Museum of American Art and the National Portrait Gallery

The Museum of American Art and the National Portrait Gallery are housed in the same building, the same building that used to be the Old Patent Office Building. And what a beautiful building it is.

We were hoping to catch a peek of some conservators hard at work at the Lunder Conservation Center, but alas it was a Saturday and all the art labs were closed. We peeked around at them anyway.

Then we wandered around the Luce Foundation which is essentially an art storage facility that is open to the public. Stumbling upon some cool treasures like a piece from Bauhaus artist Laszlo Moholy-Nagy... just hanging out in STORAGE!

And you know, Paul Manship sculptures just hanging out in front of empty classrooms...

Then we moved onto the museum proper, where we saw some cool modern stuff like this horse that looks like it's made of drift wood but it's actually cast iron and a cool and very trippy installation piece from David Hockney.

Grrr, crappy phone pic.

And the Electronic Superhighway did not disappoint...

Clark is always wondering who my favorite artist is and it's impossible to pick just one, but I'd say John Singer Sargent is definitely in my top 15. He makes my heart skip a beat.

Maynard Dixon is probably in my top 30. He's got ties to both Utah (Mt. Carmel, where he kept his studio) and Tucson (where he died). Plus how cool is that painting?

Chinatown

The next day, my parents decided to join me and Asher as we toured. I liked having my dad around because he was always willing to walk with a fussy baby while I rested my feet.

We began the day with a quick trip to Chinatown because I had never tried dim sum before.

I was trying to take this photo discretely (hence the blurriness). Two fat ladies in wheelchairs waiting for the bus makes me laugh.

Up next, the Museum of American Art and National Portrait Gallery.

Museum of American History

After spending most of the day at the National Gallery, I was pretty pooped as I walked back to the Metro station. Unfortunately, to get back to the Metro I had to walk past fifty million other museums and I just couldn't stay out. I popped into the Museum of American History and grabbed a highlights guide.

Mostly I just wanted to see the First Ladies Exhibit which showcases the inaugural gowns from Mamie Eisenhower up to Michelle Obama (and the inaugural shoes and jewels too!) It. was. awesome.

Michelle Obama's inaugural gown. Those Jimmy Choos off to the right are a size 11.

Hillay Clinton's dress on the left, Laura Bush's on the right.

Next we visited Julia Child's kitchen.

Asher was nonplussed.

I saw Catwoman's suit. It was snazzy.

Some original Muppets.

And THE ruby red slippers.

I was feeling guilty for skipping Thomas Edison's light bulb and decided I needed more history and less pop culture, so I popped in to see the Star-Spangled Banner which was... very large. And so old and fragile that photography is not allowed.

The National Gallery

Have I ever told you about the time I was offered a place in a graduate program for Museum Studies? And not just that, offered an assistantship and a stipend!?! Real live professionals in the field had decided to pay me to come and study all things museum-related. Clark was going to transfer law schools and the two of us were to going to move across the country to live under a mountain of snow and books in Syracuse, New York. Two studious students, studying law and art. It was a dream come true.

No, I never told you about that? Perhaps because I don't like to dwell on it. It pokes at a tender little place in my heart. A place that sits right next to the huge space of my heart reserved for my kids. You see, I turned down the offer. I got pregnant and although we tried our best to work out an arrangement where I could attend school, work and be a new mom, it didn't feel right. I kissed it all goodbye and told myself that for everything there is a season. Turn turn turn.

Right now I'm in the season of raising babies, but I know a time will come (much too soon) when they are gone and I'll face a new season. I'm grateful that life is long. I'll get my master's degree one day. Until then, I'm getting my training in something else. Something far less glamorous but important to me none the less.

The point is, I love art museums. I love art museums almost as much as I love my kids. In fact, on days like today when Asher cries endlessly for no apparent reason, I love art museums more than my kids. I love art museums so much, I got married in one!

So when I found myself in DC with a free day all to myself, the first thing I did was book it to the National Gallery. When I walked through those doors, I felt like I had entered hallowed ground. The last time I was in the National Gallery was over 10 years ago. I was living in Boston and had gone down to visit my parents who were living in DC at the time. My mom told me she would take me anywhere I wanted to go. We spent an afternoon together wandering around the National Gallery, just the two of us. It is one of the fondest memories I have with my mother. She took me to the gift shop afterwards and bought me several prints of the paintings we had just seen. It's likely that my mother has no recollection of that afternoon, but I remember it so well.

My latest trip to the National Gallery was absolutely lovely. It was a rainy day and Asher was such an agreeable little companion. I love visiting a museum by myself so I can set my own pace. Between the National Gallery and the Museum of American Art the following day, I saw at least one thing from all my favorites except for Velazquez and Duchamp. So basically they've got an awesome and comprehensive collection but you can't have it all.

Asher with Max Ernst!

Gigantic Calder sculpture!

Lichtenstein!

I hung a postcard of this painting on my bedroom wall when I was in high school... right next to my Leonardo DiCaprio poster. A true fat girl at heart. Speaking of things hanging on the walls of my room during high school, why didn't anyone tell me it's a little odd to have a collage of Georgia O'Keeffe's enlarged flower paintings adorning my wall? Good thing I never had to worry about having boys in my room. Potentially awkward.

Matisse!!!

Matisse with scale!

Manet! Taken with my phone... boo.

Double Gauguin!!

A whole room full of Calder sculptures!

Rothko!

A Pollock that I didn't hate!

Even the walkway between the East and West building was beautiful.

Up next... MORE MUSEUMS!!!

It Was Very Official

My dad's swearing in ceremony was awesome. A little nerve-wracking, but awesome. It went something like this...

Stand here, don't stand there. Take pictures in this room, but not in that room. Smile. Be polite and gracious. Don't offend the Kuwaiti dignataries (shoot, I'm pretty sure it was rude when I told them that Kuwait was my second favorite place to live. Um, hello London?!?) Shake lots of hands and listen to a whole bunch of people tell you how incredible and amazing and fantastic your dad is. Which was a little weird, because you know... duh.

I was so nervous and distracted that I forgot to take my camera off manual focus until about half way through the ceremony. Doh!

Official papers... that Asher nearly drooled on.

The signing of the official papers...

Remarks by my dad about how important Kuwaiti-American relations are. A summary of his remarks? "Um, this is the third time we've lived in Kuwait. So don't worry. I know what I'm doing." Actually, that's not what he said. At all. My dad's too humble for that. But really, he's totally the right guy for the job.

My grandma listening to his remarks.

Lots of applause for my dad. Really? This guy? I guess so.

Then my parents stood in a receiving line in order to receive many congratulations...

And we had some great blasts from the past. Like meeting back up with the Tysons. We shared a duplex with the Tysons when we lived in Kuwait back in 91-94. Susan is one of the coolest ladies ever and not just because her brother is the drummer for the Black Crowes. She's also cool because she let me watch Madonna music videos on her side of the house and she didn't tell my mom when she caught me sitting on her wall throwing rocks at passing cars.

My dad's cousin Ronde and her husband Dave were there as well and they brought a totally awesome picture of me with the world's worst haircut. I would be mad at my mom for giving me such awful haircuts but then I remembered that I was the one giving myself haircuts anytime I got my hands on a pair of scissors. My grandma is aghast.

Asher slobbered all over my grandma...

Americans and Kuwaitis... getting down to business.

David was the official baby holder...

Love this.

This is a pic of my grandma checking out a portrait of Madeleine Albright, which strikes me as funny for some reason.

I'm so glad I was able to be at my dad's ceremony. I owe a big thanks to Clark for holding down the fort while I was gone and my friends Kati and Karlee for taking my kids during the day. Thank you for making this trip possible for me!

I've always known that my dad is one outstanding guy but it was neat to hear it from other people. I'm so excited for this next chapter in his career. We're still reeling from our last trip overseas, but I really hope that in a year or two I can bring my kids to Kuwait and show them around my second favorite childhood home. Congratulations dad! We are so proud of you.