Washington tourism tips in summer, or what I know so far (part 4 of 5)

The summer's nearly over so I must scurry to get these last two posts to you. No, I haven't been back to Arlington Cemetery yet, and yes, I know I promised that visit a few blogs ago. I promise it will be the final blog Sept. 20!

See, it's easy to get sidetracked in DC, to find new places to fall in love with you never expected would hit you so profoundly. That first happened at Lincoln Memorial, then the Air and Space Museum. Frankly, whenever I've seen the Potomac I've waxed poetic: it's stunning, and reminds me of the history I'm walking on every day, every hour.

I urge visitors to Washington to make a bee-line for the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian American Art Museum (a name that confused me, because the museums are conjoined like an Oreo cookie.) Reasons are myriad, but if you hurry you'll catch the delicious John F. Kennedy exhibit of photos surrounding both his presidency and the campaign. I particularly delighted in the photos of Nixon, looking all cocky and positive, followed by the KENNEDY WINS headline at campaign headquarters. Taking a close look at young Jackie and Jack you'll feel transported back to the early 60s. I happened to have been born during his presidency (August 1961) so perhaps it's genetic that I "feel" this president more than some others.

Another highlight of the museum is the gasp-worthy, tinfoil-laden The Throne of the Third Heaven by James Hampton, a spiritual collage and homage to cardboard, foil, glue and God. I couldn't get enough of it, and I just stumbled across it yesterday. It's inspired me to bend things out of the foil on my steak.

I also recommend the Civil War room, though fair warning: you will see Confederate soldiers/personalities. But all of this is set against the Union side, and pictures of Abraham Lincoln and his ilk aren't far away. I had a fascinating conversation with an African American guard there, who told me, "We're on the verge of another civil war now." That's the thing with museums: if you aren't reading between the lines and engaging in conversation after taking in their works, you're missing the point. Other highlights come from Hopper and other American artists, as well as a photo and letter-memorabalia exhibit of all things Sylvia Plath.

If you're a lover of coffee and salads and high greenhouse-like outdoor spaces, the cafe and attached atrium will make you feel so relaxed you might fall asleep. Instead, just grab a bowl of beef and barley soup or some pricy salad, as I did, and watch the cultured tourists saunter by. I enjoyed hearing a Brit discuss the progeny of Gunpowder tea.

Top: Visual Artist Hawkins Bolden. Middle: James Hampton's ethereal, foiled "The Throne of the Third Heaven".

Bottom: Edward Hopper's "Cape Cod Morning".