In full disclosure, we did not actually tour the museum, but I did peak into some of the furnished rooms as we walked from the entrance to the ballroom.  It's a really interesting space, full of history, and I'll have to go back sometime for the comprehensive experience.

After our visit, we ventured a few blocks down King Street for lunch, and then hopped back on the bus for the ride home.  Diggory fell asleep, as I suspected he would, and I snapped the photo below.  It might very well be one of the last times my little boy falls asleep on my lap.  Sigh.  

Once again, we had an awesome time on our museum outing...and now it's time to think up our next big adventure!

Hush.  It's time for sleeping.

Jones Point Park and Lighthouse

Last week, on a fabulously sunny and warm "winter" day, Diggory and I ventured south to Old Town Alexandria to investigate Jones Point Park.  If you haven't been, and you live in the Washington, DC area, go there.  Like, right now.  I am totally impressed and kicking myself for not finding it sooner.  And here's why.

First, the park is steeped in history.  The highlight, at least for me, is the lighthouse.  Built in 1855, the Jones Point lighthouse is the last riverine lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay region.  It served an important role as a navigational tool on the Potomac River and supported the maritime economies of Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  The exterior has been renovated - and it appears as though the interior is currently under construction.  Maybe it will open to visitors sometime in the near future?  Anyone know?  In addition to the lighthouse, the paved and gravel paths throughout the park are lined with interpretative signs and historical markers, including several cement plinths marking the original Virginia boundaries of Washington, DC.  In fact, one marker is the south cornerstone dating from 1791 or 1794 and is thought to be "among the oldest existing physical monuments associated with the Federal City."  Other signs discuss the ecology of the Potomac River and native species of fish, the history of commercial fishing in Alexandria, the now-dismantled WWI shipyard that used to occupy the space, and the history of the indigenous cultures in the area and archaeological artifacts found within the park.

   

I tried to remain patient and let Diggory run at will.

The lighthouse.  Peek inside the windows on either side of the door facing the water for a view inside.

We frolicked on the rocks in front of the lighthouse.  In hindsight, not my most responsible parenting moment...but throwing rocks into the water is just so much fun!

Second, you get to walk UNDER the Wilson Bridge, which in itself is pretty cool.  The parking lot for the park is accessible from Royal Street on the south side of Old Town Alexandria.  It's located just north of the Capital Beltway (I-495), so you get to walk under the bridge to get to the lighthouse.  Maybe I'm just a total geek, but I thought it was pretty cool.  There's also a few picnic tables, basketball hoops, impressively clean restroom facilities with a changing table, and two playgrounds - one on the north side (and better for toddlers) and one of the south side (and better for older kids).  Here's a map of the park, for your reference.

Cool bridge architecture and interpretive signs.  Neat!

So, that brings me to my third point.  The playgrounds are AWESOME!  Diggory has always liked swings, but the slides, climbing apparatus, and squishy ground (for falling) is just really, really cool.  Good luck pulling your kid away from them...maybe tell them that they can go throw rocks in the water.  Oh man, I swear I'm a good mom.  All in all, it was a wonderful morning in the sunshine.  And we'll be back again soon.

Yet another picture of Diggory in a swing.

There are a bunch of these path markers.  This one is for a rabbit, but there's one for a raccoon, a dog, and several other animals.

Potomac River sunshine.

Hillwood Museum and Gardens

This morning Diggory and I had the great pleasure of visiting Hillwood Museum and Gardens with our friend Christina.  I have to admit that our main impetus in making the sojourn was to see the temporary exhibition Pret-a-Papier: The Exquisite Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave before it closed, which it does, tomorrow, in fact, though since I had never visited Hillwood before, I thought it was just about high time.  I'm totally slapping myself for not visiting sooner.  I thought it was too far away and too hard to get to...but it's not...so go, you too.  

For those of you who know me, you know that I used to work for the Society of the Cincinnati, which maintains it's headquarters and museum at Anderson House, in Dupont Circle.  So the easiest way I, personally, can describe the grounds and mansion house at Hillwood is that it's like Anderson House, but even more fabulous.  Snicker, snicker.  (There's a handful of people who will catch this inside joke.)  As the former home of Marjorie Merriweather Post, who purchased the estate in 1955 and quickly decided that it would become a museum, the rooms and collections literally sparkle, filled with her collections of Russian imperial art and French furniture and other decorative arts.  Even the wallpaper is shiny and luminescent.  It's an absolute joy to see...and the plus side is that you can guide yourself with the handy 25-page brochure.  There are guided tours, but it's super convenient to go at your own (quicker) pace when you have a toddler tagging along.  In fact, Hillwood markets itself as a family friendly venue.  Before we visited, I browsed their website and was shocked/pleasantly surprised to find an entire page dedicated on how to visit with youngsters.  Among the most noteworthy amenities are stroller-friendly walking paths through the gardens, convenient parking on-site, frontal baby carriers available to borrow from the front desk (because strollers aren't allowed inside the mansion), complimentary coat and bag check, and a quiet room for nursing mothers.  Bravo!  Check out the calendar of events and look what's going on.  There's a preschool series of programs for children ages two through five, family fun days, garden days, concerts, and a variety of lectures and talks.

So, to sum things up, because I've decided to keep this one short...enjoy the images below...and imagine yourself immersed in splendor...and then visit yourself, you'll be glad you did.  Diggory is going to wake up from his nap at any moment...

Diggory, looking rather mischievous, posing for Christina.     

Admiring the very shiny displays of silver.  

The Japanese Garden is spectacular!  Plan on spending a good chunk of time just looking, pondering, and listening to the rush of water through the ponds and waterfalls.

A view inside the Adirondack Building, the main venue for the exhibition Pret-a-Papier.  Indeed, these garments are made of entirely of paper.  There were ten displayed in the mansion and the rest were on view here.  Absolutely awe-inspiring!

National Air and Space Museum (And Phillips Collection Repeat)

How is it already January 14th, and I'm already two weeks behind in posting new blog entries!?  So much for keeping up with my new year's resolutions!  Alas, let me try to recap our most recent museum adventures.

Two weeks ago we went to the Phillips Collection with our dear friend Julie.  We actually went here in April 2012 for one of our first blog reviews...and it's amazing to look back and see how much Diggory has grown!  His experiences in museums are now much more involved, and he's not so much just along for the ride anymore.  I usually have a moment of hesitation now before taking him to art museums because I don't want him to get bored and throw a fit, and I don't want him to break anything!  But, the Phillips isn't so large that it's hard to keep him entertained for the relatively short amount of time it takes to snake through the galleries, and there's certainly some very impressive and eye-catching art to see.  Practicing color, anyone?  

I won't go into all the details and logistics because you can get the info. in my earlier post, but we decided to forgo the stroller...and with two people available to carry Diggs when necessary, it worked out just fine and dandy.

Julie and Diggs outside the museum, posing with Xavier Veilhan's The Bear, 2010.

The exhibition Intersections: Xavier Veilhan, (IN)balance, on view until February 10, 2013, was a major hit with Diggory.  In fact, I think he would have spent hours in the gallery if we had let him.  It helps when there is a giant shiny, silver ball rolling back and forth on a teeter-totter like apparatus. (See photo below.)  That's all I'll say about this visit - that we had an awesome time, that's it's super fun to visit museums with a fellow art nerd and all around awesome friend, and that Diggory behaved himself and didn't touch anything.  

Julie and Diggs in the exhibition (IN)balance.

Our biggest adventure this past week was visiting the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) on the National Mall.  As one of the most visited museums in the whole wide world, I have to admit that I was a little intimidated.  And not just about taking my toddler there, but in how I would actually achieve covering such a huge museum in a blog entry without boring you all to death.  So, I won't go gallery by gallery (because there are a lot), and I won't describe the bathrooms (because there are a lot, all easy to find, stroller accessible, and all equipped with changing tables).  There are a bunch of hands-on activities and demonstrations for kids in the How Things Fly gallery on the first floor.  The Space Race, Milestones of Flight, and America by Air galleries are the multi-story spaces with the biggest, most totally awesome, airplanes, rockets, and spacecraft.  Diggory walked around aimlessly staring at the "sky," so make sure you're watching your kid so they don't walk straight into the bottom of the Apollo 11 Command Module.  (Oh, and apologies in advance for the blurry pictures.  I forgot my camera, so they're all compliments of my camera phone.)

Wandering the main entrance lobby and Milestones of Flight gallery.

Learning about stability and lift in the How Things Fly gallery.  It's always easier to fly an airplane if you stick your tongue out.

We went to the museum mostly to check out story time.  Yes, story time at the Air and Space Museum!  Yippee!  Here's the schedule.  They mostly do it on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and the book usually changes every two weeks, which also means that the gallery in which the group meets also changes to fit with whatever the story book topic is that week.  Last week's book was Airport by Byron Barton, and, not surprisingly, it's also available in the museum's gift shop.  It's cute.  We bought it.  Story time was adorable...rainbow rug, airplane toys complete with fuel trucks and luggage carriers, activity and craft time, etc.  Diggory was generally more interested in running around the gallery looking at (and inside) the airplanes, but he did do a decent job of sitting still and paying attention.

Climbing the stairs to check out the inside of a passenger plane.  We went up and through and down and around about a dozen times.  Also, notice that the staircase handrails have two levels...one at the perfect height for small children.  Bravo, NASM!  And ALL the stairs in the whole museum are like this!

Playing with the toy airplanes before story time.

 

Momma brought limited edition Space Adventures goldfish crackers for snacks.  Gold star for me!

So many buttons inside a cockpit!  (Or as Diggory would say, "Wow, buttis!")

After story time, we climbed the stairs to the second floor and went in and out all the galleries.  (There are also escalators and elevators.)  We spent a lot of time inside the Skylab Orbital Workshop (in the Space Race gallery but accessible by stairs from the second floor) and played with the hands-on activities in the Pioneers of Flight gallery for longer than momma would have liked.

I was mostly getting really hungry.  So, in order to obtain a complete NASM experience, we ventured back downstairs to the food court for some good ol' McDonald's fries and chicken nuggets.  Yep, I am that mom.  (Well, don't judge, I also give him kale chips and a variety of what my mother endearingly calls "alternative food."  It's just that fries are just so yummy!)  

So, with our visit complete, we headed back to the metro (L'Enfant Station), which I should have mentioned is only two blocks away museum, and made the trek back home.  We had quite a busy morning!  Stay tuned for our next adventure!

Mount Vernon!

Yesterday, for what will likely be our last museum outing of the year, Diggory and I took Grandma Becky and Grandpa Doug to George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate, Museum and Gardens.  We decided to close out a year of awesome museumness with a big, colonial, and patriotic huzzah!  You'd probably guess, that due to the significance of the place and of the man in our nation's history, and given the size of the estate itself, that this would be one of the longer blog posts in my archive.  But, even visiting the site with an eye toward catching the most blog-worthy of aspects, I was struck by how straight-forward and smoothly our trip turned out to be.  Well done, Mount Vernon, well done.  I might not actually have that much to say, gasp!

Waiting with Grandma and Grandpa for the film.  Diggory thought the decorated Christmas trees and holiday decorations were, "Wooooowwww!"

So...let's get started.  We arrived slightly after 10am, and I was pleasantly surprised that there were a lot of parking spots left.  I good omen for the smaller crowds we encountered inside.  Once we purchased our tickets...ages five and under are free...we browsed the exhibits in the Ford Orientation Center before viewing the orientation film in the theater.  There are plenty of restroom facilities here and an information desk where you can find out what's happening all around the estate during the day.  After the 25 minute film..."some battle scenes may not be suitable for young children"...we ventured outside into the very blustery day toward the mansion.  We had timed tickets for a half hour later, so we strolled leisurely up the walk and then turned left up the handicap/stroller accessible path toward the Upper Garden. We encountered two presidentially-pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.  Diggory was quite intrigued.  

Gobble, gobble, gobble.

It was pretty cold, but at least there's a good number of buildings to block the wind!

We cut through the Upper Garden just before the Lady Washington Gift Shop, and came up to the mansion from the northwest.  Even though it wasn't quite our time to stand in the queue for the mansion tour, there wasn't anyone else in line so we popped right in and only had to wait about ten minutes.  We parked the stroller between the Gardener's House and Servants' Hall...just don't forget to claim it when you come out of the tour on the complete opposite side of the mansion.  'Cause we did...and got almost all the way to the Old Tomb before we remembered!  Diggory was a pretty good sport on the tour...helped by the fact that he loves being carried around by his very tall Grandpa Doug.  Who wouldn't want the best view in the house?!  The third floor of the mansion is only open until January 6, 2013, so it was a special treat to visit this rarely-seen space.  

It was quite windy, with upward of 50 mph gusts!  The photo of Diggory and his grandparents didn't turn out well, at all.  :)  Here's a slightly better one of me, to prove I was actually there.  

After our mansion tour, we walked down the hill to the south and looked inside the Storehouse, Smokehouse, Paint Cellar, Wash House, and Coach House and then made it to Washington's Tomb before heading back up the hill around the Fruit Garden and Nursery and Lower Garden on the west side of the  grounds.  We skipped the Slave Memorial, Wharf, Pioneer Farm and Sixteen-sided Barn because, well, it was just too darn cold.  We did make a brief stop just past the Bowling Green to visit Aladdin the camel, on view through the holidays.  In 1787, George paid 18 shillings to have a camel brought to Mount Vernon for Christmas to entertain his guests...so it's totally historically accurate.  

Watch out, they spit.

We were glad to finally get back indoors when we reached the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center.  The museum houses spectacular items from the site's permanent collection and hosts temporary exhibitions.  (I got to be involved in one a few years back in my past life at museum collections manager at the Society of the Cincinnati, and it was such a privilege.)  Currently on view through August 11, 2013, Hoecakes and Hospitality explores how foods were prepared and presented in the 18th century at Mount Vernon.  I scored at least five recipe cards...a brilliant idea...and am very much looking forward to making the "ragoo of asparagus."

Even though our tummies were now grumbling (brilliant ploy to get visitors into the food court and restaurant, by the way), we took a not so quick spin through the Education Center.  Embarrassingly, even after all my visits to Mount Vernon for family trips or in a professional capacity, I had never walked through the Education Center.  Eek!  So, we finally went and it was so cool.  Lots and lots of interactive and eye-catching exhibits, generally organized chronologically through Washington's life.  There are dioramas, films, sounds, lights, and historical objects sprinkled here and there, including George's not-wooden lower jaw dentures.

Thoroughly starving by now, we were lucky enough to snag a table for four at the Mount Vernon Inn restaurant and had their famous peanut and chestnut soup and sandwiches.  Also, I should have mentioned that there are restrooms in various locations around the museum and education center, and near the food court and gift shop, but perhaps the most handy one is the handicap accessible restroom right next to the hostess stand.  It's big enough for a stroller and there's a counter just perfect for diaper changes.  Perhaps it's not meant for that, but I used it...and wiped it down, too.  So there.  You gotta do, what you gotta do.

It was way, way, way past bedtime by the time we left, so we sang about a million rounds of Old MacDonald's Farm to keep Diggory awake for the whole ride home.  We succeeded, and then he crashed out for a three hour nap.  And mommy got some shut eye, too.   

Grandma and Grandpa watching his every move.  :)

So, I think I'll call it quits until next year, which, really, is only next week anyway.  Diggory and I visited SEVENTY-TWO museums and cultural or historic sites this past year, and seeing as how we didn't actually tick off all of the places I wanted to go, I think we'll just have to renew our resolution for 2013, and go for it again.  What do you think?  Fifty-two museums in 2013?  I think, I can.  I think, I can.

Happy New Year!  And thanks for reading!  

The Intrigue of Historical Markers

It's been quite some time since I've posted.  I made a couple of cross-country trips over the past few weeks and had to finish my Christmas shopping, which, in my defense, takes a lot longer when you have a toddler in tow.  But, alas, I don't have any terribly concrete excuses for not keeping my goal of visiting one museum a week for a whole year.  I guess my biggest excuse is that I've already visited way more than 52!  I counted a few months ago, and I was already at 54.  So there.  I've dropped the ball a few times since then, going a week or more between postings.  But for goodness sake, I've been busy.  It's not that I don't think about visiting a museum or historic site, I just don't actually muster up the motivation to do it.  Today we did something different though.  And in my defense, all the other places I thought to visit today were closed.  So there.  

Instead of visiting a museum, Diggory and I went shopping.  I had a coupon, and I wanted to use it.  We found ourselves in Bailey's Crossroads, a neighborhood in Fairfax County, Virginia full of big box stores, car dealerships, and our trusty Trader Joe's.  I've stopped to read this particular historical marker before (see photo below), but today I thought I'd post a picture so all of you can see it too.  It's a total cheater's blog post, I know, but there's a special place in my heart for historical markers, and here's why.

On every family vacation taken in my youth, inevitably, my father would ask, "What did that sign say?"  He was usually referring to some historical marker.  And the tricky bit was that we were usually traveling at 65 mph.  No one can read that fast!  But, after some trial and error, I believe I became really good at surmising the gist of said marker with only a split second to actually read it.  And what I didn't actually read, I usually just made up.  But, ever since then, I've made it a point to read most markers I see.  I even pull over the car, back up, walk across the parking lot, etc.  It's amazing what you learn when you "stop and smell the...er...read the marker."  

For example, did you know that Bailey's Crossroads has a connection with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus?!  I had a forehead-slapping, eye-rolling "duh" moment when I read the marker the first time and also realized that that's why the "Now Entering Bailey's Crossroads" signs have circus tents on them.  Turns out that Hachaliah Bailey purchased the northeast quadrant of land formed by Leesburg Pike and Columbia Pike in 1837, and his son, Lewis Bailey, who pioneered the canvas circus tent and owned a traveling menagerie, settled on the land in the 1840s.  Some sources say he needed a place to keep his exotic animals during the winter.  The land also included a large mansion house called "Moray," which burned down in 1942.  All that exists now is Moray Lane, which would have led directly to the house, but now cuts directly through the Crossroads Shopping Center parking lot.  It's entirely possible that the house once stood exactly where I had to stand to take this picture.  

I love imagining what the landscape of our neighborhoods once looked like "back in the day."  And I only hope that those who once lived here wouldn't be too disappointed that there's now an Old Navy in what would have been their backyard.  Maybe they'd be delighted that I could hear the laughter of children wafting up from the Glen Forest Elementary School playground too.  And I hope it might bring them comfort that there are still those of us willing to read the historical markers.