There are so many things I love about Washington DC, but one of my new favorites is the National Portrait Gallery. The museum was undergoing a six-year renovation during the time I lived in DC so it wasn't until a couple years ago when I was visiting friends that I first discovered this great place. It's located in the Patent Office Building, one of the oldest federal buildings in Washington, DC. The building renovations highlight beautiful porticoes, colonnades, vaulted galleries, and a curving double staircase. There have been some really fun exhibitions over the past couple of years. I really enjoyed Elvis at 21: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer (I pretty much love everything Elvis), One Life: KATE, A Centennial Celebration (who isn't taken with the lovely Katharine Hepburn), and Telling Stories, an exhibition that explored the connections between Norman Rockwell’s iconic images of American life and the movies (George Lucas and Steven Spielberg to be specific). The permanent exhibit, America's Presidents, is at the top of my list. This exhibition was my first stop this trip back to DC. I prefer the more formal presidential portraits such as these:
However, there is something for everyone. Maybe a more modern approach is your style. What do you think of this portrait?
Conveniently located right across the street from the National Portrait Gallery is my new favorite DC restaurant, Proof. Dinner there started with a small plate of mixed olives with citrus and thyme. We followed that up with a selection of cheeses: Montgomery’s Cheddar (England, firm, sharp, nutty, fruity), Pecorino Foglie di Noce (Italy, semi-hard, salty, earthy, walnut), and Dante (Wisconsin, firm, rich, earthy, toasted almond), served with honey, toasted raisin bread, and dates. We ended with a warm flatbread featuring creamy Vermont burrata, asparagus, and green beans. Of course fantastic wine accompanied every course. My favorite was a Italian white wine: Tocai Friulano di Lenardo.
No trip to DC is complete without a visit to Iwo Jima. How will you honor our fallen service members this Memorial Day?
I love the Lincoln! Is it me or is there a resemblance? Sounds like a fun trip! Can't wait to hear more!
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