Darwin’s Darkest Hour at National Geographic
English naturalist and eminent scientist Charles Darwin helped convince the world to accept the scientific principals of natural selection and evolutionary biology. His 1859 book, On the Origin of the Species, helped lead the non-scientific world to understand that man evolved over millions of years from apes. While the theory had been around since before the time of Aristotle, it had never been effectively and scientifically expressed.
Darwin took complex biological subjects and made them accessible...
September 25th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Attractions, Darwin, evolution, featuredarticle, movies, National Gepgraphic, The Arts, Washington DC
Final Home Stand for the Nationals
The final Washington Nationals home games this season are against the New York Mets. And this season can’t seem to end quickly enough for the Nats.
Another dismal year with the worst record in baseball leaves the Nationals in last place in the National League East.
This season the Nats barely one one out of three games they played.
And daily attendance has reflected it – down by over 20% versus last year and the lowest average attendance per game since the team moved from Montreal to...
September 21st, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: baseball, Family Friendly, MLB, Nationals, Nats, outdoors, Washington DC
5 Fun Washington, DC Activities for Fall
The Fall season is just a couple days away and a beautiful time in and around Washington, DC.
The leaves on the trees are changing, the summer heat and humidity is gone and the lack of summer tourists makes getting into museums, exhibits, events and other vacation hot spots significantly easier.
So here’s five fun ideas for Fall; many of which I’ll have multiple posts on The DC Traveler in the near future with all the details.
Enjoy the Beautiful Fall Colors – From Skyline Drive...
September 19th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Attractions, Events, fall, Family Friendly, Halloween, oktoberfest, Washington DC, wine-festival
Free Monuments Tour for Just a “Tip”
Touring the National Mall in Washington, DC on your own can be so very fun, but sometimes you want the back story…the facts…the history…the dirt.
And that’s where DC By Foot come in with their Free Monuments Walk Tour.
Walking tours of the national Mall monuments, led by energetic, knowledgeable guys who love American and DC history not only take you on a guided tour, but can tell you stories and provide background information you normally might not hear and make you laugh.
And the tours...
September 16th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: DC vacation, monuments, National Mall, Tours, Washington DC
The Jersey Boys Invade Washington, DC
Probably the most popular American singing group until the British Invasion brought The Beatles to America, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, launched into rock & roll history with their first number-one million selling hit “Sherry” in 1962.
The Four Seasons went on to record a series of pop music hits that sold 175 million records worldwide spanning several decades. Classics such as “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Dawn (Go Away),”...
September 15th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, Jersey Boys, National Theatre, The Arts, Washington DC
Learn About and Sample Mediterranean Food, Wine and Olive Oils
From Italian wines to Greek and Spanish olive oils, the Mediterranean region is known for its healthy cuisine and delicious wines.
Now’s your chance to jump start your knowledge of Mediterranean wines at the Mediterranean Wines Festival and Classes at the Whitemore House in Washington, DC.
Get to sample over 30 wines from 11 different countries, including wines from some of the best grape producing areas in the Mediterranean including:
Priorat, Penedes and Valencia regions in Spain
the Italian...
September 14th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Events, Food & Beverage, Restaurants & Bars, Washington DC, wine class, wine tasting, wines
Meet Top Authors at the National Book Festival
Seventy-five bestselling authors including mystery and fiction writers David Baldacci, John Grisham, John Irving, Julia Alvarez, history writers Ken Burns and Gwen Ifill and celebrity chef and children’s book writer Paula Deen will be among many authors presenting at the 9th annual National Book Festival in Washington, DC.
Organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, the National Book Festival attracts thousands of book lovers from around the country and dozens of authors from popular...
September 11th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: books, Events, Family Friendly, festival, Freebies - Free or No Cost, National Book Festival, National Mall, Washington DC, writers
Photo of the Week – Is that an Alien in Constitution Gardens Lake?
One recent morning during a National Mall bike ride, I spotted this alien looking National Park employee in full wet suit, gloves and gas mask walking chest deep in Constitution Gardens Lake, adjacent to the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
She was spraying an algaecide from a long hose connected to a large truck-mounted feeder tank.
Single-cell blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is a natural inhabitant of many of the pools, ponds and fountains around the...
September 6th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Constiturtion Garden, National Mall, National Park, News, Reflecting Pool, Washington DC
Free Arts Festival Open House at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC
... diverse cultures from around the globe.
Kennedy Center Arts Festival Open House
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
2700 F Street, NW
Washington DC. 20566 (map it)
Dates & Times – Saturday, September 12, 2009 – Noon – 6:00 p.m.
Admission – Free but some performances may require a ticket.
Nearest Metro Subway Station – Foggy Bottom/George Washington University station (- Blue and Orange lines, then a 3-block walk or use the free Kennedy Center shuttle. It runs...
September 5th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: arts, Attractions, Events, Family Friendly, festival, Kennedy-Center, street preformers, The Arts, Washington DC
Art, Fun, Food and Music at Adams Morgan Day in Washington, DC
The annual Adams Morgan Day Festival in Washington, DC is a melting pot of the District’s people, cultures, music, dance, foods and arts.
Started in 1978, the fest is the longest running street fair in DC and delivers tons of free music and dance, tasty food from around the globe and great shopping.
So check out all that the Adams Morgan Day Festival has to offer. This year there are two new areas:
The new Green Pavilion – Features sellers of all things green.
The new DJ Pavilion...
September 3rd, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Adams Morgan, DC, Events, fairs, Family Friendly, festival, Washington DC
Live Music in Washington DC – Rock Guitarists plus ZZ Top
The Washington, DC music scene is rocking this month, with ZZ Top, Peter Frampton, Motorhead and more.
With hits like “Baby, I Love Your Way”, “Show Me the Way” and “Do You Feel Like We Do.” guitarist Peter Frampton brings his hits and talk box for a night of music. Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 7:30 – $75.00
Another blues & rock guitarist, Johnny Winter, will be playing some older blues tunes, but most likely not his signature tune “Rock...
August 31st, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Birchmere, nmusic, Ram\'s Head, The Arts, Washington DC
Futuristic Green Police Vehicle Hits DC…or at Least the National Gallery of Art Police Team
Perhaps you’ve seen the unique three-wheeled Segway-like transports being ridden by National Gallery of Art Police around the museum in Washington, DC.
The vehicle is the all-electric T3 Transporter by T3 Motion. The rider stands up, holding on to a motorcycle-like handlebar for balance and steers similar to a bicycle. The front-wheel drive T3 is powered by an electric motor driven by two rechargeable lithium batteries.
With user selected top speeds of 5, 8, 10 or 12 mph, and an optional...
August 30th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: national-gallery-of-art, News, police, Segway, Washington DC
Monument Monday – Joseph Henry, The Smithsonian’s First Director and Master American Scientist
Imagine Washington, DC without the multitude of Smithsonian Museums. So much of American and global history, and science and nature and can be found in the one of the many Smithsonian Institution’s museums.
Joseph Henry (1797–1878) was considered the greatest American scientist since Ben Franklin. He was appointed as the Smithsonian Institution’s first director or “Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution,” and ran the upstart Institution from 1846 until his death in 1878 at the age of...
August 24th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Attractions, Family Friendly, Freebies - Free or No Cost, history, museums, National Mall, Smithsonian, The Arts, Washington DC
Photo of the Week – Too Young for Woodstock
This past weekend at the Sylvan Theatre on the National Mall in Washington, DC, a 40th anniversary live music concert celebrating the 1969 Woodstock music festival was held.
While the small crowd seemed to enjoy the music school students putting on multiple performances, clearly this child did not.
Perhaps the caption should be “Too Young for Rock ‘n’ Roll…Too Old to Cry.”
Image – from personal collection — ©2009, Jon Rochetti
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August 22nd, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Events, music, National Mall, News, Photos, Washington DC, Woodstock
American Revolution Society of the Cincinnati’s Anderson House
The Society of the Cincinnati is chartered to preserve the ideals, fellowship and memory of the Revolutionary War officers from the 13 original states and France who served and sacrificed during American Revolution.
Formed in 1783 in Washington, DC, the Society holds one of the largest collections of manuscripts, books, maps, portraits and models relating to military and naval history during the American Revolution through the War of 1812. Their state-of-the-art research library allows historians...
August 20th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Anderson, Attractions, Cincinnati, embassy row, Tours, Washington DC
Step Back into the 1940s at the Free Military Big Jazz Band Concert in Rock Creek Park
Enjoy a free outdoor Joint Service Big Band Jazz Concert featuring the US Army Blues, the US Navy Commodores and the US Airmen of Note performing at Carter Barron Amphitheatre in Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC tomorrow evening.
The evening should be a fun night of big band jazz and classic swing music from the sounds of Glen Miller, Duke Ellington and Count Basie to the Latin big band sounds of Tito Puente.
And the King of Swing himself, Benny Goodman and his orchestra, once performed at the...
August 15th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: big band, concerts, music, Rock Creek Park, The Arts, Washington DC
Victory in Japan Ends World War II – V-J Day..or is it?
World War II was the most widespread war in history, involving 100 million military personnel from 58 allied countries and 10 Axis countries.
The war started in September 1939 with Germany’s invasion of Poland and ended on August 15, 1945 when Japan surrendered.
In the six years, an estimated 20 million soldiers and 40 million civilians died as a result of the war across Europe, Asia, Africa and most of the high seas.
But this week, we commemorate “V-J Day” (Victory over Japan or “V-P...
August 12th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Attractions, Family Friendly, History & Information, museums, V-J day, Washington DC, world war II, WW-II
Calling All Foodies…Washington, DC’s Restaurant Week Starts August 24th
Prix-fixe lunches for just $20.09 lunches and dinners for $35.09 dinners, offered at over 165 of the top Washington, DC restaurants…That’s DC Restaurant Week.
Most participating restaurants offer both the three-course fixed-price meals but a few only offer the fixed price at either lunch or dinner. Drinks, tips and taxes are not included.
Restaurant week is an ideal time to try a new restaurant that has been on your “must try” list or splurge at an old favorite.
Most restaurants...
August 11th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: dining, Food & Beverage, restaurant week, Restaurants & Bars, Washington DC
Washington, DC’s Constitution Gardens – Dedicated to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Mostly overlooked by visitors to the National Mall, a memorial to the 56 signers of The Declaration of Independence and Founding Fathers of the United States, is located at Constitution Gardens. In the center of Washington, DC’s National Mall, it’s dedicated to the 56 men who risked everything for America’s freedom from Britain.
The beautiful 50-acre (200,000 m2) park, between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial was originally under the waters of the Potomac River. In the early...
August 7th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 4Filed under: Attractions, Constitution Gardens, Declaration of Independence, memorials, Monuments & Memorials, National Mall, Washington DC
The Story Behind the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC
Dedicated to the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and third US President, the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC is one of the most visited monuments on the National Mall by vacationers. It’s also one of the most photographed memorials during the annual cherry blossom festival.
But it almost ended up in another location, off the National Mall.
Designed by architect John Russell Pope, the Jefferson Memorial was built between 1939 and 1942 in West Potomac Park along the Tidal...
August 6th, 2009 | Jon Rochetti | Read More | Comments: 0Filed under: Attractions, Family Friendly, Jefferson Memorial, memorials, monuments, tidal basin, Washington DC
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