The Prices Pick the Best of DC 2011

The ending of one year and the coming of another is a natural time for reflection. There's no doubt that 2011 ranks with 1973 (the year we were married and heralded the arrival of our son, Michael) as a pivotal year for the Prices. We both retired. And, after 6 decades, we moved in June from a small town in South Jersey to an apartment in Crystal City, Arlington, a mere 5 minutes by Metro from DC.

The move has been an extended joy. Not to knock our old Bridgeton home, but there is more to do in DC in a day than there could be in a decade in Bridgeton.

So what have we enjoyed most in our 1st 6 months in the nation's capital? Well, you can find out by checking out our categorized, 1st annual Price's Picks for the best of our DC 2011 below.

Best Smithsonian Exhibit
Judy - American Sabor (the history of Spanish music in American pop music)
Dave - the same

Best Program at the National Archives
Judy - Hamburg America (a look at the country's best hamburgers as part of What's Cooking) 
Dave - Panel on the Constituion and the Presidential Election

Best Program at the Newseum
Judy - Hurricane Katrina as Seen through the Eyes of the Reporters Who Covered It
Dave - Newslore: Examining Folklore on the Internet

Best Program at the Library of Congress
Judy - Hope for America: The Role of Humor in Politics
Dave - the same

Best Program at National Geographic
Judy - Exploring Machu Picchu
Dave - The Teenage Brain

Best Must-Pay Museum
Judy - National Building Museum
Dave - The Crime and  Punishment Museum

Best Art Exhibit (Major Show)
Judy - 30 Americans @The Corcoran Gallery
Dave - the same

Best Art Exhibits (Small Show)
Judy - Central Nigeria Unmasked @The Museum of African Art
Dave - 50 Years of Space Exploration @National Air and Space Museum

Best Curated Program
Judy - Seeing Gertrude Stein @The National Portrait Gallery
Dave - DC Ghost Tour of the Area Near the White House

Best Presentation by a Former News Anchor
Judy - Tom Brokaw @Politics and Prose
Dave - the same

Best Social Program @ Busboys and Poets
Judy - John Carlos (1968 Black Olympic protester)
Dave - Lessons We Should Have Learned from 9/11 (Ralph Nader panel)

Best Politics and Prose Book Talk (Fiction)
Judy - George Pelecanos on The Cut
Dave - Colson Whitehead on Zone One

Best Politics and Prose Book Talk (NonFiction)
Judy - Walter Isaacson on Steve Jobs biography
Dave - Charles Shields on Kurt Vonnegut biography

Best Book Talk @Non Book Store
Judy - James Madison @The National Archives
Dave - Prohibition in DC @The Library of Congress

Best Event (One-Time Only)
Judy - Dedication of Martin Luther King Memorial
Dave - the same

Best Event (Recurring)
Judy - Halloween Week Drag Queen Race near DuPont Circle
Dave - the same

Best Event (Social Protest)
Judy - Occupy DC
Dave - Save Our Schools Rally

Best Free Film
Judy - Hamburg America @The National Archives
Dave - In God We Teach @The Newseum

Best Nature Event
Judy - the earthquake
Dave - 10-mile walk to Theodore Roosevelt Island

Best Holiday Special Event
Judy - Christmas at the Botanical Garden
Dave - National Symphony Concert on Labor Day at the Capitol Lawn

Best Live Sporting Event
Judy - Phillies vs. Nationals w/The Crystal City Sports Bar
Dave - Red Sox vs. Orioles on last night of 2011 regular season

Best Theater Event
Judy - Billy Elliot @The Kennedy Center
Dave - Page to Stage Festival @The Kennedy Center

Best Synetic Theater Silent Shakespeare Production
Judy - Romeo and Juliet
Dave - Macbeth

Best Dance Performance

Judy - Prophets of Funk:The Music of Sly Stone @American Dance Institute
Dave - the same

Best Concert (Paid)

Judy - Message in the Music: The Songs of the Civil Rights Era @Walter Washington Center
Dave - Ray Davies @The Fillmore Silver Springs

Best Concert (free Millennium Stage @Kennedy Center)
Judy - Naturally 7/ Frederic Yonnet
Dave - Asleep at the Wheel

Best Concert (Free on the National Mall)
Judy - Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow @MLK Dedication
Dave - Dean & Britta @Warhol Headlines exhibition at National Gallery

Favorite DC Restaurant
Judy - Rice (Thai fusion)
Dave - Zatinya (Mediterranean)

Favorite DC Lunch
Judy - Clyde's
Dave - Ben's Chili Bowl

Favorite Crystal City Restaurant
Judy - Portafino's (Italian)
Dave - Jaleo (Spanish tapas) 

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
The complete story behind these and many more events can be found by perusing the posts in the rest of this blog. Read away and let us know what you think.