Washington, D.C.: Sculpture Sipping

Most tourists head down to the National Mall to see the monuments. The two mile lawn designed by French architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant in 1791 is one of the most iconic scenes in American cinema. The tallest ivory marble obelisk in the world stands majestically on a green hill top surrounded by flags in honor of our nation's first president. To the east is the capitol building and to the west is the sublime rectangular pool reflecting the Lincoln memorial just beyond its waters. 

Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen   , Typewriter Eraser, Scale X, 1999, stainless steel and cement

Living in the shadow of this patriotic picture is a park of century-old trees accented by a vibrant palette of tropical flowers that bloom in the warm seasons. A path winds through this quiet garden taking you past the National Gallery of Art's permanent sculpture collection. There you'll stumble upon large scale masterpieces by Claes Oldenberg, Joan Miró, Louise Bourgeois, Mark di Suvero, Ellsworth Kelly, and Sol LeWitt. 

Every Friday afternoon in the summertime, it serves as the picturesque backdrop for Washington's Jazz in the Garden Series. Families, young professionals, and couples set up camp by their favorite piece of art and welcome the weekend with a free concert. 

When I was living in Washington as a recent college grad, I looked forward to these afternoons all year. The lively and diverse atmosphere makes for great people watching and the pitchers of sangria sold nearby are the perfect way to quench your thirst as the often unbearably hot northeast days melt into evening.