Tag Archives: Georgetown

July 15, 2021 · 2:49 pm

Go “Inside the Wardrobe” for a Fun & Unique Fashion Experience

Give David some new duds at Inside the Wardrobe. XO

As we emerge from the pandemic — and our comfy “house” clothes — many of us are ready and excited for new, unique experiences. One just opened in Georgetown, and it’s timely, relevant, and so much fun to explore: Inside the Wardrobe, an interactive art installation and fashion funhouse celebrating the return to getting dressed in real clothes and going out again.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first heard about the “journey through more than 20 interactive experiences focused on the fun and tactile nature of engaging with your closet.” But I was intrigued. I like clothes and fashion (though actually being fashionable is another story), plus I love checking out new things around town, especially after missing them for so long. So I visited with my friend, Torey, last weekend (my kids were way at camp) and we had a blast exploring it all!

The 20,000 square foot space in Georgetown Park contains more than 20 exhibits/spaces, all them wildly creative, fashion-inspired, interactive, even kind of trippy. It’s meant to be very Instagrammy — there is even a Hall of Selfies and placemarks on the floor for getting your best shots — which is not usually my thing; I prefer to be behind the camera. However, the imaginative environments and fun experiences had me both snapping and posing away!

There are interactives and photo ops galore as you explore different components of fashion. You can try on paper doll cutouts, play with size in a fun house, get a close look at beautiful handiwork, take pics in whimsical and delightful settings, strut the catwalk, and so much more.

I can’t wait to return with my kids when they get back — I know they’ll dig it, too. (Though I can also see this being something teen friends would love doing on their own.)

What’s your favorite outfit?

Inside the Wardrobe runs through ~~August 29~~ September 26 (extended!) in Georgetown Park located at 3720 M Street NW (across from the DMV). Hours are Thursday – Friday 5-9pm, Saturday – Sunday 10am – 9pm. Admission is $28/adult | $24/students, seniors, military | $19/age 4 and up — a little steep, but worth it if you’re looking for something unique and delightful to do.

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Filed under 2021, All ages, DC, Exhibit

Tagged as Family Fun DC, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, Georgetown, Inside the Wardrobe, July 2021, Kids Activities in DC, Summer 2021, Teen Activities in DC, What to do with kids in DC

May 3, 2021 · 5:01 pm

Scenes from the Finally Reopened, Very Much Missed Dumbarton Oaks Garden

Of the many re-openings happening over the next month, the Dumbarton Oaks Garden may just be the one I am happiest about, mostly because it’s the first time visitors can return since it closed last spring. While many places welcomed the public for a brief period last summer and fall, the Garden’s gates remained closed — and I, for one, really missed being able to visit.

Dumbarton is one of my go-to places for peace and calm, when I just want to stroll around and relax in a beautiful setting. (So, it’s probably understandable why I missed it so much over the last year.) The Garden’s 16 acres are a horticultural haven, with countless varieties of flowers, plants, and trees throughout the many plats of the terraced grounds. It’s breathtaking year-round, but especially vibrant right now with spring blooms and bright, fresh foliage. Pre-Covid, Dumbarton was a regular recommendation from me, and I’ve written about it several times — you can read more here, here, and here.

The hardscapes are just as lovely as the landscapes. There are several fountains (that look freshly cleaned!), benches and other lovely spots to sit, and many garden sculptures. And the Pebble Garden, probably my favorite area, is a patterned pebble mosaic with a fountain at one end and encircling walls covered in wisteria. It’s absolutely enchanting… though, really, the whole garden feels like it’s out of a fairytale,.

Dumbarton isn’t just a place I love; our whole family enjoys visiting together. We’ve been there many times over the last decade. When the kids were younger, we’d take them to play next door at Montrose Park or go for a short hike on the Dumbarton Oaks Park trail (located behind the estate), maybe have a little picnic, then head to the garden for its afternoon open time (note that picnics are not allowed at Dumbarton). They always loved walking around, exploring, and seeing what delights awaited around every corner.

As the kids have gotten older, we usually pair a visit to the Garden with a meal in Georgetown. If we want something quick, we walk down to Jaco Juice and Taco Bar a few blocks away on Wisconsin Avenue and sit outside. We might also walk a little farther to Martin’s Tavern (a DC institution), Peacock Cafe, or Cafe Milano.

Right now, the Garden is only open to those with season passes, which are available for purchase and start at $75 for one person (and you still need to get timed-entry tickets). Beginning May 15, it will be open to all with $7 timed-entry tickets to control capacity. Masks are also required as a safety precaution, and the bathrooms are not open, so prepare for that.

Dumbarton Oaks Garden is located at 31st and R Streets NW in Georgetown. You can usually find two-hour street parking very close to the entrance. Hours right now are 3-6pm on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Beginning May 15, 2021 it will be open Tuesday – Sunday, 3-6pm. You must reserve a timed-entry ticket in advance. Admission is $7. 2022 Update: THe gardens are open to all Tuesday – Sunday, 2-6pm.

Get more of a glimpse in these snaps from my recent visit…

Scenes from a Visit to the Dumbarton Oaks Garden

Recently, when I put together the round-up of 10 Great Places to to Enjoy Autumn in the DC Area (that are not Farm Festivals), I realized that it had been a little while since we’d been to some of those spots — many since last fall, go figure. One of them was the garden at Dumbarton Oaks, the beautiful grounds of the historic estate in Georgetown that is now a museum and research library.

Part of the reason we hadn’t been there in so long was because the garden was closed all last spring and half of summer while it was undergoing renovations. The other parts were the weather, which seemed to be either too hot or too rainy for what felt like forever, and the hours (2-6pm Tuesday – Sunday), which are hard to fit into our schedule.

Every path leads somewhere lovely

But last weekend we found ourselves with a wide open afternoon on a gorgeous early fall day, so Sasha and I headed across town to enjoy the botanical oasis and some quality time together. As with all our visits there, we just wandered and picked our paths as we went. A couple of new sightings this time: 1) A bunny! 2) A woman picking a pear off a tree and eating it right there. (For the record, I don’t think that’s actually allowed, so don’t go picking and eating fruit and saying you heard it was cool from KFDC!)

I’ve written about the gardens at Dumbarton Oaks a couple of times before, so you can click here and here for more insight. You can also get an idea of just how lovely it is in the images below.

Dumbarton Oaks Gardens
Where: Georgetown, DC
When: Tuesday – Sunday, 2-6pm (2-5pm November 1 – March 14)
Admission: $10/adult, $5/child | FREE November thru mid-March

(Click on images to see them them larger.)

Checking out a “natural” sculpture on the south lawn

Bunny!

A lovely place to wander

Pan, mid-dab

Pears are ripe (but not for the picking!)

A peek in the Arbor Terrace

Who else hearts elephant ears?

Light & shadows in a vine covered walkway

Cherry Hill glows with pink blossoms come spring

Teepee-like sculptures decorate this expanse

The Catalogue House contains images that depict recent renovations

Cartwheels on the Ellipse

Lots of monarch sightings — it’s time for their migration to Mexico

My favorite, the Pebble Garden

A view from above

And another…

Pomegranates (again, no picking!)

An extra pop of color

Hi!

Check out this bonehead 😉

The north lawn is a great spot for slo-mo videos of kids running (if you get those requests, too)

Quod Severis Metes – As you sow, so shall you reap

Bright Horizons to Open Three New Early Education Centers in the DC Area

It’s never too early to start preparing your child for Kindergarten. With Bright Horizons opening three new early education and preschool centers in the DC area, this is the perfect time to begin planning your baby or toddler’s enrollment in their fun, educational, and stimulating Preschool and Kindergarten Prep programs.

Bright Horizons at Rosslyn (Arlington, VA) will open in December. Bright Horizons at Georgetown will open this January. And Bright Horizons at Boone Boulevard (Tysons Corner) will open this coming spring. All three new centers will offer full- or part-time Preschool and Kindergarten Prep programs that focus on developing school readiness in all areas of academic and social learning.

Their READY for SCHOOL preschool program is filled with investigation, exploration, and discovery, where active and enthusiastic children can refine and expand their skills and knowledge. Through intentional teaching practices, purposefully-designed learning environments, and enriched activities, teachers ensure that preschoolers have joyful, appropriate, and meaningful learning experiences that lead to success in school and in life.

Their Kindergarten Prep Pre-K program helps children advance skills in core pre-academic areas such as literacy, math, and science, as well as in other essential areas such as art, social and emotional well-being, and health and wellness. Their child-centered approach ensures that children are exposed to a diverse array of learning activities and that they thrive in all areas of child development, creative thinking, complex problem solving, empathetic collaboration, curious investigation, and astute decision making.

All three centers will offer programs for Infants – Kindergarten Prep. Contact them today to discuss enrollment.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bright Horizons, however, I only promote events, services, and activities that I truly believe in and/or think would appeal to KFDC readers.

Free to Roam at Dumbarton Oaks Gardens During Fall and Winter

A little chill in the air (or a lot, for that matter) never stops us from getting outdoors. In fact, sometimes that’s exactly what entices us to get out — crisp, cool weather and the brilliant hues of autumn foliage or even colder temps and the exhilaration that comes as we warm up with activity.

And at Dumbarton Oaks Gardens in Georgetown, there’s an extra appeal to al fresco outings during the cool seasons: Free admission. From November 1 – March 15, you can wander around the 10 acres of enchanting terraces and landscaped plots at your leisure — without paying a dime.

We enjoyed both the complimentary admission and the gorgeous autumn weather there with friends this past weekend, and it was a perfect time to go. Fall flowers are on display, and there are stunning views of brilliant foliage of Dumbarton Oaks Park just behind the gardens.

You can read more about Dumbarton Oaks Gardens in a post from awhile back. And this one will give you a glimpse of our most recent visit. Something to note if you plan to visit is the limited hours — the gardens are only open 2-6pm Tuesday through Sunday. But it’s worth planning around that short span of time to go. You can do like we did and enjoy a picnic at Montrose Park right next door, take a short hike on the trail just behind the grounds, or grab some lunch on M Street before making your way to the gardens.

Dumbarton Oaks Gardens are located at 31st and R Streets NW in Georgetown. It’s open Tuesday – Sunday from 2-5pm (closed Federal holidays). Admission is free from November 1 – March 15. During the regular season, March 15 – October 31, it’s $7 per person.