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anotheranonI decided to use the Valentine's day holiday as an opportunity to devote the entire day to D. Yes, I know - slushy, slushy, slushy! - but I spend so much time going or doing or contemplating or reading that I don't always give him the attention he deserves, so we made a day of it.
First off, went to the Library of Congress. Neither of us had ever visited and D. really wanted to see the Gutenberg Bible (scroll down), one of only 3 complete vellum copies in existence.
We did see it, and it is quite impressive. I have to admit I found the Giant Bible of Mainz even more impressive, because it was entirely handwritten. Might not be a technological breakthrough, but the sheer effort involved staggers the imagination!
We wandered around and looked at the decorative frescoes, and read the many quotes lauding books and libraries within. Not as impressed with the frescoes as with the quotes, which unfortunately escape me at the moment!
We also pressed our noses against the door of one of the by-appointment-only research/reading rooms. It's a bibliophile's wet dream - all rolling ladders, dark mahogany paneling, vaulted marble ceilings and quiet, well lit tables for reading and taking notes. It's almost enough to make me want to research something just to get into such a marvelous room!
We walked through the Churchill exhibit, and by that time they were about to close. We were both starving, anyway, so we got back on Metro for the trip home.
After a frenzied trip to Ben and Jerry's (D.'s favorite), I picked up dinner from Mamma Lucia's, home of too much Italian food and one of D.'s other favorites (well, mine too :P) (I also noticed that it was situated across the street from a hospital and shared it's strip mall with a Haagen-Daz and a Krispy Kreme. Good location - clog your arteries, go across the street to clean up :P)
We're both working off food comas from our first thick, cheesy sticky Italian food in months. It was GOOD.
I think he had a good time. Everything went off without a hitch, which is a happy irregularity as most of my plans with D. have always gone awry in one way or another.
First off, went to the Library of Congress. Neither of us had ever visited and D. really wanted to see the Gutenberg Bible (scroll down), one of only 3 complete vellum copies in existence.
We did see it, and it is quite impressive. I have to admit I found the Giant Bible of Mainz even more impressive, because it was entirely handwritten. Might not be a technological breakthrough, but the sheer effort involved staggers the imagination!
We wandered around and looked at the decorative frescoes, and read the many quotes lauding books and libraries within. Not as impressed with the frescoes as with the quotes, which unfortunately escape me at the moment!
We also pressed our noses against the door of one of the by-appointment-only research/reading rooms. It's a bibliophile's wet dream - all rolling ladders, dark mahogany paneling, vaulted marble ceilings and quiet, well lit tables for reading and taking notes. It's almost enough to make me want to research something just to get into such a marvelous room!
We walked through the Churchill exhibit, and by that time they were about to close. We were both starving, anyway, so we got back on Metro for the trip home.
After a frenzied trip to Ben and Jerry's (D.'s favorite), I picked up dinner from Mamma Lucia's, home of too much Italian food and one of D.'s other favorites (well, mine too :P) (I also noticed that it was situated across the street from a hospital and shared it's strip mall with a Haagen-Daz and a Krispy Kreme. Good location - clog your arteries, go across the street to clean up :P)
We're both working off food comas from our first thick, cheesy sticky Italian food in months. It was GOOD.
I think he had a good time. Everything went off without a hitch, which is a happy irregularity as most of my plans with D. have always gone awry in one way or another.
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no subject
Date: 2004-02-14 09:21 pm (UTC)If you want to refresh your memory of the quotes, without leaving the coziness of home, there is a virtual tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building at http://www.loc.gov/jefftour/
Re:
Date: 2004-02-15 10:11 am (UTC)Re: quotes: I've looked at the frescoes they have online, but it shows the art, not the quotes. I finally remembered one though: "The greatest good is knowledge, and the greatest evil is ignorance." SO true!