Saturday, August 16, 2025

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

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

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!