A Day of Art in Washington D.C.
One of the best things about staying at the Hotel Monaco in Old Town, Alexandria Virginia, is its convenient proximity to the Metro, especially if you are planning to spend a day in downtown Washington DC. We caught a taxi from the hotel and headed the one mile up King Street to the “King Street Metro Station”. If you have the time and energy, you can actually walk to the station, but we obviously had neither. We bought two round trip tickets to the metro stop called “The Archives” which lets you off near the National Archives, and a short walk to the National Gallery of Art, which was our goal for this short foray into DC. Our plan was to soak up the beauty of the some of the best master paintings and sculpture in the U.S.
The metro train ride was almost as interesting as the visit to the gallery as the train wound its way from Alexandria, past intriguing stops like the Pentagon and into the city. It’s a fun and convenient way to travel into D.C. and you don’t have to worry about paying for parking or having a few beers at the amazing variety of restaurants and bars downtown, the metro is extensive and easily maneuvered with signs and directions clearly posted so you can get to all the D.C attractions without difficulty.
The metro train ride was almost as interesting as the visit to the gallery as the train wound its way from Alexandria, past intriguing stops like the Pentagon and into the city. It’s a fun and convenient way to travel into D.C. and you don’t have to worry about paying for parking or having a few beers at the amazing variety of restaurants and bars downtown, the metro is extensive and easily maneuvered with signs and directions clearly posted so you can get to all the D.C attractions without difficulty.
Whenever I emerge from the depths of the metro into the city scape of D.C, it never ceases to evoke a sense of awe and pride in the beautiful monuments and buildings that grace the view in front of me. I love to look down the wide boulevards that lead to the Mall where the Washington Monument and the Capital Building Dome rise up into the sky creating impressive vistas. The buildings in D.C. are a collection of Neo-Classical, Gothic, Georgian, Second Empire and Modern architecture and somehow, these diverse styles all coalesce into a stunning harmony.
Another favorite walk of mine is through the National Gallery Sculpture Garden, where you can see amazing works of art like Louise Bourgeois’ “Spider” c. 1997, pausing mid crawl on its long metal legs, or Alexander Calder’s abstract “Cheval Rouge (Red Horse) c.1974, and Roxy Paine’s whimsical silver tree called “Graft” c.2009, among many other fantastic works by 20th and 21st century sculptors. During the winter, the fountain pool area is turned into an ice skating rink.
A walk through this park was the perfect appetizer before entering the masters laden halls of the National Gallery of Art, where you move from the lighthearted modern park art to the serious old masterpieces from past ages. The art in the National Gallery is the best of our human experience and you can wander for hours enjoying the color, technique and history of these beautiful artworks.
Another favorite walk of mine is through the National Gallery Sculpture Garden, where you can see amazing works of art like Louise Bourgeois’ “Spider” c. 1997, pausing mid crawl on its long metal legs, or Alexander Calder’s abstract “Cheval Rouge (Red Horse) c.1974, and Roxy Paine’s whimsical silver tree called “Graft” c.2009, among many other fantastic works by 20th and 21st century sculptors. During the winter, the fountain pool area is turned into an ice skating rink.
A walk through this park was the perfect appetizer before entering the masters laden halls of the National Gallery of Art, where you move from the lighthearted modern park art to the serious old masterpieces from past ages. The art in the National Gallery is the best of our human experience and you can wander for hours enjoying the color, technique and history of these beautiful artworks.
After a heady couple hours in the galleries, Jim and I were in need of a cold refreshing beer and a bite to eat, so we headed over to the Elephant and Castle, a warm, welcoming pub where we ordered Boddington Cream Ales, fish and chips for Jim and onion soup for me, the ideal lunch for a cold blustery day and fortification for more walking in D.C. as we explored the old Post Office and stopped at curb-side kiosks in search of the perfect T-shirt. Construction on the Old Post Office was begun in 1892 and finished in 1899. It was the last major example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture to be built in the District of Columbia and its worth stopping by to admire the beautiful architecture and visit the souvenir shops inside its cavernous interior.
Finally, we wandered back to the metro and hopped the train back to Alexandria for an evening exploring their several Irish Pubs.
Finally, we wandered back to the metro and hopped the train back to Alexandria for an evening exploring their several Irish Pubs.