Sports in D.C.: The Washington Capitals, Start of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs

A while ago, we blogged about the Washington Capitals winning the 2018 Stanley Cup.  We attended the Caps' first playoff game here in D.C. but failed to blog about the experience.  Here is the post. 

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The 10 Year Plan has allowed us to enjoy a lot of sporting events.  One of our favorite sports is professional ice hockey.  Greg grew up in the Midwest where hockey is big.  Greg played hockey in Winter on backyard ice rinks and in Summer on the street.  Greg also saw the Toledo Blades, Detroit Red Wings and Cleveland Crusaders play.  Greg even had a job during high school, filming his school's team for the coaches to review afterward.

  

Susan's love of hockey is harder to explain.  Being the daughter and sister of dentists, perhaps she likes the fact that hockey players have such nice teeth.  They might be fake but they look good!

While living in NYC during Year 1, we enjoyed seeing the Islanders and the Rangers play.  Greg was even lucky enough to see the Rangers' first home playoff game.  The experience was incredible, from the amazing pregame show, great hockey on the ice, devoted fans cheering and yelling insults at the visiting team and listening to a Billy Joel tribute band during the breaks between periods.  

Since arriving in D.C. for Year 3, we have seen a few Capitals' games, including their first playoff game.  The Caps lost that game to the Columbus Bluejackets in overtime (4-3).  Despite the loss, attending a playoff game was a great thrill.  You can share some of the experience yourself in the photos and video clips below.  Enjoy.           

Arriving at Capital One Arena

A view of the ice 

Alex Ovechkin #8 during the warm up

All fans received a light stick, with a glowing red light.

When the overhead lights went out before the game, the sea of flashing red lights was amazing.  Click on the boxes below to see for yourself.
   

In addition, shortly before the introductions of the Caps, images were projected on the ice.  Very cool.  

Although the Capitals lost the first playoff (at home) and the second playoff game (also at home), they started winning on the road, defeating the Blue Jackets (4-2), then the Penguins (4-2), then the Lightning (4-3), and finally the amazing first year team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights (4-1).  

Year 2 has been been a great year to be in D.C. to enjoy hockey.  (Not so much for the NBA Wizards and the NFL Redskins.) \

Music in D.C.: Wolf Trap #1

In northern Virginia, not far from D.C., is the Wolf Trap National for the Performing Arts, opened in 1971.  Wolf Trap is one of the performance venues for open air concerts during summer.   The property is sprawling and was once a farm dating from the 1700's, when wolves were trapped in the area.   

  

The farm was donated to the National Park Service by then owner Catherine Filene Shouse.  If the middle name seems familiar, then you won't be surprised that Catherine Filene Shouse was heir to Abraham Lincoln Filene, co-owner of Filene's department store based in Boston.  Catherine also donated money to build the main stage at Wolf Trap (pictured below).  She named it The Filene Center in honor of her parents.

The Filene Center at Wolf Trap (July 2018), viewed from the top of the lawn,looking toward the stage

We selected a performance at The Filene Center that transported us back to the 1980's.  On the bill were Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins, the B-52's and Culture Club with Boy George.  

Although 30+ years have passed, the songs were fresh and the performances were strong.  The audience stood and danced for most of the night.  It was a very good time.  

Cindy, Fred and Kate of The B-52's performing Love Shack

Boy George and Culture Club performing Karma Chameleon

Greg especially enjoyed the songs performed by Tom Bailey of The Thompson Twins.  Click here for a sample of a recent performance. 

Thanks for visiting Wolf Trap with us.

P.S.  No wolves were harmed in the making of this blog post.

Churches: Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

A while ago, we visited the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (pictured below), which is located in Northeast D.C. next to Catholic University.  

 

It's time for a pop quiz:  True or False?

• The basilica is the largest Roman Catholic church in the United States.

• The basilica is the tallest habitable building in D.C.  

• Construction of the basilica began in 1920 and was completed on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 2017.

• One of the builders of the basilica was also the general contractor for the Pentagon, Jefferson Memorial and the White House reconstruction. 

• The architectural style of the basilica is Neo-Byzantine.

• Three popes have visited the basilica:  John Paul II (1990), Benedict XVI (2008), Francis (2015).  

If you answered "true" to all six statements, then give yourself an A+.  

The basilica is immense.  The exterior of the basilica measures 459' long, 240' wide and 237' feet to the highest point.  The basilica has 70 side chapels in the upper and lower church.  The church is filled with sacred art in the form of mosaics, sculptures and stained glass windows.

Here is a photographic tour that gives some idea about how large and beautiful the church is.  Enjoy.

The facade of the basilica

The bell tower, 329' tall to the top of the cross

The nave of the basilica 

The rose window and pipe organ over the entrance to the basilica

The Trinity Dome (dedicated December 8, 2017, marking the basilica's completion)

Detail of The Trinity Dome

The Rose Window above the altar

A large mosaic, Christ in Majesty, behind the altar. The mosaic reminds us of similar mosaics we saw during Year 2 while visiting Palermo, Sicily.  (If the image were not religious, the figure might be saying, "I caught a fish this big!"

The baldachino altar

One of the many beautiful mosaics in the basilica. 

Another beautiful mosaic, Our Lady of Guadalupe 

In the Our Mother of Africa chapel, a sculpture of St. Luke, with the winged ox symbol.  The sculpture is intended to resemble a man of African origin.     

Saints Clare and Francis (stained glass windows)

Our Lady of China (mosiac)

St. Dominic

Thanks for visiting the basilica with us.  

Music in D.C.: Blues Alley #2

Recently, when daughter Sally visited D.C., we returned to premier D.C. jazz club Blues Alley.    

The lineup that night was a pleasant surprise.  The featured performer was The Mark Whitfield Family Band.  It just happens that the family includes a vocalist, Mark's cousin Sy Smith.  We saw Sy Smith perform during a trip to Blues Alley a few months ago.  It was a happy coincidence.  

The band consists of leader Mark Whitfield (a genius on the guitar), sons Mark, Jr. (a talented drummer) and Davis (a gifted pianist).  A family friend from D.C., Mark Wheeler, joined the group on bass.  Sy Smith joined the performance midway and added her vocal stylings to the band's emotional rhythm. It was a wonderful performance.     

One of the best parts of the evening was the song Grace on Mark Whitfield's latest album.  You can listen to it here.

Thanks for returning to Blues Alley with us.  

Street Art in D.C. #3 (Part 3 of 3)

While returning from the Kennedy Center, we saw more sculptures in the Foggy Bottom outdoor art exhibition Absence & Presence.  Enjoy. 

Thanks for viewing the exhibition with us.  

Monuments: The White House

Since our personal invitation to visit the White House must have been lost in the mail, we signed up for a tour a few months ago.

Public tours of the White House are self-guided and pass through many of the oldest rooms on the main and lower levels.  The upper level, the President's residence, is not included in the tour, which is probably a good thing. 

The illustration below shows the path of our tour.

The China Room:

The East Room:

George Washington by Gilbert Stuart (1796) (the Gardiner Baker copy of the "Lansdowne portrait")

The Green Room:

A view of the Washington Monument from the Green Room

The Blue Room:

A view of the Jefferson Memorial from the Blue Room (as seen through antique window glass)

The State Dining Room:

The Entrance Hall:

A couple of White House visitors at the entrance to the Diplomatic Reception Room 

The North Portico:

Thanks for visiting the White House with us.

P.S. While we touring the White House, we noticed a miniature soccer field on the South Lawn.  We guessed it was installed for young Baron Trump.