Sights Near Home

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Click on images below to enlarge:
At left, the entrance to our apartment building. The apartments themselves are in the taller buildings with pale brown stones set back from the street a bit. Our window isn't visible; we're on the other side of the building.	Saint Patrick's Parish is the "oldest parish in the federal city of Washington D.C." The plaque clarifies that this oldest-church claim excludes Georgetown, which predates the creation of Washington D.C. Depending on the route I take, I sometimes pass it on the way to work.	The ornate facade of a huge building that became a Forever 21 store. Quite intricate. Soon after I took this picture they painted it as part of the renovations before it opened. I also can pass this building on the way to work.	Forever 21's facade after painting. Nicely done. I watched the workmen paint; they took their time and were very careful with the colors.
An unusual curved recessed step building nearby. It's the Willard Office Building, an adjunct to the Beaux-Arts Willard Hotel complex.	The castle-like Old Post Office Pavilion.	Looking west at the sunset from near F and 9th Streets NW. At right is Roy Lichtenstein's Modern Head.	Part of one of the squares Occupy DC took over.
Posters laid on the ground promoting all sorts of causes. I was surprised by the number of anti-war signs. I also was surprised by the protest against the 11th amendment; I haven't often heard it criticized.	By the way, the Occupy protesters are devoted. They were still there on below freezing days in January 2012.	At this construction site near work, one day one of the cranes sported an unusual decoration. Incidentally, at the time I took this picture, there were four cranes on this site, two on this side and two off to the left. By two months after moving to D.C., two more cranes had popped up. I enjoyed sometimes stopping by the corner of the construction site on the way to work to see the progress being made, which was substantial.	By January 2012, another crane had appearing, making seven.
By July 2012, the month I left, the open hole in the ground was gone and the building was taking shape.	The building as it stands about a week before I left.	It snowed just before Halloween! (Yes, snow in October!) The flakes were gigantic. I took a few pictures from my apartment; this is the best of the three. I noticed when looking at the picture later that I captured a pair of curious across-the-street neighbors on their balcony looking at the flakes too.	Ditto, simply without the curious neighbors.
	A friend of mine, D, came to visit, partially to run a marathon. The marathon route passed the Mall. I came out to watch for a bit.	A video of D running. I spotted him twice along the Mall, once going and once coming. Despite shouting, he never noticed me. I guess he was concentrating.	A shot of D as he passed me.
I also spotted a guy on a bicycle that's peddled with one's arms. I can't imagine doing a marathon on one of those machines. His arms must have incredible strength and endurance! But then, I can't easily imagine doing a marathon on foot either...	The band that played near the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. It played encouraging, energetic tunes. Its favorite (and a big crowd-pleaser) was the theme song from Rocky.	A video of the inside of the National Press building. It appears to reside in the now-covered space between other buildings. I like how I can see the guts of the building, in this case the girders and the workings of the elevators. The spiral sculptures are also a nice touch.	The decorative top of the Warner Theater building.
Calvary Baptist Church. Artificially brightened.	Ditto, Calvary Baptist Church with its tower.	Greater New Hope Baptist Church. Only a block away from the other baptist church, and in quite a different architectural style. This one actually used to be a synagogue.	The Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. I pass this every time I go to Safeway. It wasn't always a synagogue. In the 1952, the congregation moved away and the building became a church. In 2002, the building was repurchased and restored as a synagogue. Artificially brightened.
The "Chinatown" Gate. The quotes are because Washington D.C.'s Chinatown isn't particularly Chinese. I also pass this on the way to Safeway.	One street lamp in front of Ford's Theater is enormous. There are others in a normal size.	The sky, a lamp-post, an awning, and a clock, as seen looking west near sunset from 7th and F NW, about three blocks from our apartment.	An unusual multi-story glass bridge linking two buildings. This crosses Techworld Plaza near Mount Vernon Square. For reference, the plaza would be 8th Street NW if it were open to cars. In the distance is the American Art Museum / National Portrait Gallery.
Mount Vernon Square has an ornate, though rather worn, building in its center. The building, clearly a former library, now houses the Historical Society of Washington D.C.	Colorful food trucks by Franklin Square Park. (Technically this isn't that close to home, but this is the most appropriate album for the picture.)