Results tagged “D.C.” from Intelligent Travel Blog

The exhibit "Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China's First Emperor" opens this Thursday, November 19th, at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, DC. We weaseled our way into the press preview to get you a sneak peek. But before letting us loose to see Emperor Qin Shihuangdi's lifesized warriors face-to-face, Stanford Professor Emeritus Albert Dien, guest curator of the exhibit, reminisced on his first visit to Xi'an, China, in 1977 to see the warriors who'd been discovered three years before by a local farmer digging a well. In our October Places of a Lifetime issue he relates this moment:

Turning a corner, we came upon the figure of an archer that I hadn't seen in any published literature. It was such a shock to see this startlingly lifelike figure that our hosts insisted I sit and rest awhile. . . [T]his archer seemed so vibrant, almost in motion. . .I simply sat and stared in wonderment--and the wonder has never left me, no matter how often I've returned to Xi'an.

The kneeling archer is here at our headquarters, along with 14 other figures including infantrymen, a chariot driver, two musicians, a well-muscled (albeit headless) strongman, a 700-pound horse, cavalrymen, a seemingly obsequious court official, and a general. Also on display in the 12,000-square-foot, four-themed exhibit space are 100 objects--decorative jade pieces, bronze weapons, coins, a naturalistic crane sculpture, details of the warriors' armor, and roof tiles--including 20 "Level 1" artifacts, those designated as the site's rarest and most important finds.

Brian Jungen is the first living Native American artist to have a solo show at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, and his exhibit, "Strange Comfort" opened this past weekend. Jungen creates art out of recognizable everyday objects, including sports paraphernalia: a suit of armor made of catcher mitts, a skull made from baseball skins, blankets woven from jerseys, and totem poles of stacked golf bags (above). According to this interview on NPR's All Things Considered, Jungen deliberately chooses to make art "from materials belonging to an industry that has claimed names such as The Chiefs, Indians, Redskins and Braves."

"I felt that if these professional sports teams felt that they had every right to use this terminology, then I had every right to exploit their materials for my artwork," Jungen says.

Jungen also draws inspiration from the ritual aspect of American sports.

"Professional sports play a role in society that serves like a ritual and ceremony," he says. "Having experienced that within my own family -- the dancing and drumming that I participate in -- I know how important that is. So I wanted to use that -- use things that people would recognize in their everyday world."

Here at Traveler we often say the hardest part about our job is being stuck in an office while we tirelessly research exotic and exciting destinations. Instead of overdrawing on vacation days, we have to find alternative remedies to cure our wanderlust. Last week, I quelled my travel bug, and a hungry stomach, without having to purchase a plane ticket.

It was Restaurant Week in D.C., and after perusing a long list of participating restaurants I chose Belga Café, a Belgian bistro in Eastern Market. Walking through the front doors I felt transported to a modern and lively European kitchen, and with one quick glance at the menu I learned there's much more to Belgian cuisine than waffles and beer (although I sampled plenty of the latter).

Friend of IT Lola Akinmade loves pad thai, and gives us the lowdown on where to grab the best in Northern Virginia.

Maybe it's the final sprinkling of crushed peanuts that seals the deal or bean sprouts as the only vegetable in the mix alleviating my guilt, one thing is for sure: whatever magic portion this Thai delicacy wields, it has me completely hooked.

The beauty of living in the Washington, D.C. metro area means you're blessed with instant access to high quality and authentic cuisine from all over the globe right in your backyard. With its sinful stir-fry blend of rice noodles, chili, coriander, fish sauce, egg, and your meat of choice, Pad Thai is the most popular and instantly recognizable Thai dish worldwide. My insatiable need for Pad Thai can be broken down into three distinct scenarios.

Pad Thai for the Journey
It was fate that brought me to Neisha Thai Cuisine in Tyson's Corner. Heavily frequented by native Thai customers, a clear indication of its authenticity, I stumbled upon this gem during a shopping trip. Its location in McLean and proximity to Washington Dulles International airport meant I could indulge in one pleasure, Pad Thai, en-route to observing another pleasure of mine, travel. Now, each time I head to Dulles to catch an international flight, my excitement is two-fold. A quick stop to stock up on enough Pad Thai to last the entire journey, and the journey itself.

Being in the nation's capital for the Fourth of July is one of those experiences that you never forget. Something about watching the fireworks with the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and Capitol as the backdrop is thrilling.

My favorite spot to watch is directly beneath the show. I tell everyone I know to bring a blanket and grab some room underneath the Washington Monument facing the Lincoln Memorial. The fireworks are shot from the reflecting pool so from there you feel every loud "boom" in the bottom of your gut as they're set off. At the same time, music from the National Symphony Orchestra plays over loudspeakers in time with the fireworks display. It's always packed, but there's a buzz of excitement that emanates from the massive crowd, who naturally are all adorned in red, white and blue paraphernalia. The Washington Post put together a great map that shows other places to sit and watch the fireworks.

Everyone has a different place that they think is great, so I asked some of the staff at National Geographic Traveler to share their favorite spot to watch, whether it be in D.C. or elsewhere in the United States.  Read on to get some new ideas for you and your family and friends, and share your own favorite spots in the comments.

Photographers, get your batteries charged and your memory cards cleared! The cherry blossoms are in peak bloom along the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, we know you're dying to get that perfect shot.

Unfortunately as I gaze out the office window, the sky looks boding and the weatherman has predicted a rather schizophrenic forecast through the weekend. But don't despair, just get down to the National Cherry Blossom Festival now to see the beauty of the trees! Although in my three springs in DC I have yet to really nail the perfect cherry blossom photo, I do keep trying, despite an ongoing battle with the weather and my own hectic schedule!  So check out our complete list of photo tips for getting your perfect cherry blossom photo. Full list after the jump.

Traveler photo intern Jenn Blatty recently happened upon a musical surprise while walking around Washington, D.C.

When we're short on travel time and miles away from the parts of the world that we want to explore, our own hometowns can become the closest access points to new cultures. We normally have to make an extra effort to find their niches of flavor, sight, and sound in our own backyards. But on a recent Sunday afternoon there was no effort required for those of us who happened to be strolling around Dupont Circle, as about 20-30 members of the all-women Batala Percussion Band of Washington D.C. magnetized the crowds with the Afro-Brazilian spirit of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.  They radiated samba-reggae rhythms while they drummed in a performance titled "Global Vigil in Support of the Women of Congo."

The Batala of Washington is the newest member of a much larger Batala family (and the first in the U.S.).  The original Batala band was created in 1997 by Bahia native Giba Goncalves while he was living in Paris. There are now four Batala groups in France, five in the U.K., one in Spain, one in Brazil, and one in Angola. If you think you might be interested in joining the group in D.C. (no musical experience necessary), stop by and watch a rehearsal on a Saturday.  

As a person who finds music to be one of the most powerful ways to experience the essence of a culture, I highly recommend checking out the Batala's performance schedule, especially if Brazil is on your mind for future travels.

Photo: Jenn Blatty

Those of you traveling to our nation's capital in the upcoming months should grab a pencil (or iPhone, BlackBerry, or whatever else you tech-savvy travelers use) and add a trip to see a curvaceous indoor hill constructed of approximately 55,000 sustainably sourced 2x4 wood pieces to your itinerary. Allow me to explain...

Maya Lin's (think the Eleven Minute Line in Wanas, Sweden, or the Vietnam Veterans Memorial here in D.C.) new exhibition, Systematic Landscapes, has found a temporary home in the recently renovated Corcoran Gallery of Art. IT got a sneak peak before the exhibition opens to the public on Saturday, March 14. Find out what's in store after the break.

National Geographic Traveler wants to see your best shots of Washington, D.C.!  

We're putting together a user-generated photography gallery for our website that we will post in mid-December. We want your shots from all over the city, from the monuments on the Mall to the unique neighborhoods that not all the tourists get to. If you aren't sure what kind of photography we are drawn to, pick up a magazine or wander around our website.  We love real images with great composition and a good sense of place.

To participate, first take a stunning photograph in Washington, D.C., then add your photos to the group pool on our Flickr page, and last, but not least, tag your top five images with the tag: NGTDC.  Please only tag five of your photographs maximum. Oh, and don't forget to add a description so that we know what we are looking at!

The deadline is December 15th, 2008. After that, our photo editor will pick the cream of the crop for our web gallery. You will receive placement on Traveler's website and a year-long subscription to National Geographic Traveler, the world's most widely read travel magazine.   

Photo: by assistant photo editor Krista Rossow.