vintagesusie & wings: 2011-05-15

Inspiration comes in many forms...

one never knows when or how you fall into it's grace.

Yesterday it arrived in the form of this childhood picture.

I saw it for the first time on facebook,

my sister-in-law Francesca's father had put it on with a small statement...

"Any of the 'Family' know with certainty who this little one is?"

I looked at it closely & knew I had just recently stared into those eyes.

Sunday evening we had gone to huge family birthday party for two adorable twin boys, with all of Francesca's Baltimore relatives. This side of her family came from a tiny village in Sicily called 'Milici'. I sat & talked with the Grandmother, the matriarch of this family for quite a long time listening to her stories in broken english half mixed with Italian. She talked of life in the village & how she had cared for the children of family & friends, as their parents came to America leaving their baby's behind until they could send for them.

John was sitting next to her & he was one of those baby's.

John & his wife have suffered unimaginable tragedy in their life recently.

I knew who that baby was, as I had just been looking into those sad eyes.

Inspiration comes in many forms.

Last night I was inspired by a beautiful old photo & a

bittersweet story that can be told through the

'Eyes of a Child'.

XOXO

vintagesusie

Greetings from Washington DC Sweet Friends,

what a FABULOUS Adventure I've been on!

On this particular evening,

we headed to DC to see the monuments at night, lit in all their glorious beauty.

DC's Chinatown was our 1st stop where we had an amazing, authentic Chinese dinner...

here at Tony Chengs...yummmmy!

My favorite is always Lemon Chicken, but they also made a delicious pan-fried chicken & noodles.

{I don't know why I didn't take a picture of the food,

probably cuz I was too busy eatting it, ha, ha}

Anyone who has hung out with me for any length of time, knows I can be rather chatty.

But as my window was down in the car so I could snap pics,

I couldn't help myself & had to chat with all the local drivers...

did he like me or not??? Hard to tell. ;/

I've been to DC several times, but never had the chance to actually go to The White House...

on this trip, it was on the very top of my WISH LIST!

1: See The White House!

So guess where we headed right after dinner???

{these ban the bomb signs reminded me of something straight out of the 60's}

The White House!!!

"For two hundred years, the White House has stood as a symbol of the Presidency,

the United States government, and the American people."

It's history is the history of this nation, simply standing there inspires Patriotism.

Now, on to the tour....

The Hay-Adam Hotel

Located in Lafayette Square across from the White House, The Hay-Adams is one of Washington D.C.’s most revered landmarks.

St John's Episcopal Church known as the Church of Presidents.

St. John's first service was held in October 1816.

From that time to the present, every person who has held the office of

President of the United States has attended a regular or occasional service at St. John's.

Pew 54 is the President's Pew, and is reserved for the chief executive's use when in attendance.

The Parish House

Adjoining the church at 1525 H Street, N.W., was once the British Legation. It was here in 1842 that Lord Alexander Baring Ashburton and U.S. Secretary of State Daniel Webster signed the treaty finalizing the border between the New England states and the Canadian Maritime Provinces.

The Department of Treasury

The present Treasury Building is a magnificent granite structure in the Greek Revival style; it was built over a period of 33 years between 1836 and 1869.

John A Wilson Building

The Wilson Building is home to the executive offices of the

Mayor & the Council of the District of Columbia.

After the look the bus driver gave me, I wasn't sure if I should take a pic of this taxi driver...

but by the smile on his face, I knew he wanted me too. ;)

The Old Post Office Clock Tower

proudly houses the official United States Bells of Congress,

a bicentennial gift from England celebrating the end of the Revolutionary War.

The Old Post Office Pavilion

Originally built in 1899, The Old Post Office embodied

the modern spirit that was sweeping the country.

Ford's Theater

The site of the April 14, 1865, assassination of President Lincoln,

Ford’s Theatre holds a unique place in United States history.

The theatre has enthralled millions of visitors since its reopening in 1968,

and it is one of the most visited sites in the nation’s capital.

The National Archives of The United States of America

It holds the original copies of the three main formative documents of the United States and its government: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

How coooool, right???

The National Portrait Gallery

The third oldest federal building in the city, constructed between 1836 and 1867, the marble and granite museum has porticoes modeled after the Parthenon in Athens, Greece.