Street Art in D.C. #10

In our travels around D.C., we often spot street art.  In D.C., street art comes in many forms and sizes--from small stickers on lamp posts and parking meters to large painted murals on building walls.

Recently, we spotted two murals not far from where we live.  One mural (pictured below) is an original work by D.C.-based artist Aniekan Udofia.  (You might remember the artist from an earlier post about a Duke Ellington tribute mural.)   We like Aniekan Udofia's murals.  They are colorful and filled with motion and they tell a story.  

Mural by Aniekan Udofia (on 24th Street near George Washington University)

In Georgetown, we spotted another mural (pictured below) that has been there since at least the early 1980's.  (Greg remembers seeing it when he attended college there.)   The mural, by artist J. McConnell, recreates the famous woodblock print The Great Wave of Kanagawa  by 19th century Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.

The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai (1830-1832) (woodblock print) (mural by J. McConnell)

One of the surviving Great Wave prints can be viewed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: "The clawlike structure of the enormous wave that threatens to crash down upon the three fishing boats conjures up images of mythical dragons and other dangerous beasts. The drama of the print is enhanced by the placement of Fuji in the hollow of the wave's angry crest. Like the helpless boats, Fuji too appears on the verge of obliteration."

Thanks for viewing more street art with us.

P.S.  The original Great Wave inspired not only the mural in Georgetown but also other works of art, including two modern works.

Sea is for Cookie

Drowning Girl by Roy Lichtenstein (1963)

Strolling in D.C. #8 (Part 3 of 3)

While strolling through nearby Georgetown and our neighborhood, the West End, we have spotted even more seasonal decorations.  

The restaurant Filomena, a Georgetown institution since 1983, apparently needs to call the exterminator.  Giant spiders have invaded.

Below is an artistic Jack O'Lantern that seems a bit too bloody for displaying in front of a church in Georgetown.  It was removed before we strolled by again.  

During an evening stroll in our neighborhood, we spotted the spooky scene below.  We captured the scene in a photograph and a short video.  Check it out. 

Even in our own building, we spotted a scary scene.  Our neighbor Bob has a healthy sense of humor and placed Igor outside his door.  Bob's apartment happens to be next to the elevators.  So, exiting the elevator now comes with a fright upon seeing Igor lurking there.  

A cheerful Halloween scene can be found in Georgetown at GreenWorks Florist.  It is hard to make hot pink look scary.  

Thanks for viewing more seasonal scenes with us.  

D.C. Real Estate (Part 1 of 2)

Susan is a big fan of home shows on cable station HGTV.  She enjoys watching Fixer Upper, Property Brothers, Love or List It, House Hunters and more.  Once Susan starts watching a show,  she is compelled to watch it to the end to see what happens.  One show becomes two and then three.  Sometimes, the binge will last to midnight or beyond.  

D.C. real estate is fun to dream about.  As we stroll around town, we see a nice house or we see a "for sale" sign and our imagination takes over.  How would we decorate the house, what would we change, etc.  Even when we see a run down property, we imagine restoring it to its former glory.  

In D.C., prices are high, ridiculously high.  So, the idea of buying and renovating is fantasy.  Besides, we are enjoying the 10 Year Plan.  It's no time to tie ourselves down.  Right?  Still, we can dream.

So, let's say you were house hunting in D.C. and you were looking in one of the trendy neighborhoods filled with nice homes, plus some fixer uppers.  

What would you pay for the fixer upper pictured below?

Below is another, much larger fixer upper.  What would you pay for it?

Imagine if both houses were next to each other.  What would you pay for both of them together?

Next Up:  Some answers.

Music in D.C.: Kennedy Center, La Traviata (Part 2 of 2)

We enjoy opera at the Kennedy Center. 

The venue is elegant and spacious.  Below is a view of the grand foyer photographed from the upper level of the opera house.  

Inside the opera house, a special curtain was added for La Traviata.  The curtain, called a scrim, was printed with an image of the heroine's eyes.  Depending on how the scrim is lit, it can appear nearly transparent and reveal the stage behind it.  The visual effect is amazing.  

When Susan first saw the curtain, she thought the image might be Audrey Hepburn.  Another attendee said it looked like opera singer Maria Callas.  What person do you see when you look at the image on the curtain?

In addition to the curtain, the setting in the countryside outside Paris had a artistic backdrop.  It resembled an Impressionist scene of nearby trees.  In the photo below, the backdrop is hard to see, but you can see trees if you look closely.  

La Traviata, Act II, a view of the country house with Impressionist backdrop (from Kennedy-Center.org)

Below is a Monet painting similar to the lovely backdrop.

Poplars on the Epte by Claude Monet (1891)

The stage of the Opera House is large, allowing for amazing spectacles during the opera, like grand balls and banquets with dozens of beautifully costumed singers and dancers.  Below is a photo of the opera house stage during curtain calls at the end of La Traviata.  

Thanks for attending La Traviata with us at the Kennedy Center's Opera House.  

P.S.  Thinking ahead to Year 4 in Paris, does anyone happen to know if Paris has a nice opera house?

Music in D.C.: Kennedy Center, La Traviata (Part 1 of 2)

The Kennedy Center's Washington National Opera recently staged the Giuseppe Verdi opera La Traviata.  

The opera is a boy gets-loses-gets girl story.  Of course, someone has to die at the end.  After all, it's an Italian opera.  Sadly, it is the girl.  She is a vivacious, rags-to-riches young courtesan who "strays from the path," hence the Italian name la traviata.  (A synopsis is included at the end of this blog post.)

The night we saw the performance, the lead roles were sung by the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists, up and coming opera performers in training at the Kennedy Center for one year.  The performance was strong.  (Greg's only comment was:  "How could a girl wasting away from tuberculosis appear so healthy?  It must have been the strong acting.") 

Because taking photographs during the performance is vietato (Italian for forbidden), below are some photos borrowed from Kennedy-Center.org.

Boy gets girl:

Violetta and Alfredo fall in love

Boy has gotten girl but is about to lose girl:

Violetta and Alfredo sing a duet just before she leaves him

Boy gets girl again, but girl is about to die.  Very sad.

Violetta and Alfredo sing a final duet

If you would like to see a highlights reel, click here.

Next Up:  The staging of La Traviata.

P.S.  In case you want to read a synopsis of the story, here is the tale according to MetOpera.org.

La Traviata: "ACT I

Violetta Valéry knows that she will die soon, exhausted by her restless life as a courtesan. At a party she is introduced to Alfredo Germont, who has been fascinated by her for a long time. Rumor has it that he has been enquiring after her health every day. The guests are amused by this seemingly naïve and emotional attitude, and they ask Alfredo to propose a toast. He celebrates true love, and Violetta responds in praise of free love (Ensemble: “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici”). She is touched by his candid manner and honesty. Suddenly she feels faint, and the guests withdraw. Only Alfredo remains behind and declares his love (Duet: “Un dì felice”). There is no place for such feelings in her life, Violetta replies. But she gives him a camellia, asking him to return when the flower has faded. He realizes this means he will see her again the following day. Alone, Violetta is torn by conflicting emotions—she doesn’t want to give up her way of life, but at the same time she feels that Alfredo has awakened her desire to be truly loved (“Ah, fors’è lui… Sempre libera”).

ACT II

Violetta has chosen a life with Alfredo, and they enjoy their love in the country, far from society (“De’ miei bollenti spiriti”). When Alfredo discovers that this is only possible because Violetta has been selling her property, he immediately leaves for Paris to procure money. Violetta has received an invitation to a masked ball, but she no longer cares for such distractions. In Alfredo’s absence, his father, Giorgio Germont, pays her a visit. He demands that she separate from his son, as their relationship threatens his daughter’s impending marriage (Duet: “Pura siccome un angelo”). But over the course of their conversation, Germont comes to realize that Violetta is not after his son’s money—she is a woman who loves unselfishly. He appeals to Violetta’s generosity of spirit and explains that, from a bourgeois point of view, her liaison with Alfredo has no future. Violetta’s resistance dwindles and she finally agrees to leave Alfredo forever. Only after her death shall he learn the truth about why she returned to her old life. She accepts the invitation to the ball and writes a goodbye letter to her lover. Alfredo returns, and while he is reading the letter, his father appears to console him (“Di Provenza”). But all the memories of home and a happy family can’t prevent the furious and jealous Alfredo from seeking revenge for Violetta’s apparent betrayal.

At the masked ball, news has spread of Violetta and Alfredo’s separation. There are grotesque dance entertainments, ridiculing the duped lover. Meanwhile, Violetta and her new lover, Baron Douphol, have arrived. Alfredo and the baron battle at the gaming table and Alfredo wins a fortune: lucky at cards, unlucky in love. When everybody has withdrawn, Alfredo confronts Violetta, who claims to be truly in love with the Baron. In his rage Alfredo calls the guests as witnesses and declares that he doesn’t owe Violetta anything. He throws his winnings at her. Giorgio Germont, who has witnessed the scene, rebukes his son for his behavior. The baron challenges his rival to a duel.

ACT III

Violetta is dying. Her last remaining friend, Doctor Grenvil, knows that she has only a few more hours to live. Alfredo’s father has written to Violetta, informing her that his son was not injured in the duel. Full of remorse, he has told him about Violetta’s sacrifice. Alfredo wants to rejoin her as soon as possible. Violetta is afraid that he might be too late (“Addio, del passato”). The sound of rampant celebrations are heard from outside while Violetta is in mortal agony. But Alfredo does arrive and the reunion fills Violetta with a final euphoria (Duet: “Parigi, o cara”). Her energy and exuberant joy of life return. All sorrow and suffering seems to have left her—a final illusion, before death claims her."

Street Sense

Street Sense is a bi-weekly D.C. newspaper focused on topics related to people who are homeless or at the margins of being homeless.  We buy and the read the newspaper when we can.  

Two things make Street Sense unique.  The newspaper is sold around the city by people who are homeless.  The price is $2.00 and the seller keeps some of the money and returns the balance to the paper's publisher.  A win-win for all involved.

Another unique feature is some of the newspaper's content is written by the people who sell it.  Giving a voice to people at the margins of society is a good thing.  

Susan picked up the latest edition of Street Sense and noticed a story (copied below).  A first reaction to the story might be amusement.  A second reaction is probably more heartfelt and personal.  

Return to the Spanish Steps

A funny thing happened on the way to French class last night. 

While walking on the street where the Spanish Steps are located, we heard music playing.  We thought it might be someone in a car with big speakers sharing their music with the world. 

As we walked closer to the Spanish Steps, we spotted something out of the ordinary.  We saw a videographer filming a couple standing near the top of the Spanish Steps. 

Then, we spotted a guitar player serenading the couple, singing the Bruno Mars song Marry You.  We realized that we had stumbled upon a marriage proposal on the Spanish Steps.  

We filmed a short clip.  Check it out.  

We scaled the steps and snapped some photos of the blushing bride-to-be and her dude.  In one photo, the bride is admiring her engagement ring.  In the other photo, the dude is popping the cork.  Don't miss the candles, a nice touch.  

It was a very happy scene. 

Is it really Year 3?

Time flies when you're having fun.  

  

It is hard to believe it is Year 3 of The 10 Year Plan.  

It feels like only a few months ago when we landed in NYC on September 1, 2015, for the start of Year 1.  Here we are nearing the end of Year 3 in just six weeks.

What makes it hard to keep track of time and place is some of the overlap between Years 1, 2 and 3.  For example, just the other day, we stumbled across the mountain of panettone in a window in Georgetown.  Seeing the panettone instantly transported us back to Year 2 in Florence where we enjoyed more than our share.

Another scene likewise transported us back to Year 2.  While walking to and from our French classes, we sometimes use a monumental staircase on 22nd Street.  Wouldn't you know it?  The staircase is named the Spanish Steps, like the grander ones in Rome.  

The "Spanish Steps" on 22nd Street, NW, Washington, DC

You might remember a blog post from Year 2 that featured the Spanish Steps in Rome.  

The Spanish Steps in Rome

So, with periodic reminders of years past and having fun wherever we are, time is flying.  Before we know it, it will be Year 4 and Greg will be having fun murdering the French language.

P.S.  Here are some fun facts about DC's Spanish Steps from Wikipedia and the National Park Service:

• The steps are located in a hilly part of D.C.  A steep embankment on 22nd and S Streets, NW, presented a problem.  
• "A ramp would have been difficult for both carriages and automobiles and uncomfortable for pedestrians."  
• The solution was a monumental staircase.  The steps, completed in 1905, are "two balancing flights of stairs separated by a fountain."
• "The stone steps are designed following Beaux Arts precepts, reflecting the aesthetic preferences made popular in Washington, D.C. by the City Beautiful movement." 
• "The name "Spanish Steps" is a popular one resulting from the similarity in appearance between these steps and the renowned, and significantly grander, Spanish Steps in Rome."

Below is a vintage photo of the Spanish Steps (from the Washington Times, 6/11/1905).

More Seasonal Scenes

In D.C., a lot of people like Halloween decorations.  In our travels around the city, we keep seeing more and more seasonal scenes, like the ones below.

One house near DuPont Circle opted for a purple and orange color scheme, creating a scene that is both spooky and stylish.  We think this scene deserves "two snaps up".

Another snaps-worthy scene is the miniature one below.  In the trunk of a tree along the C&O Canal in Georgetown, we spotted a small but spooky seasonal scene.  

Also in Georgetown, we noticed a house that must be haunted.

Not to worry.   We expect that the house will still be visited by you-know-who in December, like it was last December.

Cars in D.C. #8

It's time for more cars in D.C.

During a recent stroll, we spotted the Fiat 500 pictured below.  Of course, the bright yellow color (giallo in Italian) made the car hard to miss.  During Year 2 in Florence, we saw many 500's, along with many other micro cars, including some tiny cars that made the 500 look large and spacious.  The 500 is a good car for living in D.C., because it can be easily navigated through narrow streets and parked in the smallest of spaces.

While visiting one of the student centers at Georgetown University, we spotted another car--a Volkswagen Microbus (pictured below).  The VW's life on the road ended, but it was reincarnated as a dining counter.  Very cool.  

On a recent sunny day, we stumbled across Ferrari Street in Georgetown.  Apparently, only red Ferraris may be parked on the street.  (Is there any other color for a Ferrari?)

Pop Quiz:  In the CMYK color model, which colors do you mix to make Ferrari Red?    

Thanks for viewing more cars in D.C.

Street Art in D.C. #9

We never know where we will find street art.  In fact, there are neighborhoods in D.C. where we do not expect to find street, like the residential part of nearby Georgetown.

So, we were surprised when found the street art pictured below, a mural on the facade of a townhouse on P Street near the university.   

We are guessing that someone will complain and the mural will be painted over at some point.  For the moment, we think the art adds to the character of the neighborhood.  

Strolling in D.C. #9

While strolling in Georgetown, we passed by one of the many Italian restaurants there.  

In the window was a wonderful sight that reminded us of Year 2 in Florence.

It was a mountain of panettone.  It was BELLISSIMA!  

If you followed this blog during Year 2, then you might remember a half dozen posts about panettone.  We were (and still are) panettone crazed.  

We were so happy to see Monte Panettone here in Washington.  Who knew?   Chi lo sapeva?

Strolling in D.C. #8 (Part 2 of 3)

During another stroll through Georgetown, we spotted more houses with seasonal decorations.

Some of the decorations were so well done that we decided to declare a first runner-up and winner for best Halloween decoration.  And the nominees are . . . .

We thought the pumpkin pictured above was a fitting tribute to Beetlejuice (below).

In the photo below, Susan tries to chat up the pirate's parrot.

And the first runner-up for best Halloween decoration is . . . . . .

In the photo above, seeing Dr. Hannibal Lecter (in the middle) is especially scary.  What would be even scarier is hearing a recording of Dr. Lecter saying:  "A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."  

And the winner for best Halloween decoration is . . . . . .

We especially liked the Burberry-clad canine and the stylish pumpkins from Tiffany, Yves St. Laurent and Hermès.  And Susan admired the Chanel handbag.  Oh la la.  

Thanks for joining us again to look at Halloween decorations in Georgetown.