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Washington, DC - June 1999

By: Mercedes Vinciguerra

June Highlights

June; summer heat, hordes of tourists and
residents escaping the city.

For those of us who
wish to brave the heat and tourists, DC makes
summer bearable with a full agenda as it gears
up for the unforgettable 4th of July Celebration
(more on that later).

Be prepared for
temperatures in the 80's & 90's, long lines and
lots of tourists! To get weekend going-ons in the
city check the Washington Post.

Virginia Renaissance Faire ï¿½
Saturdays & Sundays thru June 13th.

Join Alexandria for its 250th Anniversary Celebration with
parades, exhibits, waterfront
festivals and Civil War
reenactments.

Did someone say "Let the Force be
with you"? If so, you may want to jump
on the bandwagon and catch this
much-awaited flick.

Smithsonian Sampler

Folklife Festival
June 23rd ï¿½ June 27th.

Events
include dance parties, free
concerts and take place each
evening from 5:30 ï¿½ 9:30pm.

Hirshorn Museum & Sculpture
Gardens hosts Art Night on
Thursdays beginning at 5:30pm.

See local artists performing
opera, dance, and see foreign
films.

National Gallery of Art - West
Building

It has only taken
200 years for Pierre Lï¿½Enfantï¿½s
plans to have a formal
landscaped garden grace the
National Mall (Bureaucracy at
its best?), but now visitors to
the museum will be able to
view sculptures from such
artists as Joan Mirï¿½,
Magdalena Abakanowicz, Joel
Shapiro and Alexander Calder.

Opens Sunday May 22, and is
open Mon - Sat 10 to
5; Sundays 11 to 6.

(7th Street &
Constitution Avenue) Metro
Archives/Navy Memorial.

New Exhibits

Freer Gallery

Winged Figures: June 5th - February 19

Whistler and the Hadens: June 20th - April 2nd

Sackler Gallery

Russo/Japanese Prints

June 11th ï¿½ November 26th

Portrait Gallery

In his time A portrait of Ernest Hemingway

June 18th ï¿½ November 7th

Haupt Garden

Under the Sun - An Outdoor Exhibition of Light

June 19th ï¿½ September 6th

African Art Museum

Claiming Art/Reclaiming Space - Post Apartheid Art From South Africa

June 20th ï¿½ September 26th

July Preview

There's nothing like the 4th of July in the Nation's Capital and I highly recommend you to celebrate the last Independence Day before the Millenium on the grounds of the Washington Monument.

Pack a picnic, cards, backgammon and a good book and spend the day people watching, foot tapping and hand clapping as the crowd swells to thousands to witness the most phenomenal fireworks display in the U.S.

Saludos!

My name is Mercedes, and I live in the Nation's Capital Washington D.C.

I was born in New York, raised in Miami, and have been living in this spectacular cultural den for the past two years.

My decision to become a correspondent is totally selfish; I want to gain travel writing experience before I begin my year long journey through South East Asia.

Hopefully, my article will not only be informative but have personality as I take you on a virtual tour and show you Washington through my eyes (let's pray my vision is 20/20!).

How it all began:

My love affair with this magnificent city began on a random visit four years ago.

Having returned from Europe the previous year, I was transfixed by the city's resemblance to Paris.

My eyes were filled with panoramic views of majestic buildings, wide tree-lined avenues and rainbow colored tulips.

Just when I thought I had seen the most beautiful part of Washington, I caught sight of a spectacular cupola rising in the distance - Capitol Hill.

If you are not good at making decisions, Washington will leave you in indecisive limbo.

The monuments are beautiful day and night, with hundreds of fabulous restaurants and a metro that will challenge you to explore even the most hidden treasures.

What's my favorite thing about DC? Free museums!

Into music? Then catch a free concert at the Kennedy Center.

Into more progressive sounds? Then check out these websites for upcoming concerts and hotspots.

Want to just sit and relax?

Then find your way over to the Washington Monument, plop down your backpack, take out your favorite book and watch the world pass before your eyes.

Washington DC's resources are endless, and I will do my best to share them all with you.

Accommodation

Youth Hostels

Capitol Hill Guest House

Hotel Information

Shopping

Sorry ï¿½ I refuse to send anyone to a mall other than the
Washington Mall but if you cannot resist the urge
sidewalk.com should lead you to some shopping
links.

Miscellaneous

If you have bad knees or are not into walking ï¿½ here is a
tourmobile site that will take you to all major monuments.
It will cost between $25 ï¿½ 32 USD, but is worth it if you don't
have much time to spare.

I want my Internet!!!

Cafemyth.com - hottest new cyber cafï¿½ in Georgetown gives students free computer usage with I.D.

3241 M. Street, NW 202.625.6984

Brief Trivia

Did you know that we have Thomas Jefferson to thank for American's daily use of tomatoes...?

Yes, it's true. It was 1701 when Jefferson took the first bite of the fruit that was then believed to be poisonous.

Each day in Arlington, Virginia, 15,000 meals are served at The Pentagon.

The Pentagon is also the world's largest office building, encompassing more than 583 acres.

What do presidents Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Harrison, Tyler, Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson have in common?

They were all born and raised in Virginia. More U.S. Presidents were born in Virginia than any other state.

Did you know that if you turn the Kennedy Center on it's side, it is taller than the Washington Monument?

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