Continuing on the “around the world” theme from my latest post, music enthusiasts and those who are just plain curious to peek inside some of the almost 200 embassies and foreign representations in Washington, take note: the Embassy Series may be just the thing for you. 

The Embassy Series opens the doors of embassies and ambassadors’ residences to the public by hosting concerts featuring American and international artists therein. Ultimately, these events aim to promote international understanding and global cultural diplomacy by featuring a country’s music or musical contributions.

According to the Embassy Series’ web site (www.embassyseries.org), “Such a backdrop allows the audience to ‘get a feel’ for the nation being represented, which is key to promoting and celebrating the diversity of both a host embassy and Series patrons.” In addition to the musical aspect, events provide guests with the opportunity to mix and mingle with the featured artist, other guests and embassy staff at a reception hosted after each event.

Since making its debut in 1994, here are some impressive statistics about the Embassy Series:

• Worked with over 100 ambassadors
• Hosted over 300 concerts at 46 different embassies
• Featured more than 500 artists

Preview of Performances

While the Embassy Series’ next performance at the new Chinese Embassy is sold out, celebrate Schubert’s Birthday at the Embassy of Austria on January 29, 2010 with acclaimed pianist Matthias Soucek. Soucek is the first Austrian and youngest winner of the International Brahms Competition in Hamburg, and has released seven CDs to date.

Next, welcome the beginning of spring a tad early on March 12, 2010 at the Ukrainian Embassy with pianist Inna Faliks. Faliks debuted with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the young age of 15. She has since given recitals in Carnegie Hall, Paris’s Salle Cortot, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Hall, and more.

Jumping ahead a few performances and down to South America, enjoy An Evening of Tango at the Embassy of Argentina on June 12, 2010. This event and recent events at the residence of Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustapha, and at the Embassy of Bahrain demonstrate the many cultures and musical genres the Embassy Series spans in its very special version of cultural diplomacy.

Browsing through the list of other upcoming performances, you have a veritable musical passport around the world at your fingertips. All you have to do is book your ticket!

A Boltbus turns a corner onto H Street in Northwest Washington.

By Elisabeth Grant

D.C. is a great place to be, but sometimes you’ve just got to get away. And with all those holiday presents sucking wallets dry, traveling cheaply is more important than ever this time of year. What’s a starving college student/young professional/person living in this economy to do? How about take the bus?

While perhaps not the most glamorous way to travel, taking the bus is an easy and affordable option. Let’s look at the perks, shall we?

1. It’s Cheap!
We’re talking prices for one way or round trip tickets that range between less than the cost of a cup of coffee (regular coffee! not even the fancy kind) to about what you’ve pay for a nice dinner out. That’s right, a bus ride out of D.C. will cost you between $1 and $35. Do you even need any other perks?

2. Buy Tickets at a Moment’s Notice
Many of the hassles that come with other types of travel aren’t a worry when you ride the bus. For the spontaneous traveler, its no problem buying tickets the day of (or even a few hours before). Buses come pretty much every hour.

This sign advertises the Far East Bus in Chinatown

3. Quick Departure
There’s also no need to show up hours before departure. Most of the bus lines recommend that you show up at least 15 minutes in advance so your seat isn’t given away to walkup passengers. And while it’s smart to observe this, many a passenger has been seen sprinting down the streets of D.C. to catch their bus with minutes to spare. No backups at security here.

4. Free Wi-Fi
Whether you’re trying to get some work done, or just catching up on CuteOverload, travel with BoltBus or MegaBus to partake in their free Wi-Fi.

5. Non-stop or one stop
One of the downsides of car travel is all the stops. Stopping for gas, stopping for restrooms, stopping to eat. With bus travel there’s a bathroom on board and driver focused on the destination.

Now that you’re totally convinced that bus travel is the way to go, let’s check out your options:

Chinatown Bus
The Chinatown Bus is grandfather of bus travel in the area. For years if you were looking for a cheaper alternative to Greyhound, the Chinatown Bus was the way to go. However, there isn’t exactly one Chinatown Bus. Rather, there are a few bus lines that go from Chinatown D.C. to Chinatowns in Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.
Cost for one-way: $1 to $35
Destinations: Philadelphia, PA; Atlantic City, NJ; , New York, NY; Boston, MA
Departs D.C. From: H St. NW, between 7th and 8th
Nearest Metro Stops: Gallery Place-Chinatown and Metro Center

BoltBus
The BoltBus is actually a collaboration between the Greyhound and Peter Pan bus lines. Along with it’s competitor MegaBus it offers free Wi-Fi to passengers. It also offers power outlets at most seats (a feature MegaBus is still working on on many of its buses).
Cost for one-way: $1 to $25
Destinations: New York
Departs D.C. From: 10th St. & H St. NW (North of 700 10th St. NW at the Old Convention Center parking lot)
North of 700 10th St. NW at the Old Convention Center parking lot Washington, DC 20005
Nearest Metro Stops: Gallery Place-Chinatown and Metro Center

MegaBus
MegaBus is BoltBus’ competition. It too has Wi-Fi. It too has fares that start at $1. It’s slightly set apart in the fact that many of MegaBus buses are double-deckers. This allows for more riders, which can be a good or a bad thing.
Cost for one-way: $1 to $25
Destinations: New York
Departs D.C. From: 9th Street & H Street, NW, parking lot
Nearest Metro Stops: Gallery Place-Chinatown and Metro Center

Vamoose
Vamoose has fewer frills (i.e. no Wi-Fi) than MegaBus or BoltBus. And while it doesn’t offer $1 tickets, its $30 price is comparable to what you’re likely to get on the other buses. Some riders will also prefer Vamoose’s pickup locations, in Arlington at the Rosslyn metro, and in Bethesda, Maryland.
Cost for one-way: $30
Destinations: Bethesda, MD and New York
Departs D.C. From: 1801 N Lynn St., Arlington VA
Nearest Metro Stop: Rosslyn

Now sing it with me! The wheels on the bus go….

The holiday season is here… time for some holiday cheer!

Washington can’t typically claim snowy landscapes peppered with sleigh bells ringing, children sledding, and extravagantly decorated storefront windows. But it does offer something that few places around the world can offer: a microcosm of holiday celebrations.

Beginning in late November and throughout December, several foreign embassies and the U.S. government celebrate the holiday season each in their own festive way.

AMERICA, AMERICA!

The U.S. National Christmas Tree on December 4, 2008, during the 2008 Lighting of the National Christmas Tree Ceremony.

Why not kick off the holidays with a good old American tradition – visit the National Christmas Tree on the White House’s Ellipse (aka. the south lawn). The tradition began under President Calvin Coolidge in 1923 and has come a long way, baby: This year’s tree is the most energy efficient and brightest in history, powered by LED technology. If you missed the lighting ceremony on December 3 – fewer than 10,000 tickets were available by lottery – the tree will stay up until January 1, featuring free nightly performances (downloadable program in PDF) and other activities.

The National Christmas Tree will soon be joined on the Ellipse by the National Chanukah Menorah on December 13, with a special lighting ceremony that day at 4:00p.m. A quick drive down the street to the Capitol Building’s West Lawn (Constitution & Independence Avenues), the Capitol Christmas Tree will be lit on December 8 at 5:00p.m., with the ceremony open to the public.

ROYAL NORWEGIAN EMBASSY

For the 13th year in a row, the Royal Norwegian Embassy decks the halls with a Norwegian Christmas at Union Station, featuring a 32-foot Christmas tree and train exhibit, as well as a series of events and concerts in various venues around the city. Visit Union Station (50 Massachusetts Ave NE) between December 3, 2009-January 3, 2010.

EMBASSY OF CANADA

This Saturday, December 5, the Embassy of Canada (501 Pennsylvania Ave NW) hosts its Winter Gala. From 8:00-9:00p.m., guests will sip complimentary champagne then watch the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at 10:00p.m. Tickets go for $75 (includes music, hors d’oevres, cash bar), with proceeds benefitting the Government of Canada’s United Way Campaign. R.S.V.P. is required – email Kandice.Zeman@international.gc.ca. Photo ID required for security entrance.

EMBASSY OF GERMANY

Celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall and get your holidays in gear with the German Embassy’s Black Tie Holiday this Saturday, December 5 (limited space remains), hosted at the embassy (4645 Reservoir Rd NW). The gala’s theme is “Saluting 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall”. Festivities kick off at 7:30p.m. and include music from the band Suspicious Package at 9:00p.m., include an open bar, German holiday food and desserts, a Berlin Wall presentation, DJ, and dancing. For additional information and to purchase tickets ($70/ticket), see the ThingsToDoDC.com site.

EMBASSY OF SWEDEN

The Annual Swedish Christmas Bazaar will take place on December 5 at the House of Sweden (2900 K Street NW, Washington), the building that is home to the Swedish Embassy and a number of other organizations. The bazaar begins at 11:00a.m., offering traditional Swedish baked goods, crafts, crystal, textiles, food, books and more. The event culminates with a Lucia procession at 5:30p.m. Suggested donation: $2 at the door.

Santa Lucia After Dark Ball is next up for Sweden on the evening of December 12. Also taking place at the House of Sweden, this “holiday cocktail gala and celebration of lights” will feature the Singco Rhythm Orchestra, an open rooftop winter bar serving glögg, Swedish hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and images of Swedish winter landscapes and the aurora borealis. Tickets start at $40 (general admission).

EMBASSY OF FRANCE

Eiffel Tower, Paris

La Maison Française (4101 Reservoir Rd, NW, Washington), the Embassy of France’s cultural home, will host “Holiday Party in Paris 2009!” on December 11 from 7:00p.m.-11:00p.m. Guests will be transported “passport-free to Paris for an evening of celebration, effervescence, and early holiday shopping” with a silent auction, Parisian-inspired buffet, champagne, live music and DJ beats. Tickets available for $60 ($30 tax deductible) at InstantSeats.com.

RUSSIAN EMBASSY CULTURAL CENTER

On December 19, the Russian Embassy’s Russian Cultural Center (1825 Phelps Place NW) beckons you to “add a unique touch to your Christmas, Chanukah or Kwanzaa celebrations this year… with a unique Russian experience – without ever leaving the District.” Russian food, cocktails, film, a special “Nutcracker” ballet presentation, diplomatic greeting, and late-night DJ are all on the evening’s roster of the center’s Russian Evening and Holiday Nutcracker Celebration. Tickets and additional details are available through ThingsToDoDC.com.

Hills Kitchen owner Leah Daniels models the D.C. and U.S. Capitol building cookie cutters she designed.

By Elisabeth Grant

It’s December already? Ahh! Wait, don’t panic, ProjecTravel is here to help. Read on below for some distinctly D.C. gift ideas to bestow upon your friends and family. From items that are overtly D.C. themed, to more subtle options from around the district, hopefully this post will help you mark someone off your list.

D.C. cookie cutters
The holidays usually bring cookies in the forms of snowflakes, snowmen, stars, and ornaments. Shake things up this year by baking up some cookies in the shape of D.C. or the U.S. Capitol building. Leah Daniels, owner of Hill’s Kitchen, designed these specialty cookie cutters herself after recognizing a need for them. It seems D.C. was lacking representation in the cookie cutter aisle as well. See her modeling them at her store next to the Eastern Market metro in the photo to the right.

D.C. Metro Shower Curtain
Whether you ride the metro every morning, or just for special trips into D.C., plan your route while you wash your hair with the Izola D.C. Metro Transit Map Shower Curtain. This 72″ x 72″ vinyl beauty is an exact replica of WMATA’s system map, legend and all. And if D.C. metro-related gifts are just what you’re looking for, see the excellent list of metro-y gifts on the Unsuck D.C. Metro blog’s D.C. Metro Holiday Gift Guide.

White House Christmas Ornament
Each year the White House Historical Association puts out a new White House Christmas Ornament. This year’s ornament commemorates Grover Cleveland’s presidency, detailed in the 2009 White House Christmas Ornament Historical Essay. Or, if the Clevelands’ Christmas isn’t your cup of tea, check out the past collection of White House Christmas Ornaments (since 1981). If you give your grandma the 1995 edition it’ll be our secret.

If you’re looking for a present that doesn’t say “D.C.” quite so loudly, here are a few other options.

Museum Gifts
Besides having great cafeterias, many of the museums in D.C. have really excellent gift shops where you can buy D.C. related items and other unique gifts. About.com has a decent list of D.C. museum gift shops, many of which you can shop with online. For instance, purchase a fabulously stripey tie based on Gene Davis’ 1964 painting “Black Grey Beat” from the Corcoran Gallery of Art Shop, a Shakespeare tissue box from the Folger Shakespeare Library, or a watch camera from the Spy Museum Store.

Downtown Holiday Market
Beginning tomorrow, Friday, December 4th, shop the Downtown Holiday Market at 8th and F Streets NW. For twenty days you can shop from noon to 8 pm, perusing 180 exhibitors‘ wares. Chose from antiques, ceramics, clothes, accessories, collage, crafts, and more. At this veritable street fair you can also partake in food (falafel! Korean BBQ! mini donuts!)and a number of performances.

Give Back
The holidays are often as much a time for giving back as they are for giving gifts. So perhaps this year instead of getting something for the person who has everything, consider giving a gift to a D.C. foster child, volunteering at D.C. Central Kitchen or Greater D.C. Cares, or donating to Food and Friends.

The Uptown Theater in Cleveland Park

By Elisabeth Grant

At the Uptown Theater in Cleveland park (also known by its less romantic name: the AMC Loews Uptown 1) the selection is limited. Limited to one. One screen. One movie. But what the theater lacks in variety it makes up for in personality, style, and experience. Seeing a movie at the Uptown Theater means sitting in a theater (either on the first floor or in the balcony) looking at a 40 by 70 foot screen, surrounded by (potentially) 849 other movie goers.

It’s a great place to see a movie opening night, whether it be a new James Bond film or one of the Twilight movies. Ticket holders queue up outside until they’re let in right before the movie. There’s often a sense of camaraderie in line since everyone is there to see the same movie at the same theater at the same time.

To be fair, the Uptown Theater is not flawless. It’s a historic building with some beautiful accents, but its 1996 renovation is showing its age. The seats aren’t the cushiest and throughout the interior things are well worn. Restrooms are also in short supply resulting in long lines even when the audience doesn’t come near full capacity. But despite its imperfections the Uptown Theater is a D.C. landmark and worth at least a visit.

The Uptown Theater is a historic building, open since 1936.

Through this week they’re showing the Twilight movie New Moon at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 pm. And let me tell you, teen angst is even angstier on a 40 by 70 foot screen.

…[Uptown], things’ll be great when you’re
[Uptown], no finer place for sure,
[Uptown], everything’s waiting for you
([Uptown])…

Hello Cupcake is locating just across the street from the Dupont Circle metro stop.

By Elisabeth Grant

Hello Cupcake is dangerously convenient. You’re riding along, minding your own business on the Red Line when you suddenly notice the Dupont Circle station is next. You think to yourself, “If I just popped off here for a sec Hello Cupcake is just one block down…” And before you know it you’re off the train, across the street, and at the counter ordering a Peanut Butter Blossom, Triple Coconut, Dulce de Leche, and Peppermint Penny. The cashier wraps it up an a brown box, sticks their adorable Hello Cupcake sticker on it and you’re on your way to being the best roommate/girlfriend/sister ever.

D.C. is awash in cupcakeries right now. Georgetown Cupcake still regularly draws a line out the door on the weekends, Red Velvet is putting up a good fight as a relative newcomer to the scene, and Curbside Cupcake has made cupcakes mobile, zooming around the city tweeting as they go. And those are just a few examples.

How do so many cupcake establishments survive? Perhaps D.C. residents just have an insatiable hunger for tiny dessert. Or maybe its that each place brings it own angle to the cupcake scene. In the case of Hello Cupcake, I think it has two specific positives going for it: its fantastic icing to cake ration (2 to 1 if you ask me) and its excellent location. Right in the heart of Dupont, Hello Cupcake is easy to get to on the way home from work or after dinner on a night out.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcake!

Like the other cupcake shops in the area Hello Cupcake offers a number of delicious flavors, including many seasonal ones. Right now for the fall they’re offering Caramel Apple and Pumpkin Spice cupcakes. Year round you can select from Peanut Butter Blossom (chocolate cupcake topped with peanut butter icing and a Hershey’s kiss), You Tart (lemon cupcake with lemon cream cheese frosting–my personal favorite), 24 Carrot (carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting), and a number of others (including gluten free and vegan options).

So as you metro home off to your Thanksgiving holiday this week, maybe pop in to the oh-so-convenient Hello Cupcake and try it for yourself. Pumpkin Spice cupcakes instead of Pumpkin pie, anyone?

For all you Euro-film fans, it’s not too late to catch the last week of the 22^nd annual AFI European Union (EU) Film Showcase at the AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. Running for a total of three weeks from November 5-24, 2009, moviegoers can choose from a selection of festival award winners, box office hits and American premieres from the EU’s member states. 

According to Todd Hitchcock, film programmer at AFI Silver, this year’s lineup of films is the largest ever for the festival. It includes 39 films representing 25 (out of 27 total) EU member countries, all made possible by sponsors and supporters the likes of the European Commission Delegation in Washington, D.C., the Embassy of Sweden, and the EU member states’ cultural counselors in the city. As a point of interest, Sweden currently holds the EU presidency for that next random bit of trivia you’d like to throw out. 

So if you feel like taking a trip to Europe sans passport this weekend, the EU Film Showcase will get you there. All films are screened at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center (8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, MD ~ phone: +1.301.495.6700 ~ directions and parking).

Upcoming Weekend Highlights:

Special movie highlights this coming weekend include “Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Inferno” from France, a documentary about a 1964 film project titled “L’Enfer” by Clouzot – the French Alfred Hitchcock – that never came to fruition. This movie is tagged as a “must-see” for fans of French cinema, and was an Official Selection at the 2009 Cannes, Toronto and New York film festivals. Showing on November 21 at 4:00p.m. and November 22 at 7:45p.m.

Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria in "The Young Victoria" (2009).

The closing night film from the United Kingdom titled “The Young Victoria” promises an “energetic, sensitive and smart retelling of the romance between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.” The movie was produced by Martin Scorsese, Graham King and Sarah, Duchess of York, and written by Julian Fellowes. Film shows on November 21 at 7:00p.m. and will be immediately followed by a reception. Follow this link to view the film trailer. 

Quick List of Remaining EU Films ~ November 18-24:
(arranged alphabetically)

Ander
Spain, 2009, color, 128 min. In Basque and Spanish with English subtitles. Showing November 18 at 9:00p.m.

The Boneman
Austria, 2009, color, 117 min. In German and Russian with English subtitles. Showing November 20 at 9:30p.m. & November 21 at 10:00p.m.

Citizen Havel
Czech Republic, 2008, color, 119 min. In Czech with English subtitles. Showing November 22 at 3:30p.m. & November 23 at 7:00p.m.

Henri Georges Clouzot’s The Inferno
France, 2009, color and b&w, 94 min. In French with English subtitles. Showing November 21 at 4:00p.m. & November 22 at 7:45p.m.

I Am Not Your Friend
Hungary, 2009, color, 100 min. In Hungarian with English subtitles. Showing November 19 at 9:00p.m. & November 24 at 9:00p.m.

Klucis: The Deconstruction of an Artist
Latvia/France/Greece, 2008, color, 88 min. In English, Latvian and Russian with English subtitles. Showing November 22 at 9:45p.m. & November 23 at 9:00p.m.

Low Lights
Lithuania/Germany, 2009, color, 92 min. In Lithuanian with English subtitles. Showing November 21 at 2:00p.m. & November 22 at 1:30p.m.

Police, Adjective
Romania, 2009, color, 115 min. In Romanian with English subtitles. Winner of the FIPRESCI Prize and the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize, Cannes 2009. Showing November 20 at 7:00p.m.

Shameless
Czech Republic, 2008, color, 88 min. In Czech and Slovak with English subtitles. Showing November 18 at 7:00p.m.

Silent Wedding
Romania/Luxembourg/France, 2008, color, 87 min. In Romanian with English subtitles. Showing November 19 at 7:00p.m.

Small Crime
Germany/Greece/Cyprus, 2008, color, 85 min. In Greek with English subtitles. Showing November 22 at 6:00p.m. & November 24 at 7:00p.m.

The Young Victoria
UK/US, 2009, color, 100 min. In English and German with English subtitles. Showing November 21 at 7:00p.m.

Download the full program guide
List of films by country
List of films by date (downloadable PDF) 

Tickets:
$10      General Admission
$9         Seniors (65 and over), Students with valid ID, and Military Personnel
$8.50   AFI Members
$6         Children (12 and under)

Click here to find out how you can buy your tickets.

Is the Washington National Opera sensitive to the current economic crisis? Or are they looking for new (more frugal) viewers? Whatever their motive, the Washington National Opera keeps rolling out free performances, making wallets happy all over D.C.

Earlier this year they threw the second annual Opera in the Outfield, a free simulcast of their opening night performance, this year The Barber of Seville, at Nationals Park. And now from November 13th through the 22nd they will celebrate “National Opera Week” (who knew that existed?) with a series of free performances and events.

1. Open Orchestra Read: The Marriage of Figaro
Saturday, November 14, 2009, 6 pm
Kennedy Center Millennium Stage
Hear selections from The Marriage of Figaro performed by the Washington National Opera Orchestra and coupled with narration by Maestro Ken Weiss “explaining the art of rehearsal and answering questions about the process of preparing a score.”

2. Community In Bloom, A Ward 7 Community Project
Sunday, November 15, 2009, 3:30 pm
Kelly Miller Middle School
301 49th Street NE, Washington, DC, 20019
The Washington National Opera teams up with the Humanities Council of Washington DC and the Ward 7 Arts Collaborative to present performances and art focused on the lives of Ward 7 community members.

3. So You Want to Be a Singer? An Opera Career Talk
Monday, November 16, 2009, 6 pm
American University Katzen Arts Center, Abramson Family Recital Hall
4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC
Hear about how to start a career in opera from Christina Scheppelmann (WNO Director of Artistic Operations), Elizabeth Bishop (mezzo-soprano), and Brandy Hawkins (mezzo-soprano). Free, but to reserve seats, call (202) 448-3465.

4. Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists Recital
Friday, November 20, 2009, 12 pm
The Russell Senate Office Building, Rotunda
Constitution Avenue and 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Enjoy arias performed by members of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.

5. Hola Opera! An Introduction to Opera
Friday, November 20, 2009, 11 am
Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Library
5401 South Dakota Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 20011
Children 5 to 10 and their families are invited to a bilingual event, where Peter Burroughs and Anamer Castrello will perform arias and zarzuelas.

Ah free, music to one’s ears.

Free ticket to tour the Capitol

By Elisabeth Grant

With so many museums, monuments, and historic points of interest, it’s hard to decide where to start when touring the nation’s capital. The Washington Monument’s sheer height might beckon you first, or the White House’s grand facade, but no trip to DC is complete without making a stop at the Capitol and the still rather new Capitol Visitor Center.

In the Capitol Visitor Center you can peruse educational and interactive exhibitions in Exhibition Hall: touch a scale model of the Capitol dome, see the Lincoln Catafalque (the support of Lincoln’s casket from 1865), and check out various documents, images, and videos. Then, book a free tour of the Capitol through the Visitor Center ticket kiosks (if you haven’t already booked a tour through your Representative or online).

Highlights from the Tour:
Tours at the Capitol run like a well-oiled machine. They start off with a brief 13 minute video titled, “Out of Many, One,” which is the translation of “E pluribus unum,” the motto of the the U.S. that appears on the Great Seal of the United States. The video sets the tone for the tour and gives a quick history of how the U.S. government was created and how laws and amendments have been added over the years. Then, visitors are put into groups and paired with tour guides who deftly lead the way to a fast-paced but well-rounded tour of the Capitol. Here are some highlights you can expect when you make your way through the U.S. Capitol.

1. Statue of Freedom – Capitol Visitor Center
As you enter the Capitol Visitor Center, before you make your way to the tour kiosks or Exhibition hall, you’ll be struck by the grand, nearly 20 foot tall, original plaster model of the Statue of Freedom, the bronze figure that sits atop the Capitol dome. While this is technically a pre-tour feature, the Statue of Freedom is impressive and important enough to highlight.

Original plaster model of the Statue of Freedom

2. The Rotunda
The tour begins with a big wow–entrance into the United States Capitol Rotunda. This ornate and cavernous space leaves visitors wide-eyed, and looking upward to the elaborate fresco painted within the dome, Constantino Brumidi’s “The Apotheosis of Washington.”

The impressive Rotunda of the Capitol.

3. National Statuary Hall
The National Statuary Hall features a few of the 100 statues donated by the 50 states. The rest of these statues have been dispersed throughout the Capitol and Visitor Center.

National Statuary Hall

4. Old Supreme Court Chambers
The Old Supreme Court Chambers are an intimate and dimly lit space. But there’s something quiet and powerful about them, leaving one to imagine how intimidating they may have been back during their use.

Old Supreme Court Chambers

5. Center of DC
The star in the center of the floor marks the center of D.C. Technically this is not the geographic center of the city, but it is where D.C.’s four quadrants begin.

The center of D.C.'s four quadrants.

A trip to the Capitol Visitor Center and a tour of the U.S. Capitol is worth it for out-of-towners and locals alike. The breathtaking architecture coupled with a history lesson on our government makes for an educational and entertaining afternoon. It also doesn’t hurt that its all contained inside, and the Capitol Visitor Center even links to the Library of Congress by way of a tunnel. Good things to know if you hit Washington on a cold or rainy day.

Washington is gearing up for FotoWeek DC 2009 (www.fotoweekdc.org), a week-long festival running from November 7-14, 2009 that will showcase the art of photography at numerous locations throughout the city. In its second year running, FotoWeek DC has already become one of the largest international photography festivals in the world.

The non-profit organization behind the festival – synonymously known as FotoWeek DC – was founded in 2008 “to celebrate the power of photography.” The organization has capitalized on Washington’s unique position as a magnet for talented photographers and a host for important collections of photography.

The result last year was a resoundingly successful festival that welcomed upwards of 20,000 people to the Nation’s Capital. In addition to 71 exhibitions throughout the city at galleries, embassies, and even projected onto building façades, FotoWeek DC 2009 will also present 36 lectures, 34 openings and receptions, as well as 31 workshops and reviews of photographic work.

NightGallery DC will project images onto building façades - this image from last year's festival. Photo Credit: Paul Fetters Courtesy of FotoWeek DC.

Best of all – the great majority of these events are free and open to all who register (Free Registration for entrance to FotoWeek DC events).

FotoWeek DC Launch Party

With such a great selection to choose from, why not kick off FotoWeek DC with the opening night launch party on November 6 (6:30p.m. to late) to orient yourself and get a taste for what the week ahead has in store? Tickets are $15 in advance (register and pay online), $20 at the door.

The launch party centers around FotoWeek Central, the nucleus of all exhibits and programs throughout the city. The five locations which comprise FotoWeek Central are all within walking distance of each other in the heart of lively Georgetown.

During the launch party, attendees can catch a first glimpse of work from winners and finalists for the FotoWeek DC Awards competition and the Youth Contest, and a number of other exhibitions (see highlights by location below).

To set the mood, DJ Donald Syriani will be spinning an international mix of beats at FotoWeek Central 1 (3338 M Street NW), while guests can mingle with participating photographers and other attendees. If last year was any indication, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and lively conversation were all plentiful.

The five locations below which comprise FotoWeek Central are all open during the launch party:

Bird's eye view from last year's launch party. Photo Credit: Paul Fetters Courtesy of FotoWeek DC.

FotoWeek Central 1 (3338 M Street NW)
This is the main hub of all festival activity. View the 2009 Awards exhibition, the DC Youth Contest exhibition, exhibitions featuring images from the United States and Northern Uganda, NightGallery DC with images projected on the building’s façade, an autochrome display from National Geographic’s immense photo archives, and much more.

FotoWeek Central 2 (3306 M Street NW)
View the “My Cuba” and the “InsideOutside: New Images from Russia” exhibitions, both curated by Pulitzer Prize winner photographer and FotoWeek DC curator Lucian Perkins.

FotoWeek Central 3 (3307-D M Street NW)
In the “Iraqi Voices” exhibition, ten renowned photographers put a face to the people of Iraq. The “Brother’s Keeper” exhibition highlights people who have endured intolerable conditions, encouraging the audience to “take greater responsibility to ensure that the conditions under which our fellow citizens live are humane on all levels.”

FotoWeek Central 4 (3333 M Street NW)
This location presents “Flash Forward 2009,” featuring the work of top-ranked emerging photographers from Canada, the UK and the US for a juried contest. Also on view is an exhibition of recently-released photographic books.

FotoWeek Central 5 (1209 31^st Street NW)
The “Eyes of History” exhibition showcases award-winning photojournalism images selected by the White House News Photographers Association (WHNPA).

Additional Weekend Tips:

Official Opening Reception: Check out the official opening reception on November 7 at the House of Sweden (2900 K Street NW, Washington). The event is co-hosted by the American Film Institute and features “What Lies Beneath: Nature & Urban Landscape in EU Photography.”

NightVisions: For the hidden photographer in you, jump on board for the NightVisions all-night photo shoot. From 6:00p.m. on November 7 to  6:00am on November 8, participants can “shoot the city, people, your neighborhood, whatever you choose” with a digital camera. Then go to FotoWeek Central 1 to download your photos. Nationally-recognized photo editors, art directors and gallery curators will select one image from your shoot for display on location.