Much Needed R & R…

Saturday a good friend and I ventured out to Occoquan, Virginia. This very small, quaint town is located about 40 minutes outside of DC off of I-95 S heading towards Richmond, VA. This historic town was founded in the 1700s on the Occoquan River. The 2000 census counted this tiny town with a population of 759. The minute you arrive in this charming town, you definitely feel like you have left the city.

This town was picked for our Saturday Thelma and Louise road trip as after calling around on Friday, this was the first spa I found that had availability for two massages at the same time. Our destination and goal for the day was Dansk Day Spa at Occoquan for a massage. The spa was quite lovely and serene. My favorite part might have been when filling out the information sheet pre-massage and responding to a question asking about your preferences for talking during your massage. I love the silence and have definitely been in a situation or two where the masseur wouldn’t stop talking. I checked that box with glee!

Our adventure to Occoquan started though with us going to the Pink Bicycle Tea Room for lunch before our 1:30pm massage appointments. The minute we walked in the front door of the Pink Bicycle Tea Room, the smell of fresh baked scones overwhelmed us. On this chilly Saturday, there really couldn’t be a much more pleasant smell and place. There is a sitting room in the front with a rack full of hats—in case you want to look the part for your tea. We were then led to our table for two, after they checked to make sure they could accommodate us as we did not have a reservation. Our table, by the window in the backroom, was set with individually unique tea cups, little plates and the littlest embroidered napkins for your lap. Even at the age of 29, I loved every minute of this girly tea outing. After this and my last week indulgence of Disney princess shaped chicken noodle soup, I think I officially may be 29 going on 12. As we sat down to tea, we were greeted by our very friendly waitress who explained the menu and the best way to proceed on our journey. We both chose the Little Cottage Tea which consisted of their homemade scone of the day with homemade cream, their soup of the day that was an unbelievable tomato soup, fresh fruit and little English cucumber sandwiches.  There was even a little China sugar bowl with tongs to drop a cube of sugar in our cups of Black Currant Orange Spice tea after we poured it from the tea pot on our table. While we were eating the owner came by to see how we were doing and to tell us of her love of throwing tea parties every day. This might have been one of the cutest places ever. To all the ladies out there, I highly recommend coming here.

Overall, the goal for the day was accomplished and this was definitely a perfect weekend for some much needed rest and relaxation…



The Weekend of the Wurzburgs...

well, two of the three. This past weekend I knocked off two things on my DC Bucket List with Jill and Sarah Wurzburg: The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and watching a Bears game at Union Pub.

 

I will start with the National Museum of the American Indian as I highly recommend seeing this museum if you live here or plan on visiting. The actual topic of American Indians may or may not be one that interests you but the landscape of this museum, the way it is put together the visual displays is very interesting. Even looking at the structure it doesn’t look like your standard museum building and looks out of place in downtown DC.

I truly enjoyed the set up of the exhibits. This museum was simply fun to walk through. My favorite were the exhibitions on the fourth floor “Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World” and ‘Our Peoples: Giving Voices to Our Histories.” As a visitor you wind around the fourth floor in a circular fashion walking literally into the displays finding yourself immersed and stimulated with video, graphics, artifacts, words and sound. It is remarkable. Even over head there are star-like light displays. I highly recommend taking the required 13 minutes to watch the video, Who We Are also playing on the fourth floor in the Lelawi Theater. The theater room is circular as well and in the middle is a four sided structure with four rug-like panels on each side. The panels are white and obviously going to be the screens for which the images were projected but they look like woven rugs. In the middle of the structure on the floor is a rock and then up above a dome. The entire movie is projected on the “screens” but then additional images appear on the rock at times, over head as well and various artifact boxes light up in the audience seating. It was hard to see it all as I was constantly looking around trying my best not to miss anything—very fun. Down on the main floor in The Potomac atrium live music and performances took place, which can be heard from all levels when you step out of a specific exhibit. For those who enjoy seeing a museum that is unique both inside and out, this museum is a definite must even if you just go for a short visit. My favorite quote that I pulled from the wall was, “When they leave this world, all the K’ixannay (ancestors) go to a place where they can dance forever. So when we pray we ask them to come back and dance with us. During this time, the world is being remade and all of the ancestors are with us. During our Jump Dance, the spirits of the ancestors watch from behind a cedar-plan house. When we conclude our portions of the dance, it’s the ancestors turn to dance”—Mervin George Sr. Community Curartor, 2000. I definitely love the idea of  dancing forever J

Then on Sunday I finally made it to see a Bears game at what is known as the only true Chicago Bears bar in the DC area, Union Pub, which is justifiably right near Union Station. To put it quite simply, Bears Game at Union Pub = Good Times Had by All. As you walk in the door it is clear that this is a Chicago Bears bar. At the front entrance is a shrine to none other but Mike Ditka—his photo framed on a table, with candles and a full glass of beer. Once inside, you notice that everyone is in Bears gear. Even the outside area was packed come game time. Personally I wouldn’t want to sit outside of a bar for over 3 hours in 40 degree cold weather but the dedication the Chicago fans have was very obvious at Union Pub. Throughout the game with every touchdown you stand, cheer with your new friends at neighboring tables and then sing along as the Chicago Bears fight song is played not once but twice over the bar’s speakers. And last weekend there was a lot of singing to be had! It was if I was back in Chicago drinking cheap beer and eating not-so-great bar food. Definitely a must for all Bears fans in the area.

And on that note, for those Bears fans out there that are gearing up for the Bears-Packers playoff game on Sunday I leave you with this…

"We thank Ditka, and God, for all they have provided, for the food we eat, the air we breathe, and for the domination enjoyed by a certain team, from a certain town..." 

-Bill Swerski SNL
 

Watch Out Camelot...

I am currently moving into the stripper phase or in my case, the dancing-like-a-stripper phase as this week I found myself in a class entitled “Coyote Ugly” taught by the owner of Pole Pressure: Pole Dancing for Fitness. I am not sure what I expected walking in but I arrived right after a somewhat advanced pole dancing class, which was very intimidating, to a room full of stripper poles with the lights dim and the room’s windows covered by purple curtains.

Unlike “Cardio Striptease” in Chicago, this class had a little more sass to it and a little less core strengthening. The teacher of this class, the owner of the company, has an extensive pole dancing resume and from my understanding was even one of the Top 12 pole dancers in both 2009 and 2010. This was quite a change from the teachings of former Chicago Luvabulls that I have become accustomed to.

To better explain, the best moment of the class might have been when the music was turned off as it was time for a lesson. The very important, serious, non-music-playing lesson was how to properly flip your hair. Yes, there is a correct and proper way to flip your hair when dancing. There is a method for a flip to the right, flip to the left and my favorite, the straight up and down flip.  There is the proper way to operate and not get your hair caught in your lip gloss—her words, not mine. The objective is to hide behind your hair, with exact steps given on how to achieve this, and then reappear in a fast but seductive manner. She instructs that as you come out of the flip you are to keep your mouth partially open as if you are making an “ah” sound with just a little bit of teeth showing. “Feel free to vocalize the 'ah,'” she encouraged. Needless to say, I entered the class with straightened hair in a neat ponytail and walked out looking like I was on my way home from a 1980’s prom.

Speaking to the setup of the room, it was definitely not arranged for a dance/workout class. The poles which filled the room, as the majority of the classes taught in the room are pole dancing classes, created quite an interesting obstacle. As I am someone who still has to explain how she sprained her back while in a yoga class, I did not need to add a story about how my head injury was the result of doing a “proper” hair flip in to a stripper pole. Luckily, this was not in the cards for me that night.

So, bottom line, will I go back again? Definitely, yes. But next time I plan on attacking the Pole Level 1 class as I want to try becoming one with the poles, rather than having to spend the hour doing my best not to face-plant into one. Watch out Camelot* here I come…

*Camelot Show Bar – Home of Washington’s Most Beautiful Showgirls

Just Made It...

As I stood in line yesterday for over 40 minutes, I was fully aware of the fact that I was not alone in realizing that it was the last day to see the Norman Rockwell exhibit, Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Once I made it inside, I realized that it was definitely worth the wait.

For some in the art community Norman Rockwell is considered an illustrator rather than an artist. For me I was introduced to his work through years of wall calendars hanging in my family’s kitchen. But to see his original paintings up close one cannot help but notice his true skill and point of view.

Many of the paintings simply made me smile such as Triple Self Portrait, Tender Years, The Convention and The Jury Room. In The Jury Room, it is a image of a jury where there is only one woman in the room and you can tell that all the men are trying to change her mind but she will not budge. Her mind is made up and that is that. Right behind her is Norman Rockwell himself.

One of my favorite pieces is Marbles Champion. I was very excited that I had the opportunity to view it this show. I have a copy on a tile-like surface and have always loved it as it reminds me of my brothers and me. The two boys, one blonde and one with very dark brown hair, are watching as the little girl takes all the marbles J

In addition to the joy of viewing the actual works, this show highlighted how all three gentlemen, Norman Rockwell, George Lucas and Steve Spielberg, take a cinematic approach to storytelling. One of the best parts of the show was a short film where George Lucas and Steven Spielberg talk about what first drew them to his work. They also speak of the pieces that they specifically purchased, their interpretation of the work and what the paining means to them in their lives and films. It was very entertaining to hear George Lucas speak about how he started being able to collect these pieces as he acquired additional “resources.” Listening to their personal stories and the stories that they drew from the artwork made the artwork that much more interesting and appealing. It was also interesting to see what pieces each of them were drawn to. It appeared that George Lucas was more about the story telling and the fantasy whereas Spielberg focused more on the theatrics with the individuals and their expressions.

Spielberg who owns Boy on High Dive noted that he put it in his office as we all face these “high dive” moments in life. That fear we have as we approach the edge, clinging to the board as we peer out to what lies ahead but a fear that we must overcome to take that leap. He related it to his releasing of Schindler’s List stating that he clung to the diving board for 11 years before taking the plunge. It was definitely an idea and piece that I related to, as I am sure many others do as well.

I am glad that I was able to get to the museum to catch a glimpse of some original works of the iconic Norman Rockwell through the eyes of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. It was an all around feel good show with great pieces of art. Spielberg noted that Rockwell depicted an American that probably never was, but one that we all believed existed and continue to strive for. Unfortunately as I started, yesterday was the last day of the show but as I was hoodwinked into buying a Smithsonian membership, I am sure I will return again…