White House Summer 2025

We returned to DC for the first time in several years for the July 4th holiday, while there we saw the Stealth Bombers and fighter escort flyover of the White House.

Fighters flying over the statue of Andrew Jackson in LaFayette Square

Stealth Bomber and escorts flying over LaFayette Square

Fighters flying over the White House

Stealth Bombers and escorts flying over the White House

South face of the White House facing the National Mall with new flagpole

New flagpole at the North Lawn of the White House

The spectacular Second Empire/Victorian neo-classical splendor of the Old Executive Office Building on the West side of the White House, an American version of something out of 19th Century Paris or 1971 Orlando (Walt Disney World Main Street USA)

Old Executive Office Building

Another great late 19th Century building is the Renwick Gallery across the street from the White House. Behind it is the "sympathetic" Mid-Century Modern New Executive Office Building from the mid 1960's where they tried to blend the need for more White House office space while "preserving" the historical charm of LaFayette Square. Somewhat successful on the park side where they incorporated the federal era townhome facades.

DC has a lot of these eggcrate brutalist office buildings encouraged by a Kennedy/Johnson era plan to modernize DC. The most infamous being the FBI building on Pennsylvania Avenue. You can sort of see with the Old Executive Office Building in the back how they are a very reduced version of neo-classical architecture somewhat matching in color if not in spirit.

Youngest son in front of the White House, while we have been a few times over the years he was not born when we lived in DC and this is probably the first trip of his conscious memory. We were happy to hear how much he enjoyed it.

Remarkable giant dollhouse interactive model at "The People's House" visitor center across the street from the Renwick Gallery near the White House.

Pretty convincing photo mural photo op of the White House Cross Hall.

Fun recreation of the Oval Office at "The People's House", at the time we went it was decorated in the style of Joe Biden's presidency. It has since been set up as the first Trump term, but has yet to be made to match the current scheme with numerous examples of gilded trim and accents 

Siting in "the President's" chair

At the Resolute Desk

VIP on line one

My Chief of Staff is taking an important call

Chief of Staff bringing me up to speed on the very important phone call

Wonderful replica of the White House Movie Theater

The People's House Museum, very worthwhile experience.

New flagpole on the North Lawn of the White House

Brutalist JC Penney Department Store

Cool survivor brutalist JC Penney store in Pensacola Florida. The adjacent mall has been torn down and replaced with a power center. On a cloudy rainy day it moodily reminds me of this monument by Mies Van Der Rohe. A capitalist instituion...the department store appropriates a communist memorial. Form over function and relevancy, and design over ideology!

Hogsmeade model diorama from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

The amazing Hogsmeade Village from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Islamds of Adventure Theme Park has inspired me to make a Harry Potter themed section in my Train Room! We recently made our first visit to Universal Orlando and I came back excited to get a Hogwarts Express Train Set and to accessorize it.

Hogwarts Castle will sit on the cliffs above my Hogmeade Village while the Lionel Ready To Play Hogwarts Express circles. Construction underway from recycled styrofoam and found craft items. 

The fanciful architecture of Hogsmeade Village at the Universal Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando, Florida.

Concept sketch of Hogwarts over Hogsmeade

Honeyduke’s Sweetshop and 3 Broomsticks Restaurant at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Harry Potter Honeydukes and 3 Broomsticks playsets

Honeydukes on the workbench with Hogwarts Tower. I added carved styrofoam surrounds to the Honeydukes and 3 Broomsticks playsets. I use a hot foam tool to cut and carve into salvaged packing foam inserts. Some cutting is done with a box cutter, hit glue gun to put it all together.

Starting using cut up cereal boxes for roofs and shingles.

Hogsmeade Entrance to the Hogwarts Express attraction at the Wizarding World of Harry Potterat Universal Orlando Islands of Adventure Theme Park.

Had a great piece of packing foam from a TV box that mde a great platform for the the Hogwarts Express. Carved it with the hot tool to be reminiscent of the entrance to the Hogwarts Express Attraction at Islamds of Adventure at Universal Orlando Resort.

A model homage to the WDW TTC

 The Mostly Magic Kingdom has its own Transportation & Ticket Center inspired by the real one at Walt Disney World. The Mostly Magic Kingdom uses a lot of spatial compression to fit so much Disney Parks magic in what is basically the size of a Monorail Playset loop. I made a canopy for  the station provided with the WDW 50th anniversary Monorail Playset. The roof is a recycled piece of packing styrofoam with 3 fruit cup containers I set in it to recall the famous bubble skylights of the real TTC! At the mostly magic kingdom the area below the station is used as the drop off area for our parking trams and a place to board busses. The Station is also where you will find our version of the Walt Disney World entrance arch; which is made from legos, figurines and a souvenir magnet of the iconic sign.