Library of Congress

Back in February, I saw an add on UEN to apply to the Library of Congress for a 4-day seminar in the summer. I thought this sounded like a great opportunity, so I put in my application, not really expecting anything to come of it, because of the national pool of applicants for 5 sessions of about 20 people each. Well, last week (actually on the day they said they'd let people know), I found out that I got into a session! So I am headed to Washington DC in July! Four days will be spent at the Library of Congress, doing research and prepping documents for use in my classroom. I am going to extend my visit, because, hey - I'm in DC!

I spent three days there a few summers ago with Holly and had a great time. Three days was enough to see the important stuff, but not enough time to see everything - so some of my must-see-sites were already on my list. The seminar lasts until about 4:30 each day, which will leave some time for museums and sites and such, but not a lot - many close at 5:30 daily. So I'm thinking that I'll be able to see the monuments and get to the few museums that are open later, and then spend my other days in those earlier-closing museums. When Holly and I were there before, we did things on the cheap - especially eating - and while I'm not huge on going to nice restaurants (especially on my own), I am looking for a little bit better food than hot dog vendors (though those dogs are delicious!).

Here's my list of stuff to see and do while I'm in DC:
US Botanic Garden
Eastern Market
Folger Theater/Shakespeare Library
National Postal Museum
Sewall-Belmont House
National Museum of the American Indian
National Air & Space Museum
Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
National Museum of American History
National Museum of Natural History
National Archives
Ford's Theater
Old Pavilion at the Post Office
International Spy Museum
Chinatown - Friendship Arch
National Geographic Society
Holocaust Museum
National Cathedral
Mount Vernon
Monticello
Soldier's Home/Lincoln's Cottage
Arlington Cemetery
Memorials on the Mall


I've also been working on my reading and movie-viewing list of DC settings to prepare. I've always enjoyed reading books which have settings of places that I've been to or are going, but haven't always been able to find great fiction books, especially, and especially on purpose. I came across this great site - BiblioTravel which does just that - matches settings to books.

Book List:
Big Bad Wolf - James Patterson
Bourne Identity - Robert Ludlum
Dear Mr. President: FDR-letters from a Mill Town Girl - Elizabeth Winthrop
Digital Fortress - Dan Brown
Hunt for Red October - Tom Clancy
The Hyde Park Murder - Elliott Roosevelt
Killer Hair - Ellen Byerrum
King - Ho Che Anderson
King of Torts - John Grisham
Lincoln's Santuary - Matthew Pinsker
Mr. Lincoln's T-mails - Tom Wheeler
Purple Dots - Jim Lehrer
Y: The Last Man 1: Unmanned - Brian K. Vaughan (trilogy)
Lost Symbol - Dan Brown

Movie list:
Pelican Brief
Legally Blonde 2
Bourne Identity
Mr. Smith goes to Washington
National Treasure
Night at the Museum
Houseboat
In the Line of Fire
Dave
Clear and Present Danger
Spy Game
Sum of all Fears
All the President's Men
American President
Transformers
Get Smart
Burn after Reading
Forrest Gump
Mission Impossible 3

Any suggestions?