Washington D.C.: Part II

One of the meetings I had while in D.C. was held in the Members Room of the Library of Congress.  For those of you who have never been to the LOC, it is one of the most underrated tours in Washington.  The entire library is incredibly breathtaking, with incredible art at every turn.  The Members of Congress Room features 11 foot oak wall paneling, fireplace mantels of Italian Sienna marble and mosaics over the mantels.  The room is almost overwhelming in its exquisite details.

There are three entryways into the room and each has a carved archway, or lunette by Charles Henry Niehaus.  Some of my favorite classes in college (which had nothing to do with my major) were in art history.  There are seven ceiling panels that represent the Spectrum of Light. Each panel displays one of seven colors with a central figure showing human or divine achievement.    

A view of the fireplace and sitting area.



The ornate carved doorways



The amazing ceiling with painted fresco's.  Each state is represented within the paintings.


One of the coolest experiences that I have EVER had in my entire life occurred on this trip.  Eric and I had the opportunity to meet Chief Justice John Roberts and take a guided tour of the Supreme Court!  Because someone we know is familiar with one of his clerks, we were able to set up a time to meet with him and a small group.  Unfortunately we were told that we could not take pictures when we met Chief Justice Roberts so the only people who will probably believe me are the group that we went with!  Let me just say, being ten feet away from him and getting the opportunity to ask him questions was totally unreal.  I thought of all these great litigious questions to ask him, but when the time came all I could do was nod like an idiot and fawn! 

The chandelier is Austrian crystal and the ceilings are 23 carat gold.



The spiral staircase at the Supreme Court

No matter how many times I go to the Capitol, I am always in awe of the architecture and history.  It still gives me a thrill to drive by this building. 

The Capitol



A view of the National Mall at sunset

 

 One of the best parts of being in D.C. was getting to visit with Eric's parents.  They totally dote on Liam.  Who am I kidding?! They totally spoiled me and Eric too!  One of the days that we were there, Becky took us to Kinder Haus, this great old toy store in Clarendon. This was by far, the BEST toy store I have ever been to.  It is an old fashioned toy store and they pride themselves on the belief that toys should be powered by imagination...not batteries.  They carry a lot of wooden toys and puzzles, Folkmanis puppets, and Madame Alexander dolls.  They also have a weekly story time.  And the best part: When you buy a toy, they give you a balloon and gift certificate for a free cupcake at a nearby bakery.  They are totally supportive of other small family owned businesses.

While we ate at several excellent restaurants while we in D.C., we were also spoiled by Becky and her great cooking.  Everything she makes tastes sooo good!  I am pretty sure that I left at least five pounds heavier.  Plus she offered to watch Liam while Eric and I took several tours and went to dinner a few times.  It was a reminder of how wonderful it is to have family nearby.  I wonder if people with family nearby go on dates more often!?  

The Pate Men



Grandpa reading Liam a bedtime story



Becky's shortbread and berries with fresh whipped cream



Liam loves to be flipped upside down by Grandma Becky



Liam has recently become interested in toy cars.

   On Friday, we spent most of the day touring around the Capitol.  My office set up at tour for us to go to the White House.  Several years ago, when I lived in D.C., one of the gals that I knew from Texas Tech was the personal assistant for Mrs. Bush so she was able to set up a West Wing tour.  It was great to see the Oval Office and Press Room.  However, since it was so soon after September 11th, I never had the opportunity to see the East Wing.  While I was happy to be able to go on the tour, I was slightly bummed that docents do not lead tour groups anymore.  I would have loved to have heard the individual histories of each room, but alas, the tours are now self guided.  Still, it was fun to be able to take in the sights.



Standing in front of the White House.

 Now, onto the important stuff.  Because you can't take cameras or handbags inside the White House, we were left to take the next pictures on a Blackberry.  So please bear with me.  We had time between the White House Tour and the Capitol Tour so we returned to the Smithsonian American History Museum.  We took in the Star Spangled Banner exhibit, the Abraham Lincoln exhibit, saw Dorothy's ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, and the original Muppets.  Then the piece de resistance: Aurther Fonzarelli's leather jacket.  I am a HUGE Fonz fan.  I love me some "Happy Days" and think that Fonzie is still da man.  I was all too thrilled to see his leather jacket!  We then had a quick browse at the National Portrait Gallery and lunch in their cafe. 

"AAYE!"

The second coolest part of our trip was the ability to take a private dome tour of the Capitol Rotunda. Tours can only be given by Members of Congress or their Chiefs of Staff.  I won't get into the vast history of the rotunda or the artwork within it.  I will say that you have to be in great shape to get to the top of the dome since there are lots of steps and ladders.  And the tour is not for the faint of heart.  It is a little scary to be at the very top outside.  But if you can get over the terror of the sheer height (keep in mind, there are no safety nets!) you can enjoy the beauty that not many people get to see. 


Because we did not have our camera with us, we had to rely on our phone to take a few shots.  Once I get the photos of us on the outside top of the dome I will post them!  It was a great experience and we feel very fortunate to have traveled to D.C. and shared so many experiences with friends and family!