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Coffered ceiling of a DC Metro station

African elephant in the rotunda of the Smithsonian

Made a dash down to DC for a few days to visit Claudette.  First time spending more than a few hours in the district.  Great restaurants (stayed on Dupont Circle), interesting museums, clean and friendly enough – but thought that it lacked the swagger and personality of NYC.

Although DC has a somewhat limited subway system, it is spectacular.  Smithsonian museums are free, but you make up for it in incidental charges.  The African elephant in the rotunda of the  Museum of Natural History is somewhat emblematic of the Smithsonian, but I have mixed feelings about it (shot by a hunter in Angola in 1955).

Highlight of the trip was the Hirshhorn Museum.  Got a few ideas for an installation while visiting there.

Very excited to have a new fossil in the collection.  This is a knightia eocaena from the Green River Shale formation in Wyoming (the Wyoming state fossil).  These small fish are some of the best known fossils in the world.  Thanks to Gail for bringing it back on a recent trip and Rachel for the expert guide services.  Last night I dremmeled off some of the extra matrix and stabilized the back in preparation for mounting it in a case.