"My parents are coming to town. Sweet! Free food! Shopping! Wait. What am I going to do with them?"
For one weekend, you need to not only pretend that you don't cry yourself to sleep on a regular basis, but also that you're out in DC loving life and the city.
I have been to the Portrait Gallery several times and still love it. Located in Chinatown - Gallery Place, the small museam has only three floors of temporary and permanent exhibitions.
Much like Artomatic, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival is one of those things you have to go to ... even if you think it sucks and is a huge waste of your time. (I find Artomatic to be like Russian communism: good theory, but really lacking in execution ... if only there was an Artomatic KGB to put you out of your misery or at least brainwash you into thinking the artists are talented.)
Anyways, I actually like Folk Fest (hereafter my unnecessary abbreviation of its name). One, it's outside. Two, it's cultural and such. Three, there's food. Four (and foremost), it's one of the few opportunities you have to legally drink on The Mall (if you're "of age").
Every year, there's three separate sections with each focusing on an individual nation, region, state, or theme. Here's what's on tap this year:
What could make a weird modern art museum even more intriguing? How about opening it at night, adding a bar, live entertainment and a sold-out crowd of saavy DC-ites?
That’s Hirshhorn After Hours – a fantastic event held by my favorite Smithsonian on the mall. It only comes around three times a year, so you’d best attend, especially if you’re only here for the summer. Not only is staring at crazy installations even better with a few cocktails, but the energy that surrounds the event is electric.
This past April, I experienced the fun for the first time. Upon entering, I received my very own bouncy light up ball and 3-D glasses – whoa. Looking around the inner doughnut hole of the museum – the outside space where the bars, light shows and live entertainment set up shop -- I became overwhelmed by the fabulousity. I would try to explain the musical event taking place, but lets just leave it to this description: groups of people grasping and releasing poles, which caused sound reactions. The fact that that sentence was somewhat indecipherable just indicates how After Hours is really something that needs to be experienced with all of the senses. Read More »
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