Spending spring break in D.C. this year? There’s plenty in and around the city to keep members of the George Washington University community occupied. Below, GW Today suggests a few options.
Meditate at the museum
Opportunities for contemplation and relaxation can be hard to come by during the busy academic year. The GW Museum and The Textile Museum (701 21st St. NW) provides a respite with a pair of linked exhibitions: “Prayer and Transcendence,” on the second floor, explores the meanings and motifs of Muslim prayer carpets, while on the third floor, fiber artist Anne Lindberg’s ethereal “What Color Is Divine Light?” installation evokes the beauty and uncertainty of human connection with the divine. Bring your yoga mat and spend a few minutes in silence.
Celebrate a groundbreaking artist at the National Portrait Gallery
"Creativity Is Magic: Maya Lin Festival" takes place tomorrow, March 11, with opportunities to tour the special exhibition “One Life: Maya Lin,” participate in workshops on the intersection of art and the natural world and even take part in the artist's ongoing multi-site memorial "What Is Missing?"
The first three digits of pi are 3.14, making March 14 a special day for nerds, pizza shops and bakeries. Specials include $3.14 off at Pizza Paradiso (3282 M St. NW, 2003 P St. NW), $3.14 off large cherry and apple pies from Whole Foods Market (2201 I St. NW) and free live music at Pie Shop (1339 H St. NE).
Root, root, root for the home team
The pro hitters are still in spring training, but GW’s baseball and softball seasons have begun. Get your batter calls warmed up and head to the Vern for softball vs. Morgan State March 15 or to Tucker Field for baseball vs. Niagara March 17.
Try a new cuisine
The area’s vibrant immigrant community means delicious meals from a variety of cultures are on offer around the city. If you’ve been in D.C. for a while but haven’t tried Ethiopian food, you’re missing out. Eater has a list of 15 local favorites here.
Revisit a cinematic classic
The Dude abides at the American Film Institute's Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md.), which hosts five screenings of the Coen brothers' "The Big Lebowski" this week in honor of the film's 25th anniversary.
Enjoy spring’s first blossoms
The National Cherry Blossom Festival officially kicks off March 18, with peak bloom predicted for March 22 to 25. But for those who want to avoid the crowds, early buds are already showing their frothy pink petals around the National Mall and the Tidal Basin (1501 Maine Ave. NW). Take the Blue or Orange Line from Foggy Bottom to the Smithsonian Metro stop.
Catch a show with GW ties
It’s not often an academic work is adapted into a musical, but that’s just what happened for Gayle Wald, professor of English and American studies in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Based on her hit book on blues-rock and gospel pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, “Shout Sister Shout!” opens at Ford’s Theatre March 15.
Take in a major ecological art installation
GW students and faculty are partnering with the Kennedy Center’s International Programming to assist in the creation of a large-scale installation by artist and designer Celia Ledón as part of the center’s RiverRun Festival, which celebrates the world’s rivers and the lives, civilizations and art they make possible. Students from a range of disciplines will work together on “The Shape of Water,” a massive, modular figure-garment made from plastic waste that will raise awareness of climate change, the pollution generated by plastic bottles, and the adverse effect of both on the Potomac River. Watch the piece come together as the exhibition is assembled between March 17 and 22, after which it’ll go on display until April 22.
Plan a staycation by Metro
Plenty of D.C.-area destinations are accessible by public transportation but feel like a whole new world. A sunny day is a perfect opportunity to take the Blue Line from Foggy Bottom to King St.-Old Town station for a visit to the picturesque historic waterfront of Alexandria, Va. Or take the Orange Line in the opposite direction to Deanwood station and wander the boardwalks of Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, a tranquil haven for migratory birds and early-spring flora.
