D. C. Continues

Bennett is enjoying several firsts with this visit of his grandparents. One was a delicious sushi dinner at Taz, an excellent restaurant in DC after which we went to another concert, a combined performance by military chorals at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. The soloist from the U.S. Army Chorus had a voice so deep it was subterranean. His rendition of John Henry gave us chills. On Monday Jerry spent time at the National Archives researching family history. He has been able to ascertain the exact date when his grandparents arrived from Russia and was trying to find further information about where they came from. Our National Archives only has US information so the search did not yield much. Anna Lee keeps hitting a blank wall on her search but she keeps trying. We then enjoyed lunch at a popular DC eatery, the Pot Belly. Good sandwiches and an amusing picture of a shirtless Jason Alexander posing ala Playboy in the ladies room.

Jerry’s favorite store in the whole wide world is Costco. He is like a kid in a candy store and loved taking Ben for his first shopping spree.

Hillwood Gardens was the home of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the sole heir of the Post foods fortune which company evolved into General Foods. She built her home in DC with the intent of it becoming a museum. A movie giving her background and training as a art collector is narrated, in part, by her daughter Dina Merrill. Even in this heat the gardens were lovely but it was the home that was magnificent. Though a skilled collector of fine furniture, her greatest love was pre-Soviet china, icons, and Faberge eggs. The two floors open to the public are filled with the beautiful pieces she rescued from destruction when her ex-husband, Davies, was ambassador to Russia.

A special exhibit of Pret a Papier by Isabelle de Borchgrave featured over a dozen dresses and accessories made solely of paper. It was hard not to touch them to prove they were not fabric.

Jerry and Anna Lee spent the morning of the 4th of July at an organ recital at the National Cathedral. What a magnificent building it is and the acoustics are phenomenal. The duet of piano and organ performing Rhapsody in Blue was almost tactual. Our skin seemed to tingle while our ears were filled with one of the best rendition we have heard. The duet of two organists presenting Concert Variations on “The Star Spangled Banner” was also outstanding. With the threat of another storm hitting D.C. (we have had wind, thunder, lightning and driving rain), we chose to avoid the Mall and enjoy the Independence Day celebrations on television. Before kissing Ben farewell until the fall, Cheryl and Anna Lee went through Anna Lee’s mother’s cedar chest. Among the treasures rediscovered were afghans and sweaters knit in 30s and 40s as well as some for Cheryl in 1970s. These treasured heirlooms will be part of Ben’s possessions and history.

This trip and blog has had a new twist and we appreciate your willingness to follow this new journey of ours. Thanks for all the warm comments.