Mercer Museum

Construction is well under way!  Foundation is laid and walls are being put up.  Some other little effects are being added as well, such a large LED lights that will light up the back wall and have the capacity to change color.  Nice.

Most of the visitors are interested in the expansion with a mix of excitement.  Others, however, decide to spout off their corporate paranoia at ME, as if I signed off on the multi-million dollar project.  After filling out a survey, one guy demanded a spiel about the expansion.  I explained that it’s replacing the old vistor’s center and will have room for blah blah blah.

            “I am fearful of this expansion!  New parking lot, right?  All that grass torn up, of course.  Sheesh.”  And off he went.  I looked at his survey.  He didn’t just write his complaints, he carved his comlplaints.

I am fearful that this new expansion will ruin the integrity of the original building.  Corporations just adding on all the time, no thought to the precious arifacts.  What’s next, a STARBUCKS???

The word “Starbucks” was enormous and double-underlined.  And precious artifacts?  Okay, Gollum.

I guess this guy doesn’t realize that the Mercer Museum is a business, driven by revenue from visitors, events, and renters and that the expansion will keep his treasures safe.

The best part was how annoyed he was.  I tried to explain a few of these things but he just burned my toast and walked out.  The last thing I noticed, he had the “ohm” symbol tattooed on his earlobe.  Nice.  I guess a clear mind really means an unused mind.

Anyway, the visitor’s center opens Spring 2011!  See you then.

Seeing The Washing Tin Can Party Live, Part 3

Dillon has been treated to a cosmopolitan view of D.C.- Georgetown, the monuments, the embassies, and jazz at the sculpture garden.  Saturday was no different; we went to the National Zoo and Adam's Morgan for dinner.

The trip started out fairly well:  solid weather, an easy ride, and a small crowd.  We checked out the sloth bear, but he was being an uncooperative whiner.

"G'way I'm sleepy"

We went over to the infinitely cooler otters.  They started play fighting in the water with each other and one father was heard saying "They're like boys fighting, they really are."  Something about the zoo brings out the stupid in parents.

  

                                        

                                        

They really are.

Speaking of stupid, the signs for the exhibits were often questionable in quality.  The one for the red panda was like an advertisement for illegal furs:

                                    

                                       

RICH SOFT PELTS.

The author of this sign, for the new elephant house, confused being useful with being stupidly poetic.  It makes the building sound like it will be constructed by magic:

                                      

Maybe some Amish will come raise it in the night

But wait, there's more!

                                     

Thanks, sign.

Then we were led to probably the worst part of the entire zoo: the Think Tank.  Usually, some gorillas and orangutans are partying on giant towers, swinging from ropes and being generally entertaining.  But today, there were no such shenanigans and we were forced to go inside the building.  A mistake.  There are few animals and way too many signs about how animals learn and have "societies", often comparing them to humans.  This sign was my favorite in particular:

                                    

The answer is...

                                     

...there is no answer!  Thanks for wasting my time, Smithsonian.  The building just got better, talking about tools humans use.  There was... a hammer, a jackhammer, and a device for obliterating kidney stones.  Sweet, I love coming to the zoo and not looking at animals.  As we were leaving, we saw a tank.  Feeling hopeful, we approached, but were quickly disappointed:

                                    

Inside was just a plate of food.  My god.  But fret not, dear reader, the trip was not a waste.  I just want you to know what to avoid.  

Finally, onto the awesome stuff.  Comrade came out to show off:

                                   

                                   

This is where they keep the raptors

I also spent a lot of time fighting against my mediocre camera abilities so I could show you the awesome small mammal house and invertebrate house.  These are the shots I ended up with:

                                   

                                   

                                               

                                          

There was an awesome shrimp that would let me take his picture.  This is the resultant blur of amazing colors:

                                  

In the big cat area, we entered the jungles of Narnia.  Aslan meandered over and stared in my direction, clearly hungover from partying too hard.

                                  

We found the source of his headache: a kicked-over keg.  Jeez, Aslan, you can't just drink away the fact that you put the fate of a kingdom in the hands of children.

                                

No, really.  Here's the keg.  

The rest of the zoo is well-designed and put together.  And the best part?  It's free!  Definitely worth checking out and it's only a five minute walk from the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Metro stop.  And last, but not least, two crazy tourists.  Because some of the best times seeing it live are spent people watching.

                                         

                                         

I think the WoW-lover is outshone by the hat lady; her enthusiasm for America started a whole day early.  Beautiful.  

Seeing the Washing Tin Can Party Live, Part 2

The second day of my return to Washington was much like the first, except I was in a lot of pain.  I've got blisters on both feet, my ass hurts from riding bikes, and I got enough of a sunburn that my face feels a little tight.  But did that stop me?  No!  Because I've got to tell you what's awesomer live in Washington.

Around noon, while Brofessor Benjamin went to campus to work, I took Dillon to Dupont Circle park to each lunch.  We made some sandwiches and biked down Massachusetts Ave past many of the embassies.  Before we reached the park, I did a little bit of car shopping and came away with this beauty:

James Bond gave me some ideas

Dupont was the place to be.  Mid-70s, slight breeze, and low humidity.  All the D.C. locals were out ditching work.  Or being really damn cute like this one-year old Newfoundland named Moose.  He was frickin' huge.

                                       

 

Moose's owner is actually 3 feet tall

Sitting in the park and waiting for Ben was truly one of things that you need experience for yourself.  I've been to Dupont Circle many, many times, but I'm still filled with a keen sense of "rightness".  Being completely surrounded by high-rises, restaurants, jammed traffic, and the perfect mix of D.C. population gives a great sense of belonging.  That's not a feeling you can achieve just reading this blog.

After lunch, Ben met up with us and we headed back down Mass Ave to check out the embassies in closer detail.  I was too busy just looking at things to remember to take many pictures, and neither did Ben.  We agree that they are better live.  But first, Ghandi!

                                            

And Greece!  

                                         

Yo, Greece, straighten out your economy

This guy was talking near the Turkish embassy about powerful people manipulating the rest of the world.  

                                                   

He was gettin' a little crazy for me, so I quickly moved along.  I recommend not spending much time around people like this.  It's better from a safe viewing distance.  In front of the Turkish embassy, a large group of men were praying, so we took a couple pictures...

                                         

                                                

                              

...until some a-hole decided to yell at us for "not showing respect".  These guys have prayed thousands of times, I'm sure they don't mind.  Arrest me.

We moved along back up the MASSive Mass Ave hill to the National Cathedral.  It's one of those places close to campus that I somehow missed in the months I was at school.  It's definitely worth checking out at least once, although the ceaseless "Suggested Donation: $5" signs start to get on your nerves.  I ain't paying nothing, leave me alone.  

                                                

That's a big horse.

Ben got a delightful picture of the Darth Vader gargoyle.  And I liked this fountain:

                                                

The day was wearing on and we were still tired from the previous day (and probably still dehydrated) so we started heading back.  Our plans were to go to the sculpture garden for free jazz.  This happens every Friday during the summer and thousands of people show up for the music and the booze.  I find it hard to believe that this event is sanctioned by the city.  One person goes to buy the pitcher of sangria and then everyone else benefits, 21 or not.  Hells yes.  We hung out and ate hors d'oevres and soaked up the sun.  Bookmarked lunch in the park perfectly.

                                      

                                      

What a good day.  Today we're going to the zoo, so I'll update you with that later (hopefully tonight).  Also, sorry for the formatting of the pictures; Blogger sucks at media.

Bench Lovin'

Today during work I went looking for a bench to sit on and eat my lunch and I found a very awkwardly positioned seat on the corner of Ashland and Pine near the Mercer Museum.  

It was donated by the local VFW, and based on the plaque, I would assume in 2005. 

“Well,” I thought, “Some money was spent on this bench, I had better sit on it.  Maybe give it some satisfaction.”  So sit I did, rather enjoying the awkward looks from the drivers lining up at the stop sign.  They stared at me, I stared at them.  I munched thoughtfully on my delicious turkey sandwich (beautiful in its simplicity) until I saw this:

She learned how to dress watching Jim Carrey's Riddler from Batman Forever.

I rather adore strange outfits, even more so when the person enveloped in the odd garment struts about like not a thing is amiss.  I suppose I could have been bolder about taking a picture, but I was terrified she would lunge at my throat, or worse, criticize my outfit.  Seeing it live has its dangers, my friends.