02 October 2016 | Tregoning is in Whangarei Town Basin Marina, Whangarei, New Zealand but we are in Crabtree, North Carolina
Photo: The gleaming dome of the recently refurbished US Capitol Building in Washington DC
Other than one 45-minute delay due to an accident, we had a relatively easy drive from Newcomerstown, OH, to Washington DC, where we were hosted for four nights by our good friends Doria and Dwight. They had moved from Gainesville to DC just a few months previously, so we were delighted to stay in their compact but comfortable apartment near DuPont Circle and to benefit from all of the explorations that they had made of the surrounding area. Frustratingly, I was coming down with a nasty cold, so my energy was rather sapped. Still, I was determined not to miss out on this wonderful opportunity so I napped whenever I could and slowed my pace a bit.
Randall, Doria, and Dwight outside the White House
Saturday found the four of us walking down to the White House and around the Federal Triangle. Sadly, we did not see any sign of the Obamas at the White House but fortunately, as we walked past the Trump International Hotel, we did not see any sign of Donald Trump either. We were all amused to see that there was an Internal Revenue Service building right next to the hotel, which somehow seemed appropriate given the furor surrounding presidential-candidate Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns.
Low clouds shroud the top of the Washington Monument
A curved colonnade in the Federal Triangle
We visited the National Portrait Gallery to see a temporary exhibit about Harlem and Jazz but, having never been there before, it was also a good opportunity to see some of the other permanent exhibits. These included some unusual pictures of the US Presidents and some portraits of America’s most spectacular landscapes, such as the huge but incredibly detailed Thomas Moran paintings of the Grand Canyons of the Colorado and Yellowstone Rivers. The day ended with a walk up to the hip Adams Morgan neighborhood where we stood in the street listening to musicians performing in front of various buildings in the annual “Porch Fest” before enjoying an excellent Indian dinner.
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone painted by Thomas Moran in 1872
Other activities in DC included: eating yummy baked goods at the DuPont Farmer’s Market; listening to jazz at a local pub; viewing an exhibit of Ansel Adams’ photographs at the Wilderness Society; joining Dwight for lunch at a huge, multicultural restaurant and bookstore called “Busboys and Poets”; and walking from the National Mall around the Capitol Building to the Supreme Court and Union Station. Sadly, we arrived on the Mall too late to visit the National Museum of the American Indian so that will have to wait for our next visit. But we did get to see the Capitol dome gleaming after a major refurbishment, and we found a place to get large, tasty ice-creams with which to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary.
The US Supreme Court Building
The most unusual place that we saw during our excellent sojourn in the Nation’s Capital, was just a few doors down from Doria and Dwight’s apartment, “The Mansion on O Street” (hereafter just “The Mansion). The Mansion is a luxury boutique hotel that includes a museum and is noted for eccentric interior styling which includes hidden doors, secret passages, and themed rooms which are stuffed with furnishings and fixtures that are all for sale. It is located in a series of five interconnected, four-story townhouses and includes more than 100 rooms and 32 secret doors often hidden by paintings, mirrors, or wallpaper.
The original residence was designed as three row-houses in 1892 by Edward Clark, one of the last architects to work on the US Capitol, for himself, his brother James "Champ" Clark, (Speaker of the House during Teddy Roosevelt's Presidency), and a third brother, known as "the artist." The houses were connected through the basement and main floor but not through the upper floors of bedrooms. Additional plans to replace the side garden with an adjoining home for their sister never came to fruition. The private residence was bought by the government in the 1930's and converted into three separate rooming houses for FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's G-men.
Dwight, Doria, and Randall leaving The Mansion on O Street
On February 14, 1980 the property was purchased by Ms. H.H. Leonards, and it was restored to its original character by reconnecting the row houses and adding two adjacent houses. A long-term resident of The Mansion and supporter of O Street for over a decade was Mrs. Rosa Parks, the famous civil-rights activist. Mrs. Parks was a mother figure and mentor to H.H. Leonards. Mrs. Parks entertained friends, dignitaries and guests in The Mansion and hosted a Sunday gospel brunch each month. We saw her room on the third floor along with many of her signed letters and artifacts in the museum collection. Partly following this tradition, the O Street Museum Foundation provides sponsorship, accommodation (e.g., artist-in-residence), and a venue for educational programs to encourage participation in the creative arts.
Self-guided tours have to be booked in advance (so that the number of visitors can be limited) and the challenge is made to find as many of the secret doors as possible. Rooms which are occupied by guests (typically wealthy or famous people) are locked and excluded from the tour, so the rooms available for viewing vary depending upon the choices of the guests. Room décor varies in architectural, artistic and design periods, from the Victorian Age to Art Deco/Avant Garde. Highlights include: intricate carvings, bannisters, and trim work by craftsmen who had been brought in to work on the Capitol Building; hand painted ceilings; many crystal chandeliers; a wooden bathtub; original Tiffany stained glass windows; a two-story Log Cabin; a Beatles Room; and the secluded Art Deco penthouse with private elevator.
Dwight and Randall in one of the bathrooms with a wooden bath just beyond them
Most of the artifacts in the collection, which includes signed guitars, memorabilia, documents, letters and more, have been donated by their original owners who support The Museum's mission and who periodically stay at The Mansion. Almost everything is for sale with funds so raised being used to support the Museum and its projects. It was an intriguing place but we resisted the temptation to buy anything. By the time we had descended from the top floor (where starting the tour is recommended), I was rather overwhelmed by seeing so much “stuff” and looked forward to returning to the handsome simplicity of Doria and Dwight’s uncluttered apartment.
Although we were sad when it came time for us to leave Doria and Dwight, they may have been quite thankful to see the back of my cold. I had been very careful about what I touched around the apartment and I do not think that either of them caught it, but by the time we left, I had no voice. This did not really matter as we drove south along about 30 miles (48 km) of the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park, but was a bit frustrating when we arrived in Crabtree, North Carolina.
View along the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park
Here we were to spend a night with Wendy’s father, Bob, and his wife Arra Mae on their Scottish Highland Cattle Ranch. They have a large beautiful ranch-house with a lovely view in the direction of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Despite construction work being done to provide a sunroom and a room in which Bob can display his extensive collection of Disney memorabilia, we were invited to stay in the main house in a room surrounded by Snow White posters of various vintages (Snow White being Bob’s favorite Disney character).
View from the M3 Ranch house
Bob tried to help my voice by offering me a choice of single malt whiskies from his large and well-stocked bar in the basement. I enjoyed the drink but it did not have the desired medicinal effect. Over a delicious supper, Randall had to keep up our side of the conversation when we were not listening to Bob and Arra Mae fondly relating happy stories of the various Thanksgiving holidays when Wendy had taken charge of preparing all family meals in the ranch house’s massive, well-equipped kitchen. Although tinged with sadness, it was somehow a great relief to talk with Bob and Arra Mae about Wendy and Michael, and having seen most of Wendy’s family at her memorial service in July, it was a pleasure for me to hear more about their lives.
A Scottish Highland cow
In the morning, we admired some of the shaggy Scottish Highland cattle that are the great pride of M3 Ranch. We then fortified ourselves with a huge southern-style breakfast at a nearby restaurant before make our fond farewells and setting off towards Florida…and an impending hurricane.