DC Dining: Restaurant Week (Summer 2013)

Football fans have the Super Bowl. Movie buffs have the Oscars. And foodies have Restaurant Week, which in DC began today and runs until next Sunday.

This year, more than 240 restaurants in the district and neighboring Maryland and Virginia are participating. For the special week, eateries offer a $20.13 lunch and a $35.13 dinner.

As someone who really enjoys good food, I tried to convince my wife that we should dine out all 7 days. She nixed that idea, but agreed that we could try 3 lunches or dinners at places we hadn't eaten at yet.

Today, we dined at Woodward Table.  The restaurant is one of 3 DC spots operated by James Beard Foundation Best Chef Mid-Atlantic (1999) Jeffrey Buben. Buben also runs the southern-focused Vidalia, which often appears on lists of the 10 best restaurants in DC, and the highly rated French eatery Bistro Bis. Having eaten at both those establishments, we had high expectations for Woodward Table. We weren't disappointed.

Kentucky Hot Brown

Both my wife and I opted  for the entree Kentucky Hot Brown (turkey breast, benton’s bacon, heirloom tomato, and mornay sauce on toasted brioche).  Judy chose the grilled chicken cobb salad (bacon, avocado, cucumber, blue cheese, egg, bibb with a red wine vinaigrette for an appetizer while I had fried chicken livers with anson mills cheese grits, okra, sweet pepper marmalade, and bourbon sauce. For dessert,  Judy selected  the peanut butter mousse tort with bittersweet chocolate cream, feuilletine crunch, and dark chocolate sauce while I completed my meal with coffee and cream, an almond chocolate crumble with mocha mousse, coffee toffee, and cappuccino cream.

Next up was restaurant 701 on Pennsylvania Avenue adjacent to the Archives Metro station.  The restaurant,situated just blocks from the Capitol, has long been ranked as one of the top DC spots for a power lunch or dinner.

Because of a change, we had dinner here. Initially, we tried to get a table at the Capital Grille down the street, but there were no open tables until 9:30. Fortunately, we were able to get a table at the almost equally crowded 701 without a reservation.

Butterscotch pudding with caramel popcorn

For her 3-course Restaurant Week special, Judy chose heirloom tomato salad (w/ ricotta, black pepper gastrique, and argula), buffalo mozzarella ravioli (w/ corn, tomato marinade, and basil butter), and Butterscotch pudding with caramel popcorn.

Meanwile, I opted for poached sweet water shrimp (w/lemon tapioca, horseradish, and tomato jam), steamed rockfish (w/garlic broth, pickled peppers, and chili oil), and the butterscotch pudding.

We completed our Restaurant Week trio with a lunch at the Capital Grille. Since this is one of DC's top-ranked steakhouses both Judy and myself chose the 8-oz. filet with mashed potatoes. For appetizers,  Judy chose the garden salad and I opted for the New England clam chowder. For dessert we both selected the sorbet with fresh fruit.

The New England clam chowder

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
So what would have made the perfect meal for me. I would go with the clam chowder from the Capital Grille, the Kentucky hot brown from Woodward Table, and the butterscotch pudding from 701.

The 50th Anniversary of the Historic March on Washington: What's Planned

On August 28, 1963 more than 250,000 peaceful participants descended on DC to take part in the March for Freedom and Jobs. That rally, now called one of the most significant events in the history of Civil Rights, produced what many believe is one of the greatest speeches ever delivered - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's soul-strirring outlining of his dream for a better America.

Beginning on Aug. 21, a full week (and more) of activities have been planned to commemorate that historic event. Here is the list of events already announced:


50th Anniversary March on Washington
August 21-28, 2013. A full week of events will be hosted by the King children, the remaining four of the original six organizing organizations and the last living organizer, Congressman John Lewis as well as other organizations like National Action Network. The main event will include a commemorative march and rally along the historic 1963 route and a "Global Freedom Festival" on Saturday August 24.The rally will be held at the Lincoln Memorial from 8 am.-4 p.m. and the festival will be held on the National Mall from 2-6 p.m. Among the speakers and groups are Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King, III, the families of Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till; Congressman John Lewis; Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader; Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer; Randi Weingarten- President, American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Lee Saunders- President, AFSCME; Janet Murguia- President, The National Council of LaRAZA; Mary Kay Henry- International President, Service Employers International Union (SEIU); Dennis Van Roekel, President, National Education Association (NEA); and many others. 

“Covering Civil Rights: On the Front Lines”
August 22, 2013, 7 p.m. Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC. The Newseum, in partnership with the National Council of Negro Women, will host a free evening program that will include a special appearance by Elder Bernice King, chief executive officer of The King Center and daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Rev. King will receive the NCNW’s 2013 Leadership Award. Moderated by Sirius XM radio host, Joe Madison, the event will also feature a discussion with journalist and author of “Shocking the Conscience: A Reporter’s Account of the Civil Rights Movement,” Simeon Booker, who was on the front lines of covering the civil rights story. The program is free and open to the public, but seats are limited and must be reserved atCoveringCivilRights.eventbrite.com.

DC Statehood Rally
August 24, 2013, 9 a.m. DC War Memorial, Independence Avenue, NW. Washington DC. “Remembering the Legacy. Where Do We Go From Here?” Rally participants will attend a short program before marching as a group to the Lincoln Memorial for the national program to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. 

“I Have a Dream” Gospel Brunch - Willard InterContinental Hotel
August 25, 2013, 11:30 a.m. Willard Hotel, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC. The Gospel Brunch features famed opera singer Denyce Graves. Included is a sparkling wine reception, elaborate Southern-style brunch buffet by Executive Chef Luc Dendievel and a commemorative Martin Luther King keepsake. The program includes a dramatic reading from Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and stirring rendition of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” – penned by poet Julia Ward Howe at the Willard Hotel. Cost for the brunch is $132 per person, including tax and gratuity. For reservations, call (202) 637-7350 or visitwashington.intercontinental.com.

50th Anniversary March on Washington Conference on Civil Rights
August 27, 2013. Howard University, Washington DC. The event will include panel discussions, speakers, and open discussion groups. Registration is required. 

Panel Discussion with the Historical Society of Washington
August 27, 2013, 7 p.m. Carnegie Library, Washington DC. Participate in an engaging panel discussion that will explore the local and national impact of the March on Washington in the context of the photographers who documented the historic march and the way that newspapers covered the event. A freshman at American University in 1963, Eric Kulberg captured the march's leaders, participants, media coverage, and the overall impact on the city and its residents. A selection of his photographs will be on display in the Kiplinger Research Library. Panelists include Photographer Eric Kulberg, Community Archivist Derek Gray, and Kiplinger Research Library Director Krissah. RSVP Required. 

March for Jobs and Justice
August 28, 2013. The march will begin at 9:30 a.m. Participants will assemble at 600 New Jersey Avenue, Washington DC at 8 a.m. and proceed to the United States Department of Labor at 200 Constitution Avenue, then to the United States Department of Justice at 950 Pennsylvania Avenue and ending at a rally on the National Mall. Following the march (time to be determined) President Barack Obama will speak to the nation from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. 

Interfaith Service August 28, 2013, 9-10:30 a.m. Martin Luther King Memorial, West Basin Drive SW at Independence Avenue SW. Washington DC. An interfaith service will be held at the Memorial in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington.

Museum Exhibits

“Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 and The March on Washington, 1963” - National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Washington DC. The exhibition at the Smithsonian examines these two pivotal events and their larger relevance for all Americans today. The exhibition features historic and modern photographs and items ranging from Harriet Tubman’s shawl to a portable version of the Emancipation Proclamation—one created for Union soldiers to read to and distribute among African Americans. The exhibition will be on view through Sept. 15, 2013. 

"Make Some Noise: Students and the Civil Rights Movement" - Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW. Washington, DC. The exhibit explores the new generation of student leaders in the early 1960s who fought segregation by making their voices heard and exercising their First Amendment rights. It will spotlight key figures in the student civil rights movement, including John Lewis, now a U.S. representative from Georgia, and Julian Bond, who later became chairman of the NAACP. The exhibit opens on August 2, 2013 and will be a permanent display. The Newseum will also launch a three-year changing exhibit, "Civil Rights at 50" which will be updated each year to chronicle milestones in the civil rights movement from 1963, 1964 and 1965 through historic front pages, magazines and news images. "Civil Rights at 50" will be on display through 2015.

"A Day Like No Other: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington" -The Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE, Washington, DC. The exhibition will consist of 40 black-and-white images from newspaper and other media photographers, independent photojournalists and people who participated in the march—represent the cross-section of individuals who were there. Part of the collections in the Library’s Prints and Photographs Division, the images convey the immediacy of being at the march and the palpable excitement of those who were there. The exhibition will allow visitors to rediscover the context and ongoing legacy of this important event in the country’s history. The exhibit will be on display from August 28, 2013 through March 1, 2014.

“American People, Black Light: Faith Ringgold’s Paintings of the 1960s - National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave NW Washington, DC. The exhibition explores the issues that were at the forefront of Ringgold’s experience of racial inequality in the United States during the 1960s. Ringgold created bold, provocative paintings in direct response to the Civil Rights and feminist movements. The exhibition includes 45 works from the landmark series “American People” (1963–67) and “Black Light” (1967–71), along with related murals and political posters. The exhibition will be on view June 21–Nov. 10, 2013.

“One Life: Martin Luther King Jr.” - National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets NW., Washington, DC. The exhibition will mark the 50th anniversary of the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom” and King’s “I Have a Dream” speech through a display of historic photographs, prints, paintings and memorabilia. It will trace the trajectory of King’s career from his rise to prominence as the leader of the national civil rights movement to his work as an anti-war activist and advocate for those living in poverty. The exhibit runs from June 28-June 1, 2014.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips

Here are details on the 2 most historic sites related to the 1963 March.

Lincoln Memorial - 23rd St. NW, Washington, DC. The iconic landmark and memorial to President Abraham Lincoln was the site of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and continues to serve as a prime destination for civil rights related events. The memorial is open 24 hours a day and is an ideal place to reflect upon American values. A "Let Freedom Ring” Commemoration & Call to action will be held on August 28, 2013, 1-5:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Memorial.

Martin Luther King Memorial - West Basin Drive SW and Independence Avenue SW, Washington DC. The memorial honors Dr. King’s vision for all to enjoy a life of freedom, opportunity, and justice. National Park Service rangers give regularly scheduled talks on the life and contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr. An interfaith service will be held at the Memorial on August 28, 2013, from 9-10:30 a.m.

Friday Flashback: Steve Jobs - Devil or Angel?

Today, we are beginning a new feature in The Price Do DC called Friday Flashback. Each Friday we will repost a story published earlier in our blog, which began in June of 2011. So, if you have read this post before, welcome back. If you are reading this for the 1st time, we hope you enjoy this post blast from our blog past. With the new movie Jobs (about the early life of Apple founder Steve Jobs) being released today, we thought this would be the perfect reposting to begin our new feature.

Ashton Kutcher in the new movie Jobs

1st Posted on November 29, 2011

Sometimes a biographer finds a subject. And sometimes a subject finds a biographer. In 2004, Steve Jobs (in case you have been spending the last decade on Uranus, Jobs is the head of Apple) contacted Walter Isaacson, who, still basking in acclaim from his previous biographies of Benjamin Franklin and Isaac Newton, was considering possibilities for his next book.

"He called me and said, 'why don't you do my book?,'" Isaacson notes. "I thought Franklin, Einstein, Steve. What an arrogant little guy."

Isaacson was no stranger to the 2 powerful sides that were Jobs. He first met the Apple head in 1984 at the office of Time magazine, where he was then employed as editor. "That first day I got to see both sides of his personality," Isaacson says, noting that at the same time he was explaining the beauty of the new Mac computer, Jobs was hurling invectives at Times staffers since they had not chosen him to be their annual Man of the Year. "It was all there... the passion, the drive for perfection, the prickliness," Isaacson says.

After further reflection, Isaacson decided that Jobs would be his next subject and today, with his book Steve Jobs affixed as the #1 best seller in book lists across the country, the decision has proven to be beyond wise. 

Tonight, Isaacson appeared at a packed Politics and Prose bookstore to shed more light on Jobs, who died just weeks before his biography appeared in print, a death that marked a worldwide outpouring of passion for and against the man credited with revolutionizing so many aspects of our digital age.

"Steve Jobs was able to connect the artistic with the engineering. That is the key to what Steve was all about," Isaacson said."He realized simplicity is at the heart of sophistication."

First and foremost, Jobs was a driven perfectionist who would not accept anything less than that from those around him. "That sucks" was a phrase he applied to anything or anyone that didn't meet his standards. He mastered the art of the blinkless stare to intimidate those around him, yet another way to bully and coerce them into doing his bidding. "Don't be afraid, you can do it," Jobs would say with that unsettling, unblinking stare fixed upon his listener.

To emphasize the perfection aspect of Jobs personality, Isaacson told a story from his book. Just as the first Macs were getting ready for distribution, Jobs discovered that  all the circuits in the circuits boards were not lined up perfectly in a straight line. He called the engineering staff together and told them of the problem, a problem they dismissed because the Mac was designed so that no one could take it apart and therefore no one would be able to see the non-aligned circuits. "But I will know and you will know and that is what matters," Jobs said. The circuit boards were aligned. Jobs called all 22 engineers back together and had them affix their names to the inside of the machine. Jobs signed as well. "Real artists sign their work," Jobs told his engineers.  

"People call him an asshole, but he was an asshole who got things done," Isaacson said.

Isaacson said that Jobs always viewed himself as a misfit. That was definitely true in his early family life.  From his years in California, he always "had one foot in the counterculture hippie camp and one foot in the computer geek camp," Isaacson says. Also, there was much of the mystic in Jobs, a trait not normally associated with computer geniuses and great business leaders. 

In the year of his death, Apple was named the most valuable company on earth. But as the man responsible for the 1984 Ridley Scott Mac introduction commercial (which aired only once and is still recognized as the greatest TV commercial ever produced), Pixar, the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad, Jobs still struggled with his human side.

Bill Gates, whom Isaacson called a basically decent human being (a title never given to Jobs) came to see his Apple counterpart to say farewell and end their often stormy relationship on a  positve noted. They had a 4-hour conversation. Gates told Issacson that the meeting went well and both had agreed that although they followed very different paths, both of their ultra-opposite business models had worked well.

However, in one of his final conversations with Isaacson, Jobs told quite a different story of the last meeting between the two giants of the digital age. "What an asshole," Jobs said of Gates. "He didn't give a shit. All he did was  make crappy products all his life." 

Tales, Tidbits, and Traveling Tips
Great writing can be great for sales. But great timing can help, too. And, as was pointed out tonight, few writers have ever benefited from such great timing as Isaacson as with his new book. First, you have the writing of Isaacon, already established in his previous best-selling books. Then you have a captivating subject like Jobs, whose company has just achieved the ranking as the #1 in the world.  Then your subject dies just weeks before publication. And then you have the fact that the book is being published right before Christmas, which is always the time of the greatest book sales. And, finally, as if to emphasize all of the above points, you had tonight's crowd, which was clearly the largest we had ever seen and was called one of the largest in the long history of the store. 

Monumental DC: The Jefferson Memorial

In the pantheon of Founding Fathers, with the possible exception of George Washington, none rank higher than Thomas Jefferson. However, when it comes to the number of visitors to the Memorial in DC that celebrates his life and legacy, Jefferson's rank is not quite as lofty.

The problem is not Jefferson's popularity; it is the location of his Memorial, which is in a more remote site than those celebrating Washington and Lincoln, as well as those commemorating America's involvement in World War II and the Vietnam War.

However, the road-less-traveled aspect of the Jefferson Memorial, which is located on the edge of the Tidal Basin, also makes it one of the city's most attractive spots.

Of course, in any visit you are first struck by the architectural majesty of the memorial. But you can also learn much about the man Jefferson, who was at various times a political philosopher, an architect, a musician, a book collector, a scientist, a horticulturist, an inventor, a diplomat, the chief writer of The Declaration of Independence, and the 3rd President of the United States. In fact, the breadth of Jefferson's intellect and accomplishments was so great that it prompted President John Kennedy to call a 1960's gathering of American Nobel Prize winners the greatest assemblage of talent in the White House since Jefferson had dined there alone.

Memorial architect John Russell Pope was influenced by Jefferson's taste as expressed in his writings and demonstrated by his works. The circular colonnaded structure which surrounds the bronze statue of Jefferson in its middle, is an adaptation of the classical style that the former president brought into use in this country.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose own memorial sits near the Jefferson site, dedicated the Jefferson Memorial on April 13, 1943 on the 200th anniversary of Jefferson's birth.

As far as his legacy is concerned, Jefferson himself asked to be remembered for 3 things:

• The Declaration of Independence
• the Statutes of Virginia for Religious Freedom and
• being the Father of the University of Virginia

His lifelong passion for learning is encapsulated in this 1816 quote, one of dozens featured in his Memorial: "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and what will never be."

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips

Park rangers are at the Jefferson Memorial everyday from 9 am to 5 pm except Christmas to answer questions and give talks. A bookstore and a gift store in the lower lobby carry items relating to Jefferson's life and philosophy. To learn more about Jefferson and his Memorial, click here.

Designer Mini-golf at the Museum

Washington D.C. has become flooded by the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, which also drowned the farms on which the city relied for fresh produce. Terra firma was raised over the old National Mall and its monuments for new urban farms. The old city is now a historical exhibit below. Situated on the old ground level, the iconic structures of the old National Mall such as the Lincoln Memorial are encapsulated and viewed from the elevated new National Mall.

Is the above the setting of the latest science fiction movie about the nation's capital city? No. Actually, it is a description of one of the innovative holes in the National Building Museum's new summertime exhibition, Mini-Golf at the Building Museum.

Capitol City Crops hole

The attraction features two 9-hole courses, the easier Green and the more challenging Blue.

The theme of this year's offering is Building with the Future. All 18 holes were designed by leading Washington-area architects, landscape architects, and contractors. On both courses, you can learn about the future as you play.

Joined by our friend Jim Boner and his 7-year-old daughter Jells, my wife and I took on the challenge of twists and turns of the Green course.

In addition to the Capitol City Crops hole described previously, the course includes:

• The 19th Crater (golf on the moon)
• materiALIVE (inspired by a living roof and designed to look at the role materials play in building the future)
• Holograph Hole (you actually played through a 3-D holograph)
• The Job Site (models many of the obstacles encountered while navigating a construction site)
• FOREward Thinking (revitalizing old buildings with new energy)
• Homeroom (depicting the classroom of the future) 
• Capital RiverGreen (vertical panels rise up like buildings in the now-being developed Capitol Riverfront and Yards neighborhood
• Urban Pinball (explores the uncertainty inherent in the future)

Jells Boner tests out the red moon course ...

... which then changes to blue.

The 2 mini-golf courses will be open until Labor Day. Participants are now able to cast a vote for their favorite hole. The Museum will present a Best of Show award, determined by a jury of experts, at the conclusion of the exhibit.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips

So what was it like playing the Green Course. Of course, (pun intended), it was fun. I thought the 2 most interesting holes were the 19th Crater and the Holograph Hole. For DC learning, the 2 most instructional holes were the Capitol City Crops and the Capital RiverGreen. As for our 4-way golf battle, par for the Green Course was a 25. Jim won our foursome with a 2-over 27. I scored a 29, with Judy receiving a 30 and Jells a 35. Which goes to prove that even in the future, I won't be a championship golfer.

Dining in DC: Union Market

If you are visiting Union Market with its 40 vendors in the NoMa section of the city, plan to come hungry. With its artisan market, full dining, and kiosk facilities you can put together quite an eclectic meal.

On a recent visit, I chose Takorean, which began as a D.C. food truck and remains one of the top choices around the District for food on the move. As its name implies, the eatery features Korean BBQ tacos. a fusion of Korean barbeque with Mexican flavors and form. You can choose Korean bulgogi steak, tangy chicken, or carmelized tofu with a variety of fillings and toppings such as kimchee cabbage or limon crema. You can opt for either tacos or bowls. Going for a truly international meal, I selected the coconut rice pudding from DC Empanandas for dessert.

Of course, my choice meant I passed on such local favorites the Rappahannock Oyster Co., the Red Apron Butchery, Co Co. Sala, and Righteous Cheese.

The newly renovated market building opened in 1931, as part of a collection of stalls for 700 vendors who sold meats, fish, dairy, and produce 6 days a week. In 1962, the city banned the outdoor sale of meats and eggs, a move which essentially killed the facility's foot traffic. A new indoor market was built in 1967 and this is the edifice which is now the refurbished Union Market.

The Market, opened in September of last year, is surrounded by busy, yet picturesque urban industrial spaces where more than 100 businesses employ 1,500 workers for food and goods distribution.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
If you like the urban market atmosphere, you will also want to check out Eastern Market, located in the Capitol Hill district.

A History Lesson in Song

She was the inspiration for the Leon Russell classic "Delta Lady". She was a singer in some of the biggest touring bands of the 60's including Joe Cocker and the Mad Dogs and Englishmen and Delaney, Bonnie, and Friends. With her then-husband Kris Kristofferson, she formed one of the greatest husband/wife teams in rock n' roll. And this past weekend, Rita Coolidge, now 68, appeared in concert at the National Museum of the American Indian.

Her appearance at the museum as part of its Indian Summer Showcase Series was especially appropriate since Coolidge is a member of the Cherokee Nation. A few years ago, joined by her sister and niece, she released a CD of Native American music titled Walela, which is Coolidge's Cherokee name. Translated Walela means hummingbird.

In a 90-minute set, Coolidge, backed by a tight, talented quartet, delivered history lessons in both rock and Indian culture. The set featured cover versions of songs from some of the greatest songwriters in rock including Leonard Cohen, Allen Toussaint, Smokey Robinson, and Kristofferson. Before many numbers, Coolidge would offer background stories of how the songs came to be included in her live repertoire. For example, she talked about the impact of touring with Eric Clapton as part of Delaney and Bonnie and dedicated the Carpenters' hit "Superstar" to the famed British guitarist.

She and the band slipped effortlessly from the soul sounds of her big 70's hits "Higher and Higher" and "The Way You Do The Things You Do" to a sultry jazz take on the Peggy Lee classic "Fever" to the Memphis guitar-driven blues of Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign."

Some of the most interesting moments of the concert came during Coolidge's inclusion of a trio of Native American songs, two of which she had written.  The 1st was "Muddy Water,"  a tune about the travails of the Native Americans who were forced to relocate to the west during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. The 2nd, "I Have No Indian Name," came from a discussion Coolidge had with a young Native American woman who had been raised in a white family and never given an Indian name. (To listen to this song performed by Walela, click here)

The emotional high point of the night was a stirring version of "Amazing Grace," which Coolidge sang in her native Cherokee language. The favored religious hymn was the most sung song as Coolidge's Cherokee people marched on the Trail of Tears from the East Coast to Oklahoma.

Tales, Tidbits,and Tips
The final concert in the Indian Summer series will feature C. J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band on Sept. 21. Chenier is the Creole son of the Grammy-award winning “King of Zydeco” Louisiana pioneer Clifton Chenier. Following in his father’s footsteps he now leads his father’s band as an accordion performer and singer of Zydeco, a blend of Cajun and Creole music. Zydeco is the music of Southwest Louisiana's Black Creoles, a group of people of mixed African, Afro-Caribbean, Native American and European descent.

The Rio Grande Sun Never Sets

Hawking the Sun.

While newspapers around the country are struggling, the small weekly The Rio Grande Sun, which is considered one of the best weekly papers in the United States, is doing well. So well in fact, that it often sells out every issue it prints.

The Sun, started in 1956, now has a paid circulation of 12,000, a number that climbs higher in the summer when longer New Mexico days provide for stronger street sales in the small town of Espanola where the paper is based..

Unlike virtually every other paper in the country, The Sun is sold primarily by street vendors, with the balance sold in stores, racks and mail subscriptions. A drive through Española on any Wednesday evening will show families parked at intersections with children dispersed at strategic selling points hawking the popular paper.

The unique story of the publication, which has won numerous awards for its investigative reporting, is the subject of filmmaker Ben Daitz's documentary The Sun Never Sets which was shown at the Newseum today.

The film followers The Sun's reporters and editors as they write about the news, sports, crime, and culture of their extensive rural county, home to a large Hispanic and Native American population. It also shows how the paper broke the story that its rural community has the highest per capita heroin overdose rate in the country and has led a continuing legal fight for open records and open meetings.

Following the screening, publisher Robert E. Trapp, who started the paper almost 60 years ago, and his son, Robert B., now the paper's editor, handled questions about their publication.

The secret of their success, the younger Trapp said, is that there is only one focus - "we cover local news." He said that while there is great care for the accuracy with the reporting of local sports and obituaries, the main focus is keeping an eye on politicians and reporting on their shenanigans. In addition, newspaper experts have called The Sun's police blotter reporting the best in America.

Of course, the paper is often accused of printing only bad news. In the film, Trapp is shown displaying the huge collection of rocks that have been hurled through the paper's windows over the years. "I don't have any (powerful) friends in the community. I originally had 2 or 3, but eventually we reported about one or another of their relatives. But that's OK. What we do is important," Trapp said.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
The documentary captures a fascinating portrait of small-paper (there is a staff of 6 reporters and one editor) journalism at its finest. To view the trailer, click here.

2 Koreas Captured By Camera

A North Korean crossing guard

Sixty years ago, an armistice ended the Korean War. However today, the 2 Koreas remain bitterly divided, with the South being heralded as a progressive example of Asian democracy and capitalism, while the North is viewed as a prime example of the social devastation that derives from decades of repressive despotic rule.

In an effort to pictorially reveal the true state of the 2 countries, especially that of the little-visited, enigmatic North, noted travel and documentary photographer Mark Edward Harris spent years and 8 visits to both sides of the 150-mile border that separates the 2 countries. His results can now be seen in 2 separate volumes he published this year, one entitled North Korea and the other South Korea.

Harris recently appeared on an Inside Media program at the Newseum to talk about the 2 countries and his project.

Harris acknowledged that there were some difficulties shooting in North Korea. "They are not going to adjust the whole country for the few foreigners that go there," Harris said. "Just getting into the country is difficult.  And then they (the government) want to show the country as the paradise they claim it to be. They don't want the world to see any images of poverty."

To that end, the North Koreans assign minders to all foreign visitors to limit what can be seen and captured on camera.  "They saw I was pretty fair with things. I just wanted to show the outside world what it is like there. The more they get to know you, the more they show you," Harris said.

However, Harris said that his minders did order him to erase of few of his photos. "But I had already backed them up. You have to work quickly," he said with a laugh.

So how did Harris find the North Korean people? "There is a lot more awareness in North Korea than we (outsiders) give them credit for. And the people are a lot more normal than you would expect.," he said.

 "They are very appreciative. They do separate the person from the political system. But still, an average citizen has to be careful interacting with a foreigner," he added.

Harris said it was clearly evident that despite all the North Korean saber-rattling and positive propaganda, the country is suffering. That condition was was reflected in some of the faces he captured. "The cliche that the eyes are the window to the soul - I think there's some truth to that," he said.

In his many years of taking pictures all over the world, Harris said he has discovered 2 things - kids are cute everywhere and everyone loves to get their picture taken. But there was a subtle difference in North Korea. "People were OK in a group, but they didn't want to be isolated (for a picture), they wanted someone in the picture with them and they weren't vying for position," he said.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
Here is a small sampling of the Korean photos Harris has included in his 2-volume set. We'll let the pictures talk for themselves.

Little Golden Books Make History

Prior to World War II, books for young readers were too expensive for most families to buy. But in 1947, Little Golden Books were introduced, a series of some classic, but mostly new, affordable books designed for readers between the ages of 3 and 8.

Initially, the books were sold in five and dime, grocery, and drug stores for 25 cents each. Of course, stimulating an interest in reading was one of the main purposes of the series which became wildly popular. But publishers also were credited with pushing " a democratization of education for the 20th Century."

Unlike previous children's books, the series didn't focus exclusively on nursery rhymes and fairy and folk tales. Instead, many of the stories concentrated on everyday life. One expert in literature for the young said the books featured stories that would giving "little grownups" a glimpse of "the duties of caring for home and the everyday family," promote the cultural norms of the 1950's, and create active citizens.

Doctor Dan and Nurse Nancy

Of course, as decades changed, the types of Golden Books offered also changed. New titles were added to reflect the societal values of the times in which they were published. In the late 1950's and early 1960's, the books became one of the 1st examples of product placement. Johnson and Johnson junior-size band-aids were included in each copy of Doctor Dan and Nurse Nancy. Television began to play a dominant role in titles. Such characters as Hopalong Cassidy, Howdy Doody, Bugs Bunny, and Lassie appeared. Over the ensuing years, those TV characters have included favorites from Sesame Street, Disney, and The Power Rangers.

And now the books, originally published in a partnership between Simon and Schuster and Western Printing and Lithographing Company in Racine, Wisconsin, have officially been declared a piece of history. An exhibition detailing the story of the 65-year old series is now on display at the National Museum of American History.

The exhibition features some of 500 original illustrations, books, coloring books, and puzzles that the Smithsonian received from the Western Printing firm in 1992.

Little Golden Books has been a financial success. More than a billion and half books have been sold. Of course, that 25-cent price tag is now history. Today, the books cost $3.59 on Amazon.

But some things haven't changed. For example, The Pokey Little Puppy, which was one of the first 12 titles published, is essentially the same story that appeared in 1947. And it has proven to be extremely popular. Officials say  more than 15 million copies of the book have been sold, making it the most popular title in the series.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips

The advent of Little Golden Books predates my arrival on the planet by 5 years. As a voracious childhood reader, I amassed quite a collection of the books. I kept a few of my favorites for my son Michael, who was born in 1973. He added newer ones. On his most recent trip to DC, I introduced my 4-year-old grandson, Owen to the series. He chose How Do Penguins Play? But there was a huge difference in the way the 3 of us purchased our books, a difference that dramatically demonstrates how much change has occurred in 60 years. While I got the majority of my titles from the Woolworth's Five and Ten store in my South Jersey hometown and Michael got his from the Kids section in local bookstores, Owen got his with a push of a button. He and I went to Amazon, he picked out his title, and in less than a minute, the book, with all its colorful illustrations, was on my Kindle ready to read.

Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath

While no photographic exhibition could capture the full scope, impact, and horror of war, the extensive, emotionally challenging, intellectually powerful Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath now on display at the Corcoran Gallery of Art comes awfully close.

Beginning with a 4-shot series of the jet plane hitting the 2nd Twin Tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 and concluding with a somber single photo of a twisted wristwatch stopped at 11:02, the exact time on August 7, 1945 when the 1st atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the landmark exhibition immerses viewers in the life-changing experiences of soldiers and civilians in conflicts from the Mexican-American War to the current battles in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Images of Armed Conflict consists of 300 photos taken by 185 photographers from 25 countries of wars spanning 165 years on 6 continents.

The exhibition is arranged in a thematic arc. Areas examined pictorially include:

• The advent of war
• Recruitment, training, and embarkation
• Media covering and dissemination
• Patrol and troop movements
• Resistance and sabotage
• The wait
• The fight
• Rescue
• Exhaustion and shell shock
• Property destruction
• Death
• Burials and grief
• Medicine
• Camp life and daily routine
• Leisure time
• Civilians
• Support
• Faith
• Children
• Refugees
• Iwo Jima
• Executions
• Retribution and homecoming
• Victory/Defeat
• Memorials
• Remembrance

Heroes all - Those living and those who fall.

Tales, Tidbits, Tips

After viewing the exhibition, visitors are invited into the Reflection Room. One wall of that room contains the famous poem "In Flanders Field." The other 3 walls are covered with post-it cards bearing statements from visitors.  Here is a small sampling of those messages:

• From Stalingrad to Iraq, every inch is clear - War no more
• May my sons never see the fields of war
• War is an unnecessary evil
• Porque? Why?
• Please accept my resignation from the human race
• We must learned from history so we stop repeating this

You have until the September 29 closing date to view the exhibition and add your thoughts if you choose to the reflections wall. 

A Midsummer's Night Dream, Synetic Style

The Synetic Theater Company, or as we like to call it, the world-class theater in our Crystal City basement, is back, this time with a revival of one of their former productions A Midsummer's Night Dream.

As with all of their Shakespeare adaptions, the play is silent, meaning the setting, staging, costuming, music, dance, physical action, and especially in this case, the actor's expressions and reactions have to carry both the story and message. And they do.

In its review, the Washington Post called the play "a particular sensual pleasure. It was not just energetic and sexy; it was light, big-hearted and magnetic." The Washingtonian gives the play 4 stars, claiming in its review that the revival is "a visually stunning piece, as well as one that truly embraces the comedy component of Shakespeare’s dreamy work."

Of course, the Synetic story line follows that of Shakespeare's original comedy - the adventures of 2 couples who get stranded in a forest and fall victim to the pranks of fairies and sprites, and the misadventures of five buffoonish actors attempting to put on a play.

Alex Mills as a bent-back Puck

The play usually is dominated by the character Puck and that is true of this Synetic version. An incredibly lithe and limber, blue, spiky-haired Alex Mills flips and swings his way through the mystical moon-lit forest on vines.

A special shoutout also goes to Synetic in-house composer Konstantine Lortkipanidze, who gets much stage time playing piano live for the silent-film, slapstick happy, modern-dressed actors' troupe.

The play, with a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes with no admission, continues until Aug. 4.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
Shakespeare's plays are made to be seen, not read about. And this Synetic version is no different. Click here to view the official trailer for the production.

Beatles Spotted in DuPont Circle Mansion

Listen,
Do you want to know a secret?,
Do you promise not to tell?, whoa oh, oh.
     - Lennon and McCartney

Now that Deep Throat has been uncovered, Washington's best kept secret is The O Mansion. 

    - Savannah Magazine

The Beatles in DC?

What could be more British than the Beatles? Maybe the birth of a royal British baby? But what if you could combine the two into a single celebration party. Well, blimey blokes ... you'd have one bangin' big British birth day/band bash, wouldn't ya.

That was the situation earlier this week when The Mansion on O Street hosted the wax likenesses of John, Paul, George and Ringo walking down Abbey Road, now a display in DC at Madame Tussauds Museum near Ford's Theater.

The precise date was chosen because it marked the 50th anniversary of the release in Britain of The Beatles' 1st album Please Please Me. But in a fortuitous turn of events, the party took on additional British significance when Kate and William (or Kate and William as they are known all over the world) proudly announced the delivery of an heir to the British throne earlier in the day.

The unique mansion is a fascinating DC attraction, albeit one that isn't quite as recognizable as the White House or the Lincoln Memorial. Defying a single descriptor, it is at the same time a hotel, museum, musicians' hangout, art and crafts display gallery, book repository (with more than 30,000 books), and party hall. It's kitschy, kooky, elegant, eclectic, mysterious, marvelous, and just a damned fun place to spend time.

Prior to the official presentation of the Beatles figures, guests, with early Beatles tunes as a soundtrack, explored the mansion/museum's 100 rooms with its 32 secret doors. My wife just kept saying "amazing, I love this place. Look at this" over and over.

O staffers had placed Beatles artifacts and memorabilia, including signed guitars, rare photos and a letter John Lennon wrote to a laundry, throughout the museum's 4 open floors.  Many of the guests took part in a special Treasure Hunt for All Things Beatles. Items to be found ranged from a picture of Yoko Ono with the founder of the mansion, H. H. Leonards Spero, to Sean Lennon's guitar.

In this bathroom,  John Lennon always shines on

The mansion was an especially appropriate place for the Tussauds Beatles night since one of its themed suites is named The Lennon Suite and features all things John. The suite includes a bathroom where the floor features an lighted image of Lennon. Then there is also the fact that H. H. (as she likes to be called) is on the Board of Directors of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Later, as many guests lined up to get a picture taken with their favorite Beatle, a singing-guitar playing group of musicians from Austin, Texas kept others swaying and singing along to Beatles songs.

On our walk back to the Dupont Circle Judy and I agreed that our 1st visit to the Mansion would definitely not be our last. You too can visit for the day or a stay. If you would like to spend a night or 2, prices range from $350 a night for a small bedroom to $25,000 a night for 20 bedrooms, 32 bathrooms, 10 whirlpool tubs, 6 steam showers, 2 rain showers and sauna, 11 kitchens, 2 elevators, 11 special event rooms, 18 fireplaces, 3 laundry facilities, 2 business centers, a game room, the Amnesia Room, an exercise room, and a private chef. But no matter what option you choose, as the Beatles themselves once sang, you will enjoy your magical mystery tour of the Mansion.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
Of course, I had to get my picture taken with the likenesses of the 2 living Beatles and post it on Facebook, contending that I was at an exclusive DC party for the royal birth. And just in case you are wondering as I was, it takes 6 months and costs about $300,000 each to create a Madame Tussauds figure. By comparison, in 1963, the total session time cost for producing Please Please Me was £400, the equivalent of £10,000 today.

Paul, Ringo, and Dave

Hey, Hey They're The Monkees

Nesmith, Dolenz, Tork or, as their fans call them, Mike, Mickey, and Peter

I freely admit it - I've always been a fan of the Monkees. I know. In 1966, when their popular TV show 1st aired, they didn't write their own songs. They didn't play the instruments on their records. They were dismissed by many rock purists as an American fab-ricated four, created for the sole purpose of capitalizing on Beatlemania.

But those facts, while obviously true, didn't represent the whole story. Their TV show clearly demonstrated that there was a chemistry and wit among Davy Jones, Mickey Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork that was akin to that of John, Paul, George, and Ringo. The Monkees developed an updated, surrealistic, droll humor that was reminiscent of the Marx Brothers. The entertaining musical numbers on the show were an early form of MTV videos.  As for their initial songs, they were composed by some of the best writers of the time - Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, Carol King, and Neil Diamond. They became huge hits that are permanently etched in collective AM music memory. Soon, however, the Monkees began playing their own instruments and composing their own songs. Much like the Beatles, they moved from cuddly moptops to experimental psychedelics, rejecting old ways and promoting a lifestyle calling peace, love, drugs, and understanding. And like the Beatles, by the time the 70's came in, they were gone.

Until the other night, however, when I saw my 1st Monkees live show at the Warner Theater, I had forgotten just how much I had once enjoyed the Monkees extensive musical catalog, especially the deep album cuts and songs from their cult movie Head.

Of course, there are only 3 Monkees now. Davy Jones' death in 2012 meant that the entire band would never perform together again. Interestingly, the remaining Monkees never directly addressed Jones' death on stage. They let their handling of his biggest hit "Daydream Believer" do that for them. "We knew we had to do the song, it was such a big hit for us," Dolenz told the sold-out crowd. "We went back and forth. Should I sing it? Should Mike sing it? Should Pete sing it? Finally, Mike came up with the solution. He said it's not our song anymore; it's your song." And with that, as they have been doing at each stop on their A Midsummer's Night with the Monkees tour, Dolenz called a member of the audience up on stage to lead the crowd in a massive sing-along.

The crowd, many members sporting Monkees T-shirts from previous tours, was well warmed up. From the 1st notes of the opener "Last Train from Clarksville," they had been singing along with the songs they remembered - some from the show, some from the radio, some from their turntables. "She," "You Just May Be the One," "Mary, Mary" "Randy Scouse Git," "For Pete's Take," "No Time," "Words," "Goin' Down," and "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round?."

The biggest ovation of the night came from a double-play at the 8th and 9th spots in the 30-song, 2-hour set. Number 8 was introduced this way. "Hey kids," Dolenz said "I want you to know that I sang  this way before Shrek." And with that, the keyboardist in the 7-piece backup band broke into the instantly recognizable intro for "I'm a Believer." After the raucous applause, cheers, and whistles faded, the band jumped right into "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," one of the definitive garage rock classics of all-time.

During almost every number, clips and outtakes from the TV show and Head were shown. Between songs, the 3 Monkees engaged in light banter. Throughout the night, they switched instruments. Sometimes, Dolenz was on the drums; sometimes guitar. Tork played guitar, banjo, bass, and keyboard. Nesmith played mostly guitar, but did play organ on one number, and, after a funny exchange about promise and cost with Dolenz, used his voice for a Moog synthesizer on the trippy, ethereal  "Daily Nightly."

The concert concluded with a 2-song encore: Nesmith's "Listen to the Band" and the 1967 hit "Pleasant Valley Sunday." It was time for final bows. The crowd delivered an enthusiastic sendoff. Many had missed and mourned Davy Jones. Others were happy for the return of Nesmith, who hadn't played with Dolenz and Tork in more than 30 years. The guy exiting behind me probably said it best. "Those Monkees, some good times, some good memories." Like most of the crowd, and indeed The Monkees themselves, he walked away, slower and less steady than he would have in the 60's. But, on this night at least, he was still a believer.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
So what Monkees' song did I like best? I knew what it would be as soon as we purchased our tickets."(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone." The song not only is way cool (cool enough to have been covered by The Sex Pistols), it includes one of the 1st organ rides I ever learned. Click here to hear to a live version of the song from 2012. And be sure to listen to that 4-note organ part.