What Happens When Beach Boys Grow Old?

The Beach Boys now ...

... And the Beach Boys then.

It was about 20 minutes into The Beach Boys concert at the Merriweather Post Pavilion tonight. The young 20-something sitting on the blanket next to us had a revelation. "God, they're old," he blurted out. "I mean really old."

And he's right. The Beach Boys, who began their career 50 years ago, are old. In fact, by the end of this summer's 50th Anniversary tour all 3 of the original remaining 5 members - Brian Wilson, Mike Love, and Al Jardine - will have turned 70. Their blond surfer hair has gone grey or missing. Their hands, now covered with age spots, shake as they strum their guitars or strike the keyboard. Brian Wilson, the main composer of the group's massive hits catalog whose mental and emotional struggles have been well-documented, sits at his piano away from the rest of his group in a near catatonic state. Sometimes he simply sits and stares, as if unaware of what is happening on the stage around him. Other times, when he sings, he mumbles, coughs, or is painfully out of tune. Obviously, none of the members of the group can hit all those high harmonies which were so much a part of the California surf and sun style they introduced with their 1st records in the early 60s. That task is left to some of the 10 backing musicians who are accompanying the Boys on this tour.

But despite all the physical limitations imposed by age on the singers, you can't dispute the brilliance of The Beach Boys songs. The term genius is overused, but I believe Brian Wilson qualifies. He, Love, Jardine, and his deceased brothers Dennis and Carl provided the American soundtrack for the years between Elvis Presley and the 1st rock and rollers and the arrival of The Beatles. During their career they have produced 93 records which have appeared on the Billboard charts. They first graced the top 10 with "Surfin' U.S.A." the week of June 15, 1963. Their new reunion release "That's Why God Made the Radio" (their first album of all-new material since 1992) showed up at Number 3 last week, allowing the Beach Boys to break a record by expanding their span of Billboard 200 top 10s to 49 years and one week.

It was the hits that the Merriweather Post crowd wanted to hear. And, in that respect, the Beach Boys did not disappoint, performing a 26-song 1st set, a 19-song 2nd set, and a 3-song encore. (You can check out the complete set list for the 3-hour show by clicking here).

The 1st set was definitely the weaker of the two. It was plagued by song choices that seemed to start and then abruptly stop the crowd. The 2nd set began on the same tone, falling to the night's nadir with a cringe-producing  attempt by Brian on  "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times."  But immediately the tenor of the night changed.  The band performed back to back strong renditions of "Sail On, Sailor" and "In My Room." After 2 newer tunes, the band paid tribute to the deceased Wilson brothers. On the giant screens, Dennis sang "Forever" and Carl provided posthumous vocals for one of the group's most beautiful love songs "God Only Knows." After that, as if filled with the spirit of their former bandmates, the group forced the crowd to its feet with a phenomenal version of "Good Vibrations." They stayed there  as "California Girls" segued into "All Summer Long," followed by "Help Me, Rhonda," "Rock and Roll Music," "Do You Wanna Dance?" and "Surfin' USA".

By the time the last notes of "Kokomo," "Barbara Ann" and "Fun, Fun, Fun" rang out, it was 1962 again. The surf was up and all the girls were the prettiest in the world. Forget age spots. Forget a few more pounds. Forget grey hair or shaky hands. It was summer. The sounds were right. The Beach Boys let you believe. Summer is eternal and, in our memories at least, we really can stay forever young.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
Rock and roll was supposed to be young people's music. "Hope I die before I get old," the singers sang. "Don't trust anyone over 30," their listeners responded. But life ages all. Rockers are no exceptions. The night after the Beach Boys played, Little Richard, who this summer will turn 80, performed at the newly restored Howard Theater in DC. He had to be carried to the stage and spends his off-stage time confined to a wheel chair. Reportedly, the Rolling Stones are planning their own 50th anniversary celebration sometime later this year. When they take the stage, Mick Jagger will be 69 and his younger sidekick Keith Richards will be 68. Keith addressed the issue of rock and age a few years ago. Nobody seems concerned about bluesmen in their 80s and 90s performing; why should rock n' roll be any different, he asked.  I hope Keith is right. There  may be more missed notes and wrong chords than there were 50 or 60 years ago. But it will still be the same rock of our youth. And we can all still like it as long as our hearing holds out.

The Story of a Start

A young Woodward (on the right) with partner Carl Bernstein

Today, Bob Woodward is recognized as one of the finest investigative reporters of his era (Although he prefers the title in-depth reporter).  However, before he could earn that title he had to learn his craft. And before he could learn his craft, he had to get hired. That 1st hiring was no easy task. In fact, if it hadn't been for the wife of a Washington Post editor, Woodward might never had been at the Post to chronicle the Watergate story which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

During a conversation tonight at The Newseum, Woodward detailed the tale of persistence and pluck that led to his Post hiring.

After completing his Navy career, Woodward, the son of a Midwestern attorney, considered the idea of law school. However, he also liked to write and since he was living only a few blocks from the Washington Post, he decided to ask for a job at the paper.

Woodward directed his request to editor Harry Rosenfeld. As Woodward remembers, Rosenfeld was so amused that a reporter want-to-be with no experience would seek a job at the Post, that he called other editors over to check out this brazen candidate. But Rosenfeld agreed to give Woodward a 2-week trial.

"I wrote some stories, but none of them were any good and they didn't make the paper," Woodward said. Rosenfeld said that Woodward wasn't ready for the Post, but the editor did help him get a job at a small weekly in the Maryland suburbs.

During his year at the weekly, Woodward kept besieging Rosenfeld for a job. Woodward said he obtained the editor's home phone and called him on the weekend.

He reached Rosenfeld's wife, Sylvia, who said she would go get her husband. After a long wait, Rosenfeld came on the phone. He had been up on the roof and he was mad. "What kind of idiot are you?" Rosenfeld hollered over the phone. "Stop bothering me." After abruptly hanging up, Rosenfeld told Woodward's story to Sylvia. She looked at him and said "Harry, you're always saying your reporters don't work hard and aren't persistent. It seems this is the guy you should be hiring." Rosenfeld considered his wife's words, called Woodward back, and offered him a job at $156 a week..

"Sylvia has a prominent place in my will," Woodward said with a laugh.

Two qualities that a successful reporter needs are curiosity and the ability to get people to open up with information and Woodward addressed both in his remarks.

During his early years, Woodward worked as a janitor at his father's law office. Working at night, he began looking at papers and files left on desks. Eventually, he graduated to exploring old case files, many of them involving former classmates. "I learned that most people have secrets," Woodward said.

So how to you get people to talk about those secrets? Woodward's short answer - "The key is to take people as seriously as they take themselves," he says.

As an example, he cited an in-depth interview he was able to arrange with President George W. Bush. In preparation for that interview, Woodward read tremendous amounts of background material which he then synthesized in a 21-page memo he sent to President. His fellow editors scoffed. "Bush hasn't read that much material in life. What makes you think he'll start now?," they offered. But apparently Bush was impressed with Woodward's thoroughness. When the president met with Woodward, he said he was "astonished that someone took such an interest in what he did."

But in the end, good reporting mostly comes down to hard work, Woodward says. "What a reporter does is obtain the best obtainable version of the truth (at the time)," he said. ""If you don't do the work, you're going to get it wrong.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips

A young Bob Woodward wanna-be, 3rd from right with hand on chin

All of us have a story about how we got our 1st job. Woodward's appears above. Mine is somewhat similar. And like Woodward's it is about reporting. In June of 1974 (3 years after Woodward was hired by the Post), I had an English degree from Villanova University, a wife, and a 1-year-old son, but no permanent job. Desperate, I began walking down the main street of the small South Jersey town where I lived, literally going door-to-door asking for work. One of my last stops was the local newspaper. I was able to finagle an interview with the managing editor Joe Garwood. He asked me 3 questions. Did I have any experience? No. Did I have a journalism degree? No. Could I type? No. Garwood said that while he liked to hire locally, I really had nothing to offer. Despondent, I returned home. That night, at 7 p.m. Garwood called, saying that a reporter had suffered a stroke and he would start me tomorrow on a two-week trial. I would make $80 a week. I readily agreed. At the end of the 2 weeks, Garwood agreed to hire me permanently and gave me a $20 raise. For the next 10 years, I worked as a reporter/bureau chief/editor for The Bridgeton Evening News, The Press of Atlantic City, and the Philadelphia Bulletin. So, in one way, I guess I could claim I was more successful than Bob Woodward. I passed my 2-week trial and he didn't. But when it comes to talent, production, fame, and money, I suppose I have to give the reporter's edge to Woodward.

Friends in High Places

When examining the story of reporting Watergate, 2 names come immediately to mind: Woodward and Bernstein. But, of course, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein weren't the only newspaper people involved in the process.

During his conversation at The Newseum tonight about Watergate, Woodward said much of the credit for The Washington Post's stories, which played such a a key role in the resignation of President Richard Nixon, should go to Executive Editor Ben Bradlee and Publisher Katherine Graham.

Ben Bradlee

The fiery Bradlee set the tone for the newsroom that allowed and encouraged 2 relatively young, inexperienced reporters to tackle what turned out to be one of the biggest stories of the 20th Century.

"It was a great environment. The Post was the place to be," Woodward said. "Bradlee said go out and get the story. We don't know what is really going on."

Graham, who could have lost her entire media empire if Woodward and Bernstein's stories turned out to be erroneous, also stuck by the newsroom despite veiled and not-so-veiled threats from the Nixon Administration. Graham was the subject of one of the best-known threats in American journalistic history. Nixon's Attorney General John Mitchell warned reporter Bernstein about a forthcoming Watergate article. "Katie Graham's gonna get her tit caught in a big fat wringer if that's published."

Catherine Graham

Woodward praised Graham for being a "mind on, hands off" boss. He recalled when he was summoned for tea to Graham's office. Graham demonstrated an impressive knowledge of the Watergate affair and asked Woodward when the full story would be revealed. Woodward, with the Watergate investigation still underway, said he feared the complete story might never be made public.

"Never.  Don't tell me never," Woodward said Graham told him, vowing to let the newsroom use all the resources at its disposal to continue to go after the story.

Woodward said he and Bernstein have discussed a fitting memorial for their late publisher. "We're going to put a plaque in the Post which says 'Never. Don't tell me never - Katherine Graham,'" he said.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips

The Watergate stories actually had 3 lives. The 1st, of course, was in The Washington Post. Then there were the 2 best selling books by Woodward and Bernstein All The President's Men and The Final Days. Finally, there was the award winning movie made from All The President's Men. Newseum moderator Shelby Coffey III, who at the time of Watergate was a Post editor, asked Woodward about seeing himself and his story displayed on the big screen.  In the film, Woodward was portrayed by Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman portrayed Bernstein. At Redford's urging, Jason Robards was selected to play Bradlee. Initially, Robards was reluctant to take on the role. "All he does is go around and say 'Where the fuck's the story,'" Robards said. The movie makers laughed and said that Robards was right. "All you have to do is figure out about 15 different ways to say 'Where the fuck's the story,'" they said. Coffey asked Woodward what it was like having Redford depict him on screen. "You have no idea how many women I've disappointed," Woodward said, provoking hearty laughs from the sold-out crowd.

Woodward and Bernstein in their Watergate reporting days

Their screen counterparts Hoffman and Redford

Woodward on Watergate

When it comes to Watergate, Bob Woodward wants to make one thing perfectly clear: the reporting he and fellow Washington Post reporter Carl Bernstein undertook did not topple a president - it simply set in motion judicial and congressional actions that led to the resignation of Richard Nixon.

Woodward appeared at The Newseum tonight to talk about Watergate on the 40th anniversary of  the June 17, 1972 break-in that led to Nixon's demise.

As expected, much of the focus was on Woodward's famed anonymous source, identified only as Deep Throat. In an extreme rarity in Washington, the identity of that source remained unknown for years until Mark Felt, in 1972 the 2nd highest ranking official in the FBI, came forward in 2005 to admit that he had provided key information for the Watergate story.

Woodward actually met Felt before he became a reporter. Prior to Watergate, Felt had helped Woodward with other stories. Woodward described his relationship with Felt as "a predatory friendship."

The pair would meet clandestinely in a deserted parking garage. "He was somebody I pressured. He would basically confirm things," Woodward said. "Sometimes he would help. Sometimes he would not help."

Woodward, who despite authoring 16 best-selling books still remains as an editor at the Post, says he believes Felt's motives for helping was a combination of "personal ambition and angst."

"He wanted to be director after J. Edgar Hoover died (he was passed over for that post) and he was outraged by what was going on in the White House," Woodward said. 

Woodward and Bernstein were both young reporters at the Post when they began reporting on Watergate, which began with 5 men with White House connections breaking into the National Democratic headquarters at the Watergate seeking information to help Nixon in his re-election bid against Democratic nominee George McGovern.

At first, the White House dismissed the story as an account of a 3rd-rate burglary. Later, as the series continued, Nixon contended that "somebody's trying to win a Pulitzer Prize" instead of printing the truth. However, after 2 years of stories and startling revelations of wrong-doings by nearly 40 of his associates, Nixon became the 1st, and still only, American president to resign that office.

The resignation decision was sealed when it was discovered that Nixon had secretly taped all of his Oval Office discussions and the profanity-laced contents would lead to his impeachment. The tapes are still being released and Woodward says Post editors and reporters jokingly refer to them "as the gift that keeps on giving."

"It's clear from the tapes that Nixon was using the power of the office for personal revenge," Woodward said. "He was angry and unhappy at being president."

Woodward says he believes the most shocking thing about the hours and hours of tapes is "the dog that never barks."

"You never hear (Nixon talking about) what would be good for the country or what you could do to uplift the country," Woodward told the sold-out crowd.  "He never connected to the high purpose of the presidency. He misunderstood what the office is all about. If Carl and I were to ever write another book about Nixon we would have to title it The Wrong Man."

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips

Nixon: Just how bad was he?

Just 3 days prior to his talk at the Museum, Woodward had joined with Bernstein for the first time since the 1970s to co-author a Washington Post story contending that 40 years later Richard Nixon was even worse than he was originally thought to be at the time of his resignation.  You can read that story in its entirety by clicking here. The story itself offers a piece of journalistic history. In all the previous stories the pair wrote together, the byline appeared as Woodward and Bernstein. This new piece marks the 1st time Bernstein's name ever appeared first.

The Summer of '72: What It Was

If there were a poet laureate of D. C. crime writing, that honor would have to go to George Pelecanos. Each of the Washington native's 18 novels have taken readers through the darker sides of D. C.'s streets, sounds, bars, stores, and people. In fact, many say that if you truly want to learn about the real Washington that exists outside of  the White House and Capitol Hill, the best way is to turn to Pelecanos' pages.

Tonight, the author appeared before an appreciative crowd at Busboys and Poets to celebrate the paperback publication of his novel The Cut and to read from and discuss his latest effort What It Was.

Pelecanos said What It Was was an outgrowth of his research into Cadillac Smith, a larger-than-life D. C. gangster from the 1970s. In his book, Pelecanos changed his main character's name to Red Jones and Jones' fictionalized tale is recounted by Derek Strange, a recurring Pelecanos character.

"This book is a response to the people who said I was getting soft," Pelecanos joked. "It's just a straight-up, kick-ass crime novel."

In the passage Pelecanos read, Jones, whose street name is Red Fury, walks into the Soul House bar on 14th Street (the same street as the present day Busboys and Poets) and calmly guns down a drug dealer in front of the horrified bar crowd.

During the killing, Jones is creating a 70s guitar-driven Superfly-like funk song in his head with the lyrics "Red Fury he's the man. Try to stop him if you can."

Music has always been an integral part of Pelecanos' work. Indeed, it is the old song "In the Rain" by the Dramatics that prompts Strange to begin recounting the tale of Jones and the Summer of 1972 he knew as a young policeman. "I try to make the music organic to the books. Music has been a big part of my life," Pelecanos said. "I'm always listening to music and I'm still searching music out, especially old largely forgotten R&B and 70s soul. I have a real love for that."

After his reading, Pelecanos spent about 30 minutes discussing his writing. He talked about the individual nature of his novels and his collective work on the HBO TV shows The Wire (which many critics contend was the best series ever aired) and Treme, whose 3rd season will air next fall.

Pelecanos said he always tries to "frontload" his research for a new book. His study often sends him pedaling through the streets on his bicycle where he captures pictures and notes on his iPhone. For a historical piece such as What It Was, Pelecanos says he employs "library time and memory work."

Listening to the stories and tales of D. C. residents also provides Pelecanos with fresh material. He first fell in love with the streets of Washington as an 11-year-old boy delivering meals from his father's diner. "All my life living here I've listened to the people talk," Pelecanos said. With the success of The Wire, members of both sides of the law have become more eager to do that. Pelecanos says. "I've always had a good relationship with the street cops, but homicide detectives were different," he said. "But (on The Wire) we were always sticking it to the brass and they loved that." Criminal offenders, meanwhile, appreciating that The Wire took the time to show all facets of their often difficult lives, have taken to contacting Pelecanos and offering ideas..

When it finally comes time to write, Pelecanos says he writes 7 days a week until the book is finished. "It's very difficult to get back in the tunnel that you're in if you take a break," he explained. Pelecanos says his writing days are relatively routine. He writes in the morning, takes a break for physical activity such as biking or kayaking in the afternoon, and then, in the evening, edits what he had written earlier.  "That way I'm all ready for the next day," Pelecanos said. "I'm secluded and being socially retarded, but then I spend 6 months on a TV set with hundreds of people and that gets me back to my social side."

Like all long-time D. C. residents, Pelecanos has seen Washington change. "To see all the changes, they've been both good and bad," he said. "I miss Chocolate City (D. C..'s nickname because of its overwhelmingly large black population). That's the city I was raised in. But to see lights now on in H Street, that means people are working and that's good. And I don't miss all the vacant houses and abandoned storefronts."

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
For someone who loves to read, one of the perks of living in the D.C. area is seeing, hearing, and, many times, briefly chatting with favorite authors. This was the 2nd time I've had a chance to hear Pelecanos, who shares my favorite crime writer designation with New Orleans writer James Lee Burke.  Earlier this month I had a 2nd similar opportunity with my favorite contemporary history  writer Douglas Brinkley. And tonight, we're headed to the Newseum to hear Bob Woodward of the Woodward/Bernstein team talk about Watergate. For a reader, that goes to make a great month.

At the Zoo

Someone told me
It's all happening at the zoo
I do believe it
I do believe it's true
                          -- Paul Simon
                             At the Zoo

Owen learns about pandas ...

I'm not sure everything is happening at the zoo, but our visit to the National Zoo today proved that there is a lot going on there.

The zoo, which is one of the 17 Smithsonian museums located in Washington, is more than 100 years old (it opened in 1889) and currently houses more than 2,000 animals from about 400 different species. And, as today's visit once again demonstrated, it is also the most popular place in the DC area for the young stroller set and those that push them.

Our trip provided something for all of us. Audrey got to see her favorite, the giant panda. For Owen, it was the Asian elephants. Grandmom got to spend time with the apes. And I discovered a specialty food stand that featured gourmet $5 hot dogs. For the record, I had the Foggy Bottom (melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing) and the Berkley (spicy mustard, relish, and banana peppers).

... while Audrey dreams of unicorns

After lunch, Owen did what he currently does best at that time - he fell asleep in his stroller. Audrey used the break from her brother to convince Grandmom to let her get her face painted. Earlier in the day, she had said that while she loved the animals, she wished the zoo had a unicorn. So Audrey asked her face painter to turn her into a pink and purple unicorn. Looking into the mirror, Audrey proclaimed, "see Grandmom, now there is a unicorn at the zoo."

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
Our visit to the zoo meant that we had now taken Audrey, 4, and her brother Owen, 3, this week to the 4 Smithsonian Museums most suited for youngsters. Audrey said she liked the stuffed animals and dinosaur bones at the Museum of Natural History best. As expected, for Grandmom, it was the apes at the zoo. I picked the Museum of American History, which has been my favorite since I was just a little older than my grandchildren are now. Audrey said Owen couldn't vote. The reason - he had slept through more parts of the museums than he had seen.

On a Carousel

The Smithsonian Carousel

As children of the 21st Century, our grandkids are already quite tech savvy. At 3, Owen can play games like Spider Monkey and watch You Tube kids videos on both the iPad and the iPhone. Just the other day, Audrey, 4, showed Grandmom how to use Doodle Buddy to create art on the iPad.

But both Owen and Audrey enjoy older forms of entertainment, too. They love carousels. That's why they both chose to start their 2nd visit to the National Mall with a ride on the carousel located outside the old Smithsonian Castle.

The original carousel at the site was a classic 1922 merry-go-round with 33 animals and 2 stationary chariots. It began operating in 1967 and  cost 25 cents to ride. In 1981, a vintage 1941 model with 60 horses replaced the older carousel. Today, a ride costs $3.50.

Audrey shows surprise at her brother's choice

On the ride we split up so Audrey and Owen each could have their favorite animal.  Not surprisingly, Audrey chose a pink and purple horse. Despite my suggestion of a red, white, and blue patriotic steed, Owen chose a multi-colored pony that grabbed his fancy.

After a relatively long ride with plenty of oom-pah-pah music, we headed to the National Museum of Natural History. Owen wanted to see the giant elephant and the butterflies. He wasn't sure about the dinosaurs. And he definitely didn't want to see Titanaboa, the new replica of the giant prehistoric snake that is bigger than a school bus. Audrey was pretty much up for anything, except the giant snake.

After an hour in the Natural History Museum (for those of you wondering, after some initial reluctance, Owen was OK with the dinosaurs and we didn't see the giant snake), we finished our day with our 2nd trip this week to the National Museum of American History. Audrey had announced that she wanted to see Dorothy's ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz again. For her brother, it would be a 1st viewing, since he had slept thorough our entire earlier visit.

Arriving at the display case for the ruby slippers, we encountered a problem. The case was besieged by more than a dozen middle-school age girls, each intent on taking at least a dozen pictures of the famed shoes. But Audrey, intent on showing her brother the slippers he had missed on his 1st visit, came up with an alternate plan. "Owie, come on around the back. You can can see them there," she said.

To conclude our day, we once again split up. Grandmom and Audrey headed to the gowns worn by the wives of the presidents. Owen and I made our way to the trains and cars that make up the transportation exhibition. And while that plan may sound sexist, it worked. Both Audrey and Owen said they had a great day on the mall.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips

The kids told us they were too hungry to make it back to our Crystal  City Plaza apartment without a 2nd snack. Fortunately, Grandmom came prepared and so we had an impromptu snack picnic beside the dancing waters outside the National History Museum.

You Don't Need Ruby Slippers

Audrey checks out the world's most famous slippers

Many times we make things so big in our mind that we can't help but be disappointed when we actually encounter them. My 4-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter Audrey had such an experience today when she came face to face with a pair of ruby slippers Judy Garland wore as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.

Audrey and her brother, Owen, 3, are staying with us this week while their Mom and Dad are vacationing in Mexico. We gave our grandchildren a wide range of things they could see for their 1st visit to the Smithsonian museums. They were each allowed to pick one. Without any hesitation, Audrey chose Dorothy's ruby slippers, one of the most viewed artifacts in the history of the Smithsonian.

On our walk from the L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station to the Museum of American History, Audrey would get excited whenever she saw a poster heralding the famous slippers. Her smile would widen. Her eyes would sparkle. "Look, Grandmom, there they are ... the ruby slippers."

When we finally got to the American Stories Exhibit, Audrey rushed to the glass case protecting Dorothy's shoes. "Grandmom, they're ... they're small," she said.

Grandmom began explaining the information contained on the display case. Judy Garland actually wore at least 5 pairs of the slippers during the Oz filming. The particular pair on display was used during the dance sequences because the soles were covered in felt. The felt surpressed the sound of dancing on the wooden sets. In the original script, a portion of which was next to the case, the shoes were to be silver, like those in the original story by Frank L. Baum. They were changed to ruby red because that color was more dramatic for the screen.

Audrey listened patiently. "I know, Grandmom," she said. "But they're still small."

It was fitting that one of Audrey's 1st disconnects between imagination and real life stemmed from the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy, too, realized that not all is what it seems. When Toto pulled back the curtain, Dorothy and her traveling companions didn't find a great and powerful wizard; they found a lever-pulling hocus pocus man from Kansas.

But with a little guidance from the good witch Glinda, Dorothy quickly came to understand that she didn't need to rely on the suspect power of others. All she needed to fulfill her heart's desire was self-reliance and a little help from some friends. It's a lesson that served Dorothy well on her journey from the yellow brick roads of Oz to her home fields of Kansas. And it's a lesson that can serve Audrey just as well, no matter what roads she decides to travel.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
They say it's all happening at the zoo. With Audrey and Owen, we'll try to find out if that is true.

Fear of Flying

A plane fit for Indiana Jones

The aviators and astronauts who flew the planes and space capsules now on display in the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum might have been fearless, but it appears my 3-year-old grandson Owen might need a little more courage before he's ready to soar to their heights.

Owen and his 4-and-a-half-year-old sister Audrey are staying with us this week while their Mom and Dad vacation in Mexico and today we took them for their 1st visit ever to the National Mall. We let each of them pick one thing they wanted to see. For Owen, it was the planes and for Audrey it was Dorothy's ruby slippers, which now form the focus of  the American Stories exhibit at the Smithsonian's American History Museum.

However, when we arrived at the Air and Space Museum and Owen eyed the ceiling full of aircraft, he suddenly decided he really didn't want to see them after all. The pilots of those craft might have been interested in up, but Owen only wanted one direction - out. "Outside, Grandpop. We go outside," he insisted.

We didn't head outside immediately. I stayed with Owen while Grandmom and Audrey explored the inside of some of the aircraft. And by doing so, I learned some facts that I didn't know from one of the volunteer guides leading a group through the facility. He was discussing an old American Airlines steel corrugated plane from the 1930s. It seems there are 10 of them in the world that are still in flying condition and one of them was used in the Indiana Jones movie series. I also learned that originally all airline stewardesses had to be certified nurses. But soon, Audrey and Grandmom returned from their brief explorations and we left the museum way ahead of schedule.

Al fresco dining, D.C. style

Once outside, we headed to a bench in the National Sculpture Garden for an early picnic-style lunch. You know, the astronauts had their Tang and freeze-dried food packets, but it's amazing how quickly Capri Sun, Pirate Booty, and a peanut butter sandwich can restore a 3-year-old's confidence and energy.

Rested and satisfied, Owen declared he was ready for his sister's museum stop. But maybe he was a little too satisfied because on the way there he fell asleep. He slept through the history  museum. He slept on the walk back to the L'Enfant Metro stop. He slept on the Metro ride to Crystal City, waking up only when we started through the Crystal City underground. However, in so doing, I think he established that he is indeed a Price man. A Price man can sleep anywhere. My father, for whom Owen is named, could. I can. My son Michael can. And now Owen has proven that he can, too. Yep, he's a Price man alright. And anyway, I'll take a good sleep over courage any day of the week.

Tales, Tidbits and Tips
Coming up tomorrow. Audrey's encounter with Dorothy's ruby slippers teaches her a good life's lesson.

Walter Cronkite: The Most Trusted Man in America

Until he began his extensive research on the subject of his latest book, author Douglas Brinkley didn't fully realize how much influence the venerable CBS nightly news anchor Walter Cronkite had woven through his life.

Brinkley, who in addition to being a best selling writer is also a professor of history at Rice University, said his mother had saved a series of pictures he had drawn in 1967 based on Cronkite's broadcasts of stories from the Vietnam War. He also came across a clipping of what he is sure is his first mention in a newspaper. The story was about a 6th grader who was the head of News 6, his class news program. And in that article, Brinkley identified his hero as Walter Cronkite. Finally, Brinkley vividly remembers his family watching Cronkite and then discussing the major events of the day in his Ohio home.

"Cronkite, he was a big part of my life," Brinkley said tonight as he appeared at Politics and Prose to discuss his newest biography simply entitled Cronkite. "He was our filter of history. When there was a story, Cronkite was the man on it. If Cronkite said it, it was true."

And Brinkley isn't alone. You could safely call Cronkite the official chronicler of the late 20th Century. Name a major event and he was there, his powerful voice and carefully chosen words shaping the way Americans came to believe. World War II. The Nuremberg trials. The rise of Communist Russia and the Cold War. Korea. The Civil Rights movement. Vietnam. The beginnings of the space program. Man's first steps on the Moon. Watergate and the rise and fall of Richard Nixon.

In his time, he earned the sobriquet "the most trusted man in America." When Cronkite pushed Civil Rights, or space exploration and science, or gay rights, or the environment, it became the big story. When Cronkite issued a statement that the Vietnam War was unwinnable, President Lyndon Johnson reportedly said, "If I've lost Cronkite, then I've lost Middle America."

Cronkite began his media career illegally broadcasting the results of horse racing. He then moved to local radio where his life-long reputation for impeccable journalistic ethics took hold. Brinkley told this story about Cronkite's early years. As he was broadcasting the news, the local station owner burst in and told him he had to report on a City Hall fire where there had been many deaths. Cronkite questioned the source of the report. The owner said it was his wife. Cronkite refused to report the fire. It turns out that no one died in the blaze. "Cronkite was right, but he got fired anyway," Brinkley said. But the belief in Cronkite's journalistic integrity was born.

In his early years, Cronkite was torn deciding if he should focus on writing, radio, or the new field of television. TV finally won. Like all broadcasters in that new medium, Cronkite's first newscasts were snowy, black-and-white-15 minute broadcasts from a studio resembling a hall closet. But Cronkite, a tireless worker, helped move television to the forefront. His live reporting of the 1952 and 1956 Presidential conventions "changed things forever," Brinkley said. Although most known for his news acumen, Cronkite broadcast the 1960 Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley in California and the Summer Olympics in Rome, the first time the world games were televised. "That was the beginning of prime-time events on TV," Brinkley said.

But Cronkite's reputation really solidified with his coverage of the tragic 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy and the dark days following the Dallas killing. One of TV's early iconic images is that of Cronkite reporting Kennedy's death as he removes his glasses and appears to wipe a tear from his eye. "He really guided us through the Kennedy assassination all weekend long," Brinkley said. "He earned the nickname Iron Pants. We're used to around-the-clock coverage now, but it really was quite extraordinary then."

In 1963, the network nightly news expanded to a half-hour and Cronkite and his colleagues could expand their reporting. First it was Civil Rights, then the War in Vietnam. When Cronkite broadcast his doubts about Vietnam, he was convinced he had torpedoed his career. But polls showed that his respect only grew; Americans believed more than ever that Cronkite always called it straight.

Cronkite retired as anchor of the CBS Evening New in March of 1981, 19 years after his 1st anchor desk broadcast. He continued to host special programs and reports and have his writings published  until his death in 2009.

"He was the most trusted man in America," Brinkley said. "Everyone knew him. He almost became like American royalty."

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
Americans knew the Walter Cronkite that entered their living rooms at 6:30 weekday nights for 19 years. But, of course, there was the off-screen Walter Cronkite. And, as is so often the case, the 2 displayed quite differing personae. Brinkley said that Cronkite loved his cocktails, had a keen sense of humor, and reveled in telling "the dirtiest jokes of anyone I have ever written about." He also enjoyed shocking people by reading pornography in his best Walter Cronkite voice. And then there was his unique choice of friends. Cronkite was fond of music. Two of his best friends were musicians, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and island-life troubadour Jimmy Buffet. In fact, he and Hart shared 14 Thanksgiving dinners together. "Walter Cronkite never wanted to be a stuffed shirt and he never wanted to take himself  too seriously. And he never did," Brinkley said

Art to Help Save the Planet

"Waste artist" Alex Bako with some of his work/

What most people view as used materials and junk to discard, Alex Bako sees as art, intricately crafted work that he hopes will ultimately cause people to think about what they throw in the trash and inspire them to employ the 3 R's of a better environment - recycling, repairing, and re-purposing.

Bako is one of hundreds of DC-area artists with exhibitions at this year's Artomatic in Crystal City, a 5-week free event that celebrates the tremendous diversity and creative talents of local artists and performers.

We caught up with Bako tonight as he was taking some photos of his show, which he labels Wastes Are My Medium: Upcycled Artwork Using Recycled Materials.

While the idea of exhibiting art is relatively new to Bako (this is his 1st major showing and he has only been serious about his art for a short time), working for a better environment has long been central to his being.  There was an environmental science degree from Yale. There were the years spent as an environmental engineer in the Air Force. Then, 3 more years working around the world with environmental concerns for the World Bank. Finally, there was time spent as an environmental consultant, a job managing environmental programs for the city of Washington. But, despite all his efforts, Bako felt his message was still not being received.

"We make claims to be green, but we live in a disposable society for convenience," Bako says. "We don't repair things, we replace them. As a result, we fill our landfills and incinerators."

After much deliberation, Bako, who says he's always enjoyed creating and repairing things with his hands, decided he could promote a much stronger environmental message as a full-time artist than he could as a government paper pusher.

But first, of course, he would have to get permission from his wife, Larissa. It's expensive to live in DC. And going from a two to a one-income family would definitely mean a change in lifestyle. "I am really lucky. My wife is so supportive. She said  'it's not a paycheck, it's your passion. Go for it,'" Bako said, noting that his wife had just brought him the Heineken he was sipping as we talked.

More Bako bag work

Then, as if on cue, Larissa, who still works at the DC environmental office where she and Bako met, turned the corner. She admits that there have been changes. "Our apartment, it's now an art studio. We have stuff everywhere. For our romantic outings, we go dumpster diving," she said with a hearty laugh.

But Larissa said she wouldn't consider returning to the couple's previous lifestyle. "This is a new chapter of our lives," Larissa said. "I think it's a tragedy when you have a talent and you can't express it."

In fact, Larissa said she is growing to love the life of an artistic couple. She enjoys the things that she and Alex can do jointly in this new endeavor. "He's the artist, but there are things we can do together," she said, pointing to some decorative items she had sewn into one of the works. "That home ec class sure did pay off."

But how do you describe the work itself? Like all strong artwork, it first catches the eye; then  engages the mind. The central focus of all the work in this Artomatic exhibition is burlap bags decorated in colorful company logos, sayings, and artwork that once held large amounts of coffee. Bako frames the opened, stretched bags with wood pallets and decorates them with other discarded items he collects from trash bins, businesses, and warehouses around DC.

Larissa, who holds a degree in communications from Howard University, said she really enjoys watching each piece of work, which can take as long as 40 or more hours to produce, emerge from its embryonic state to a finished creation. "It's like watching someone write a beautiful essay. A piece may go through 4 or 5 drafts before Alex is finally satisfied with it," she said.

Even though a relative newcomer to the world of environmental art, Bako has been encouraged by the initial reception to his work. "At the coffee shop where I got the first bags, the owner said to let him see a project when it was finished. He looked at it and said on the spot he wanted to buy it. He asked me how much I wanted for it. I really had no idea what it was worth so I said $500. He said 'wait here, I'll write you out a check right now."

So what's next?  Bako is not sure. He knows it will involve art. And it will involve the environment. "I feel I'm in an explosive, evolutionary period," he says. "I want to take this environmental theme as far as I can take it."

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips

Violence Is Youthful

Her husband is not the only artist is Larissa's family. Her brother, Howard Etwaroo also has his first public exhibition in the Artomatic room next to Baka's. Etwaroo's work makes some interesting  statements about minority status and violence in the contemporary world. Larissa said the works were just sitting in her brother's basement until she convinced him to participate in Artomatic. And Judy and I are glad that Larissa has such strong persuasive skills. Both of us really liked the social power of the work. Here are some of Etwaroo's pieces so you can decide for yourself.

Art created by Etwaroo

Walt Whitman: He Changed the Subject

Walt Whitman: America's Bearded Bard

Washington DC and Brooklyn New York were 2 of the most important places in the life and writings of the great American poet Walt Whitman. And so it was fitting today that the Library of Congress had 2 contemporary poets - one from DC and one from Brooklyn - read from Whitman's poetry and discuss how his writing influenced their own work.

The special Whitman program was another in a series of birthday celebrations for famous writers (Whitman was born on this date in 1819) sponsored by the Manuscript Division and the Poetry and Literature Center of the Library.

The programs always follow the same format. Two writers read some of their favorite works by the author being feted. They then read from their own works and talk about how the feted writer influenced them and their work. Afterward, a Manuscript Division historian talks about selections from the writer's collection housed in the Library of Congress that are then able to be viewed by those attending the session..

DC area poet and University of Maryland professor Stanley Plumly said that much of his work "comes directly out of Whitman."

"The marvelous thing about Whitman to me is that he changed the subject of American poetry," Plumly said. "It's hard to overestimate how great this poet is."

Plumly said that one of Whitman's defining characteristics was his ability to "identify with the other, indeed the least of the others." Whitman's empathy for the disadvantaged and the outsider was obviously, in part, an outgrowth of his homosexuality and his years spent as a Civil War nurse and a  government worker in DC.

To demonstrate parallels between his work and Whitman, Plumly compared 2 of his poems "Faaragut North" and "Reading with the Poets" to Whitman's  "This Compost."

Joshua Beckman, a poet and editor from Brooklyn, called Whitman "a friend" whose work still speaks to him. Beckman read the long, but powerful Whitman poem "The Sleepers" and his own Whitmanesque "The Inside of an Apple."

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
Today's Whitman program was the 4th such event we had attended at the Library of Congress. Previously, we had attended sessions for Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison, and Tennessee Williams. The last of this series - a program for poet Gwendowyn Brooks - will be held next Thursday.

Unbuilt Washington

An alternate Washington Monument

Washington DC is a city of well-known monuments. The Washington Monument. The Capitol. The White House. The Lincoln Memorial. The list is lengthy. But before the buildings were the iconic structures they have become today, they were a series of architects' drawings and plans and mockups.

And, of course, in almost every case, they weren't the only designs considered. Can you imagine a Washington Monument with a giant round base at its bottom? Or a Pentagon with a 24-story tower rising from its middle courtyard? Or how about a Venetian style canal leading to the steps of the Capitol?

Well, architects could. And not only could they envision them, they drew up complex plans for such structures. And it is these plans and designs that formed the basis of Unbuilt Washington, an exhibit that just ended Memorial Day at the National Building Museum.

How about this for the Lincoln Memorial ...

If you known anything about the design of the city Washington, you know much of the credit for the look of the goes to Charles L'Enfant. However, L'Enfant was often late with his drawings and reluctantly had to be fired by 1st President George Washington. So, even in its beginnings, the district became the vision of many planners. Even Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States, submitted architectural plans for what the new capitol city should look like.

Many of the plans on display featured pyramids and domes and British-style gardens that are virtually impossible to equate with DC given the way it looks today.

Some of the more interesting projects are those that never came to fruition. For example, in 1940, the famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed a massive project for Washington which was named Crystal Heights for the amount of glass it woulds contain. If built, Crystal Heights would have been the largest hotel and apartment complex in America. It would have included a shopping arcade, a theater, and underground parking for 4,000 cars.

... or this for our Capitol?

But some of the unrealized projects on display could still become a reality. In 2000, a design competition was held to "show how you believe the most powerful man or woman on Earth should live and work." One of the winning designs featured a futuristic "tree-fort" where the president could go to escape the inherent pressures of the job. Another included a giant screen outside the new White House where the first family and other dignitaries could have real-time conversations with visitors.

Tips, Tidbits, and Tales
The Unbuilt Washington exhibit has closed, but you can visit the Building Museum's new exhibit simply titled Homes throughout the summer. To see what you will see, click here.

The Jefferson Bible

Thomas Jefferson, the principal designer of the the Declaration of Independence and the 3rd president of the United States, was a man of innovation and experimentation, but he was a man of habit, too. And one of his habits was to engage in 30 to 60 minutes of reading nightly, mostly "of a moral nature." Often, these passages would come from the Bible. But not just any Bible - an  84-page personal Bible Jefferson designed which he called The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth but what has come to be called The Jefferson Bible.

That Bible formed the basis of the recent The Jefferson Bible exhibit at the Smithsonian's American History Museum.

For his bible, which he created in 1820, Jefferson excerpted parts of the 1st four books of the New Testament - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Knowing that any tampering with the Bible would pose problems, Jefferson only made one copy for his personal reading and reflection.  However, it was sold to the Smithsonian in 1895 for $400 by Jefferson's great-granddaughter. Obviously, over the years, the original book began to deteriorate. After a year of intensive conservation, Jefferson's Bible was restored and placed on display as the central focus of the exhibit.

In a letter written to John Adams, Jefferson explained his decision to limit his bible to the 4 gospels. "We must reduce our volume to the simple evangelists, select, even from them, the very words only of Jesus ... There will be found remaining the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man."

Jefferson believed that all religion was personal by nature. "No man can conform his faith to the dictates of another," Jefferson wrote in 1776, the same year American became a county.

Jefferson, ever displaying one of the best scientific minds of the Age of Reason, maintained that all should "fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion"

"Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there be one, he must approve of  the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear," Jefferson added.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
The Smithsonian exhibition on the Jefferson Bible closed on Memorial Day. But you can learn more about the project on-line by clicking here.

Retro Future Visions of Space

Future Highway by Elstabo

In the 20th Century, images of the future were everywhere. The flying cars of The Jetsons. The robot in Lost in Space. The communicators for Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the Star Trek crew.

Of course, no one can predict the future with any sense of certainty. Some of the futuristic gadgets  proposed by artists, engineers, and scientists were close. Others missed the mark. We have privately funded space ships but we still don't vacations on the moon or Mars.

Using this idea of unrealized science fiction ideas as a starting point, 15 DC area artists have contributed original work to the latest exhibition at the Artisphere entitled Elevator to the Moon: Retro-Future Visions of Space. The artists drew inspiration from many of the flawed ideas of the last century to create a new vision for the future.

The works are intriguing and thought-provoking. And since art is meant to be experienced, not explained, we will let a sample of the works on display speak for themselves. Look at them and figure out what they are saying about us people and our place in a future still to be.

Monkey Sea by Jared Davis

Valkyrie's Regard by Scott Speck

Rapture Rocakteers by Dana Ellyn

Space Buddies by Matt Sesow

The Thinking Cap or All Your Brain Are Belong Us by Todd Gardne

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
The Artisphere ins Roslyn is a great free facility to take in new art and performance. You can check out its latest offerings by clicking here.

Call It Year 1 in DC

In retirement, a bench is nice ...

This Memorial Day marks a special DC anniversary for us. It doesn't seem possible, but one year ago this weekend we were moving into our Crystal City apartment. That means we have spent a full year living in the DC area.

When we moved to DC, we were sure we would like it. But we didn't realize how quickly that like would turn to love. Washington is the prefect place for us to retire. It is filled with so many of the things we value - art, book talks, history, politics, music, theater, great walking, interesting people, and marvelous food.

We decided we wanted to share this love of place. One way was to create and publish The Prices Do DC blog, where we could document all the things we were doing. Of course, a blog is a learn-as-you-go experience. I decided to spend the month of May redesigning and revamping the blog to make it better. In fact, we have not published an entry since May 15. We thought our 1-year anniversary would be perfect to unveil our new effort so here is the 1st post of our Year 2. (If you are reading this post by email, you can check out the complete revised blog by clicking here).

... no matter where you find yourself

But we wanted to more directly continue the strong ties with family and friends we had established during our 6 decades in South Jersey. That's why we decided to host all our family and friends who wanted to come to DC. Some stayed for 2 days; some for 2 weeks. We enjoyed them all. We hope they don't mind, but as a small sign of how much we value their friendship, we're going to include as list of those who stayed with us.

• Chuck and Lynn Timberman and their grandson Ethan (3 times including New Year's Eve)
• Bob and Marion Spence (2 times)
• Bob's brother Bill and his wife Claudia, who spent their wedding anniversary with us.
• Ronnie and Theresa Fooks
• Brian and Ronni Weinstein
• Jack and Kathy Neff
• Layne Ball and Sandy Morrissey
• Shoshana Osofsky and her husband, Frank
• Jim Boner and his daughter Jells
• our friend from high school Gary Peacock
• our son Michael and daughter-in-law Shannon, who gave us our greatest gift ever in our grandchildren Audrey and Owen.
• our niece Tara, our grand-nephew Devin (congrats on your brand new driving permit) and our 2-year-old niece Kylie.
• our sister-in-law Sandy Knapp and her daughter Anna, who was checking out colleges in the DC area
• and our 1st visitor Kerri Motil, who stayed with us for a week while she engaged in a master's  program at the Hilton just down the street

Then, while they didn't stay with us, we were able to spend some time with friends and familywho were staying in the DC area. They included:

• Don and Sandy Olbrich
• Irv and Esther Marshall
• Bronnie Sewall and John Connolly
• Joe and Pam Garwood 
• our cousin Linda, her daughter Jennifer, and her husband Sam

We also dined with 3 of my former students who are living and working in DC..

• Michael Brooks and his wife Chiquita
• Kate Sheppard and her soon-to-be husband Dean
• Art Sewall and his wife Jen (We also got to attend their wedding in October in Philadelphia and visit their new home in Virginia)

Finally, there were some dinners and other events with 2 long-time friends who live and work in DC

• Bruce McCulley, who went to elementary school with me and marched around the stadium track with Judy and me at our Bridgeton High School 1969 graduation
• Steve Ferrara, who was my roommate at Villanova University.

So year 1 is history. We are convinced that year 2 will be even better. We will continue sharing our experiences with you in this blog. And remember - if you don't live in the DC area and would like to spend time with us, there is a guest room and separate bathroom that we hope will get even more use between now and next Memorial Day.

Tales, Tips, and Tidbits
As I mentioned, we didn't publish much in May because we were redesigning The Prices Do DC blog. But that wasn't the only reason. We spent more than half  the month in none-DC activities.

We traveled to New Orleans for 6 days for the Jazz and Heritage Festival. You can check out  our experiences ion New Orleans by clicking here.

Can you find Judy and I in this Jazz Fest crowd?

Then we flew for a 3-day weekend in rural Indiana for the wedding our our niece Lisa and her husband Tony.

Another Snyder wedding. Congratulations Lisa and Tony

Finally, we spent 6 days in Knoxville so we could attend our 3-year-old grandson Owen's birthday party and then watch Owen and his sister Audrey while their parents went to Atlanta to find a new house for their July move to that city.

Owen at his cowboy-themed birthday party...

... while Audrey celebrates in song

And, oh yeah, in between the traveling, I also had all 4 of my wisdom teeth extracted. Ah, the joys of aging.

New Orleans and All That Jazz

We won't be publishing any posts in The Prices Do DC blog while we spend 6 days in New Orleans attending the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

This is the 2nd weekend of the annual festival. Last week's headliners were The Beach Boys, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

This weekend I am looking forward to seeing Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, The Iguanas, Bruce Hornsby, Mavis Staples, Ziggy Marley, Steve Earle, My Morning Jacket, Warren Haynes, Herbie Hancock, the Eagles, the Foo Fighters, and Bonnie Raiit.

Then there are New Orleans artists such as the Henry Butler, Ivan Neville's Dumstaphunk, Wayne Toups, Bonearama, Allan Tousaint, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Better Than Ezra, Irma Thomas, Kermit Ruffin, Galactic, The Funky Meters, Dr. John and the Neville Brothers.

If we can stay awake we can choose from late night club shows by more than 80 artists including Grace Potter, Soulive, New Birth Brass Band, Trombone Shorty, Rockin' Dopsie, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Let the good times roll and we'll resume our blog posts when we get back to DC.