The Freer Gallery and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery make up the Smithsonian’s Asian Art museum, and can provide a well-rounded look at some art often over-looked.

The Freer Gallery is location on the National Mall at Jefferson Drive at 12th Street SW, and was the first Smithsonian museum dedicated to the fine arts.  In the gallery you’ll find collections of arts from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.  Also smaller displays from the Near East.  You’ll see Japanese screens, ceramics, sculpture, and manuscripts.

The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery is named for the doctor who donated the original collection.  It is also on the National Mall, at 1050 Independence Avenue SW, and is connected to the Freer by an underground passageway that also serves as exhibition space.  This gallery is home to a beautiful collection of Chinese bronzes and jades, along with painting, lacquer ware, ceramics, metal ware, and sculpture.  There is also a significant collection of Islamic Art.

Both galleries are open daily, 10 am – 5:30 pm, with the exception of Christmas Day.  Admission is FREE.

Photo credit: Unhindered by Talent @flickr

Post from: Blisstree

Visit the Smithsonian Asian Art Museums

1. San Francisco – Always an expensive city, but fall starts rolling in a few more cloudy and rainy days, making it a bit cool when the sun goes down.  The days are still lovely, and the evening’s cold, crisp air, is not unbearable.  The city looks different this time of year, and it’s in a good way.
   

   San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge

2. Disneyland – If you can justify taking the kids out of school for a few days, this is the perfect time to visit Mickey and friends.  Everyone else is in school, the temperatures have dropped, and winter hours are not yet in effect.  I think late September and October are some of the best times to visit.
3. Seattle:  Although the tourists and cruise ships sailings are all but gone, fall is actually a nice time of year in Seattle.  Sunny, but cool days, last well into November, and the drab, dreary days of winter haven’t set in yet.  Prices drop, and availability rises, making it a great time in the Pacific Northwest.
4. Washington DC – Congress in back in session, the kids are back in school, and the weather is just right.  Crowds are just about perfect at the many free museums, and the class trips to our nation’s capital haven’t started yet.  The monuments are still open at night, making a great spot for a nighttime visit.
5. Portland (Oregon) – For many of the same reasons that make Seattle and San Francisco great this time of year, Portland joins in.  Lots of fall specials in the wine country, and affordable packages in the city, help put Portland on the map this time of year.
6. Palm Springs, California – It’s still going to be hot, but nothing like the dog days of summer.  The snowbirds haven’t arrived yet (that’s usually after Thanksgiving), and many of the businesses that close for the summer are starting to reopen, so it’s a great time for a visit to the desert.
7. Caribbean – Okay, so it’s hurricane season in the islands, but not everything is perfect during shoulder season.  There are some great bargains and great resorts come fall, so do your research and check them out.  I’ve traveled to the Caribbean during the fall, and have never had a problem.
8. Cruises – Fall is the time of year when many cruise lines re-position their ships.  Each line has a little different schedule, so you’ll need to check on specifics.  Re-positioning cruises represent some very big discounts, and I’ve snapped up many of these fares myself!  Rates are great for the Caribbean as well, for reasons listed above.

Those are my value recommendations for the fall shoulder season.  Do you have any to add?

Photo credit: SXC

Post from: Blisstree

8 Travel Value Destinations for Fall’s Shoulder Season

Whether he was a control freak, or just didn’t trust Martha’s judgment, I’m not sure, but the results are most impressive.  Today Mount Vernon is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  It is open to the public for guided Mansion tours, featuring 14 rooms that have been restored and furnished in period pieces, including some original items from the Washington family.  In additional to the Mansion, visitors can tour the grounds on their own.

The front yard of the Mansion is a bowling green, a large beautifully landscaped yard and drive.  This would have been the entrance that guests used when visiting the estate.

Mount Vernon was both a home and a working plantation, and the surrounding grounds reflect that.  The backyard is huge, and overlooks the Potomac.  One can imagine the Washington’s entertaining on the lawn and enjoying time there with family and friends.  The out building that you can walk through include the slave quarters, ice house, overseer’s quarters, kitchen, wash house, stable and paddock, and the coach house.

The gardens are one of the best parts of the estate.  There are four gardens, a Forest Trail, and a Pioneer Farmer site, the latter a working farm.  The flower beds in the gardens have been restored to their original size, and contain flowers, herbs, fruit trees and vegetables.  English Boxwoods, taken from cuttings from 1786, are still alive and thriving on the grounds.

George Washington died in the Mansion’s master bedroom on December 14th, 1700.  Pursuant to his will, he was laid to rest in a brick tomb located on his beloved Mount Vernon estate.  Martha’s body lies there as well.  Wreath laying ceremonies are held daily.  Near the tomb is a Slave Memorial and Burial Ground.

Also on the grounds is a museum, featuring some of Washington’s survey equipment, weapons and clothing, as well as his dentures.

A couple years ago, a Grist Mill and reconstruction of Washington’s distillery opened, a short ways away from the estate.  It is a fully functional replica, and, pursuant to special legislation, is authorized to produce up to 5,000 gallons of whiskey annually.  It is for sale only at the Mount Vernon gift estate.

Mount Vernon is open daily, with Mansion tours offered from 8 am to 5 pm during the summer.  The grounds close a half hour later.

Admission is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors (ages 62+), $7 for youth (ages 6-11), and children under 6 are FREE.  Admission to the distillery and grist mill are $4 for adults and $2 for youth.  Although not required, purchasing tickets in advance is recommended, especially during the busy summer months.

You can make a quick tour the Mansion and grounds, or spend the entire day at the estate, depending on your available time.  Young children will enjoy the outdoor areas, but may be a bit bored and the interior hands-off tour.  Older kids and teens can teens should enjoy Mount Vernon, and it’s a great opportunity to see history right up close.

Mount Vernon is most easily reached by car, but if you don’t have one available, a little effort will get you there via the Metro.  Take the Yellow Line to Huntington Station, and exit onto Huntington Avenue (lower level).  From there catch the #101 Fairfax Connector Bus to the Mount Vernon entrance gate, about a 20 minute trip.

Photo credit:  David Paul Ohmer @flickr (Mount Vernon); Prince Roy @flickr (Grist Mill)

Post from: Blisstree

Visit History at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate

At its current location among the brownstones of Dupont Circle (1600 21st Street NW, on the corner of Q and 21st), the Phillips has two buildings full of art and a outdoor courtyard for sculpture display.  The permanent collection includes works from American and European impressionists, post-impressionist, and modern artists.  You’ll also see some of the great masters, including Degas, Renoir, Cezanne, Klee, Monet, Picasso, and Matisse.

Current exhibits on display are:  Early Moderns: A Celebration of Gifts from Gifford and Joann Phillips, running March 21-September 6, 2009, and this is not that CAFÉ, running May 7-December 2009.

The Phillips Collection has be reached via Metro’s red line Dupont Circle stop.

Hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, and Sunday, 11 am – 6 pm.  Thursday night offers extended evening hours, and the museum is open until 8:30 pm.  On the first Thursday of the month, Phillips after 5 offers jazz performances, food and drink, gallery talks and film, running from 5 – 8:30 pm.  Sunday concerts are also offered October – May.

Weekday admission to the permanent collection is by donation.  Weekend admission and special exhibits are $12 for adults, $10 for student and seniors (62+).  Tickets can be purchased online through Ticketmaster or at the museum.

Photo credit:   daquella manera @flickr

Post from: Blisstree

The Phillips Collection in Washington DC

The “money factory” is located in Washington DC and Fort Worth, Texas, and it’s here that all the Federal Reserve notes are printed.  They also engrave all the White House invitations, and print other security documents.  These are the folks that really can show you the money.

FREE tours are offered at both the DC and Fort Worth location.  You’ll see a short movie about the process of making money, and then tour the facility as you watch paper and ink combine to make millions of dollars.  Along the way you’ll pick up some interesting money facts and trivia.  The tour itself (excluding wait time) takes a bit over an hour.  It ends at the money gift shop, where you can buy novelty items as well as find serious collectibles.

The DC location is at 14th & C Streets NW, and in Fort Worth at 9000 Blue Mound Road.  The respective websites will list all the information you need to take the FREE tour.  There are some quirks and exceptions about the tour, and it can be impacted by the Homeland Security threat level, so check for details as part of your planning.

The tour is FREE, and is very popular.  It’s crowded during the summer, the most popular time to visit, but it also makes a great rainy afternoon activity.  The tour is appropriate for school age children, but younger ones might be bored.

Photo credit:  wikimedia

Post from: Blisstree

Show Me the Money!

Among thousands of tulips on the grounds, along with lots of other flowers,  is a bell tower — a carillon — that was a gift to our country from the Netherlands.  There are 50 bells in the carillon, the largest about 7 feet in diameter and weighing in and over 12,000 pounds, and the smallest measuring about 9 inches in diameter and weighing about 35 pounds.  The bells are programmed to chime the hour 10 am – 6 pm daily.  They also ring out in special concerts.

Stairs lead up to an observation platform, and from there a smaller staircase leads up to the glass enclosed bell cabin.  Climb the stairs for the view, or enjoy the sights from ground level.

The grounds are part of the National Park Service, and are large enough enjoy a picnic, toss a frisbee, or walk around looking at the tulips, the carillon, and the Iwo Jima monument.  Admission to the park is free.  Parking can be difficult.

It’s a great place to spend an afternoon, but my favorite time is dusk.  As you watch the sun go down you can also see the lights of the monuments and the city come on.  It’s a special time just before nightfall.

Photo credit: cliff1066 @flickr

Post from: Blisstree

Visit the Netherlands Carillon in DC

Udvar-Hazy is full of exhibits that you may find familiar, including the Enola Gay, an Air France Concorde, the Space Shuttle Enterprise, the Gemini VII space capsule, and the quarantine unit used for the returning crew of Apollo 11.   There are lots of other exhibits that cover both military and private aviation and space exploration.

You’ll also find an IMAX theater, flight simulator, and observation tower.  From the tower you’ll get a nice view of the surrounding area, as well as have a prime viewing spot for watching take offs and landings at Dulles Airport.

Fit your museum viewing time to your available time, and wander through at a comfortable pace.  You can spend hours and hours looking at everything, or just a quick hour to catch the highlights.  Pick up a “flight plan” at the visitor’s center and locate the important displays and artifacts so you don’t miss anything on your must-see list.

The Center is open daily (except Christmas Day) from 10 am to 5:30 pm, with an extended closing time of 6:30 pm during the summer.

Museum admission is FREE; daily parking is $15.  There is a shuttle between the two Air and Space Museums, and between the Center and Dulles Airport.  A taxi from the airport to the museum will run about $12-15.

Photos courtesy of National Air and Space Museum

Post from: Blisstree

Udvar-Hazy Center Near Dulles Airport

An exhibt has been organized in Washington, DC for the Inauguration.  Check out Kyra’s post at Black Threads, Quilts for Obama: Celebrating the Inauguration of Our 44th President for more details about time and place.

For more about Obama and presidential quilts:

Club captures presidential race in unique quilt

East St. Louis quilter selected for inaugural exhibit

History attractions prepare for inaugural in DC

(Whether you agree or disagree with Obama as President, you’ll have to agree that this movement has given quilts and quilters more recognition.)

Post from: Blisstree

Obama Quilts & Quilters All the Rage