Mini Trip to Alexandria VA
Nov 6th, 2015, 08:10 AM
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Mini Trip to Alexandria VA
This mini TR takes me to a talk given by Richard Ormond, great nephew of John Singer Sargent in Alexandria Va. Although Alexandria isn’t far, getting there involves the D.C. Beltway (495/95) and requires being in the correct lane with folks whizzing by. So, I decide to spend the night so all driving will be during the day. I will splurge at Morrison House:
morrisonhouse.com/
It was between that and Hotel Monaco:
monaco-alexandria.com/
I choose Morrison because of the lovely entry shown on the link. FYI, Hotel Monaco is closer.
••It is an 8-block walk from Morrison House to the waterfront. I would guess a 15-20 minute easy stroll.
I left home at noon and arrived 45 minutes later. GPS took me to N Alfred St instead of South so it took another few minutes to reverse. Alternating one-way streets didn't help. The beautiful online view doesn't face the street, nor could I see numbers easily. Fortunately, there wasn’t much traffic so my pokey driving was OK.
I am met promptly and my little bag retrieved. It is a very pretty old brick building and inside nice also. My room is not ready but desk clerk Ashley will call me. They send me off to get the free trolley that runs every 15 minutes from the King St. metro to the Torpedo Factory (TF) where I want to spend some time and determine how long it will take me to get there for Mr. Ormond’s talk:
dashbus.com/Trolley
King St. has plenty of original stores and most of the chains but in smaller buildings. Lots of restos also--again, chains and original places. A Greek one (on King) has a shaded outdoor area that I see as I pass on Alfred.
Window-shopping keeps me missing the trolley signs, but I finally see one and catch the trolley. They will run until midnight tonight. The last stop is by shops attached to the TF. I stroll a bit and get lunch at The Waterfront Cafe. Large iced coffee and the Christine B sandwich (grilled turkey and artichokes) for $13.20. B+ There are tables outside and you get a good view of the waterfront:
visitalexandriava.com/things-to-do/waterfront-activities/
Sweet sparrows vie for crumbs. One even lands on my table but I send my crumbs downward as a kindness to future table occupiers.
If you wish to visit 3 floors of a building that was an actual TF, now replete with artists and their studios, this is the place for you:
torpedofactory.org/
It is choke full of studios for artists and many are there to discuss their works. It me 1.5 hours just to do a survey walk with a hand full of visits. I passed a glass shop where a silouette of your house can be sand-blasted on a glass ornament or bowl. Although there is a wide assortment of media, it looked like there were more abstract works. The talk tonight is sponsored by an Art League also in TF. I confirm location and learn that they had to turn away hundreds of folks. “Who knew?!”
Feet and back decide that I should catch the trolley back. My room is just ready for me and what a nice one it is. 309 is the number. It is a tad close to the elevator bur only one set of folks are loud. It has two rooms. I signed up for a rewards program so free wifi. But I am going to spend $25 for Pringles and a small bottle of merlot from their stash. It has a sitting room with 2 sofas and a chair, a desk and TV. King bedroom also has a TV and bath has double sink and is a sea of beige tiles.
At one point, I am unable to turn one TV on and the other off but finally set up shop at the desk to start a TR and check email.
Despite the high price, I ate at the grille and had a lovely trout with caper buerre blanc over roasted cauliflower and mushrooms. A for the fish; B the rest. Glass of Bordeaux $40something. Grille is also a popular bar with a grand piano.
At 10 after 6, I toodle to trolley stop at King and Columbus. Only waited 5 minutes. It is full with tourists as well as locals. I am in a long line at 6:30. The first 6 rows were reserved for VIPs but I was able to find a single chair in the next row. Spoke at length with D and G who are both artists and members of the Art League.
Mr. Ormond gets started at about 7:15 and is very jolly. His slides and commentary are interesting but I must brag that my art travels made me familiar with all but a few of the works. The Brooklyn Art Museum owns many of his watercolors so is a new venue to visit. I was surprised that he didn't mention Sargent’s relationship with Mrs. Gardner at all. However, palettes have been unearthed along with a list of his colors.
He took some questions and dodged the one asking if JSS had a great love. I always thought that he and Mrs. Gardiner must have had something going but Sargent was quite discrete. Mr. Ormond did mention that Sargent was very uncomfortable speaking and could become quite tongue-tied (Ormond’s phrase). Ormond is working on his 7th book about his great uncle. This one will include results of scientific examination of 2 palettes found and a list of colors Sargent made for a box of paints. He was also a great friend of Monet and their letters are being collated now. Another Fodorite has seen some of the initial letters at MFA Boston.
Back to trolley stop at 9. Only 4 or 5 of us took it. My guess is that people either drove or walked. Back at the hotel, I looked in at the grille. Guy was singing and room was about half full. Got cote de Rhone and took it two the room. The ice bucket has been filled, bed turned down, the hotel robe atop, 2 chocolates and breakfast in bed order form on the pillow.
Friday, 6 November, 2015
Breakfast at grille and it is good. Beignets more puffy than I remembered from one long ago NOLA trip but are good. Ashley is back at the desk and she checks me out efficiently and I get a $10 wine rebate.
Here are shots in the “Alexandria 2015” album:
flickr.com/photos/32219995@N07/albums
••If you had to choose between Old Town Alexandria VA and Annapolis MD, I would suggest that you don’t as each is charming and filled with U.S. history. Old Town has about 150,000 people and Annapolis about 38,000 so the amount of time you have available could drive your decision. Getting to Mt. Vernon is more convenient from Alexandria, and there is a metro to D.C. (others can say how convenient that is). Both have boat tours—Alexandria’s passes along D.C; Annapolis will view the Naval Academy and, on a nice day, scads of sailboats!
How many of you have visited both?
morrisonhouse.com/
It was between that and Hotel Monaco:
monaco-alexandria.com/
I choose Morrison because of the lovely entry shown on the link. FYI, Hotel Monaco is closer.
••It is an 8-block walk from Morrison House to the waterfront. I would guess a 15-20 minute easy stroll.
I left home at noon and arrived 45 minutes later. GPS took me to N Alfred St instead of South so it took another few minutes to reverse. Alternating one-way streets didn't help. The beautiful online view doesn't face the street, nor could I see numbers easily. Fortunately, there wasn’t much traffic so my pokey driving was OK.
I am met promptly and my little bag retrieved. It is a very pretty old brick building and inside nice also. My room is not ready but desk clerk Ashley will call me. They send me off to get the free trolley that runs every 15 minutes from the King St. metro to the Torpedo Factory (TF) where I want to spend some time and determine how long it will take me to get there for Mr. Ormond’s talk:
dashbus.com/Trolley
King St. has plenty of original stores and most of the chains but in smaller buildings. Lots of restos also--again, chains and original places. A Greek one (on King) has a shaded outdoor area that I see as I pass on Alfred.
Window-shopping keeps me missing the trolley signs, but I finally see one and catch the trolley. They will run until midnight tonight. The last stop is by shops attached to the TF. I stroll a bit and get lunch at The Waterfront Cafe. Large iced coffee and the Christine B sandwich (grilled turkey and artichokes) for $13.20. B+ There are tables outside and you get a good view of the waterfront:
visitalexandriava.com/things-to-do/waterfront-activities/
Sweet sparrows vie for crumbs. One even lands on my table but I send my crumbs downward as a kindness to future table occupiers.
If you wish to visit 3 floors of a building that was an actual TF, now replete with artists and their studios, this is the place for you:
torpedofactory.org/
It is choke full of studios for artists and many are there to discuss their works. It me 1.5 hours just to do a survey walk with a hand full of visits. I passed a glass shop where a silouette of your house can be sand-blasted on a glass ornament or bowl. Although there is a wide assortment of media, it looked like there were more abstract works. The talk tonight is sponsored by an Art League also in TF. I confirm location and learn that they had to turn away hundreds of folks. “Who knew?!”
Feet and back decide that I should catch the trolley back. My room is just ready for me and what a nice one it is. 309 is the number. It is a tad close to the elevator bur only one set of folks are loud. It has two rooms. I signed up for a rewards program so free wifi. But I am going to spend $25 for Pringles and a small bottle of merlot from their stash. It has a sitting room with 2 sofas and a chair, a desk and TV. King bedroom also has a TV and bath has double sink and is a sea of beige tiles.
At one point, I am unable to turn one TV on and the other off but finally set up shop at the desk to start a TR and check email.
Despite the high price, I ate at the grille and had a lovely trout with caper buerre blanc over roasted cauliflower and mushrooms. A for the fish; B the rest. Glass of Bordeaux $40something. Grille is also a popular bar with a grand piano.
At 10 after 6, I toodle to trolley stop at King and Columbus. Only waited 5 minutes. It is full with tourists as well as locals. I am in a long line at 6:30. The first 6 rows were reserved for VIPs but I was able to find a single chair in the next row. Spoke at length with D and G who are both artists and members of the Art League.
Mr. Ormond gets started at about 7:15 and is very jolly. His slides and commentary are interesting but I must brag that my art travels made me familiar with all but a few of the works. The Brooklyn Art Museum owns many of his watercolors so is a new venue to visit. I was surprised that he didn't mention Sargent’s relationship with Mrs. Gardner at all. However, palettes have been unearthed along with a list of his colors.
He took some questions and dodged the one asking if JSS had a great love. I always thought that he and Mrs. Gardiner must have had something going but Sargent was quite discrete. Mr. Ormond did mention that Sargent was very uncomfortable speaking and could become quite tongue-tied (Ormond’s phrase). Ormond is working on his 7th book about his great uncle. This one will include results of scientific examination of 2 palettes found and a list of colors Sargent made for a box of paints. He was also a great friend of Monet and their letters are being collated now. Another Fodorite has seen some of the initial letters at MFA Boston.
Back to trolley stop at 9. Only 4 or 5 of us took it. My guess is that people either drove or walked. Back at the hotel, I looked in at the grille. Guy was singing and room was about half full. Got cote de Rhone and took it two the room. The ice bucket has been filled, bed turned down, the hotel robe atop, 2 chocolates and breakfast in bed order form on the pillow.
Friday, 6 November, 2015
Breakfast at grille and it is good. Beignets more puffy than I remembered from one long ago NOLA trip but are good. Ashley is back at the desk and she checks me out efficiently and I get a $10 wine rebate.
Here are shots in the “Alexandria 2015” album:
flickr.com/photos/32219995@N07/albums
••If you had to choose between Old Town Alexandria VA and Annapolis MD, I would suggest that you don’t as each is charming and filled with U.S. history. Old Town has about 150,000 people and Annapolis about 38,000 so the amount of time you have available could drive your decision. Getting to Mt. Vernon is more convenient from Alexandria, and there is a metro to D.C. (others can say how convenient that is). Both have boat tours—Alexandria’s passes along D.C; Annapolis will view the Naval Academy and, on a nice day, scads of sailboats!
How many of you have visited both?
Nov 6th, 2015, 11:21 AM
#2
I have. I like both. Annapolis has much more of a mariners feel to it. I'm sure the City Dock, the Naval Academy, and all the sailboats coming and going contribute to that. Alexandria has more of a Colonial feel and reminds me a lot of the residential streets in Georgetown.
Nice trip report. I love Sargent's portraits of women.
Nice trip report. I love Sargent's portraits of women.
Nov 6th, 2015, 12:06 PM
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Great mini-TR! I was one of the hundreds turned away so it's nice to see your recap.
I should have suggested meeting for dinner or catching up with a glass of wine. Next time or maybe at an art outing in DC.
I've been to Annapolis, which I like, but I'm partial to Alexandria where I live.
BTW, we had a big room block at the Hotel Monaco in April for my daughter's wedding and it was wonderful. We didn't eat at their restaurant, however, as it is so expensive and there are so many great options near the hotel.
I should have suggested meeting for dinner or catching up with a glass of wine. Next time or maybe at an art outing in DC.
I've been to Annapolis, which I like, but I'm partial to Alexandria where I live.
BTW, we had a big room block at the Hotel Monaco in April for my daughter's wedding and it was wonderful. We didn't eat at their restaurant, however, as it is so expensive and there are so many great options near the hotel.
Nov 6th, 2015, 03:54 PM
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Annapolis and Old Town Alexandria have in common that both are gems for lovers of historic buildings and the charm that accompanies that within easy day trip distance of Washington. I agree that US history-lovers would likely appreciate seeing both with enough time; if I had only time to pick one, I think I would go with Annapolis as I prefer the Maritime feel and less grid-like layout (and something about the vibe?) but I still like both.
Great report, tdudette. I don't think I've seen one on Alexandria in awhile; a reminder that I should go when in DC one of these years!
Best wishes, Daniel
Great report, tdudette. I don't think I've seen one on Alexandria in awhile; a reminder that I should go when in DC one of these years!
Best wishes, Daniel
Nov 7th, 2015, 06:15 AM
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Thanks, Birdie, Louisa and Daniel for your kind words and your assessments of two wonderful towns.
"I should have suggested meeting for dinner or catching up with a glass of wine. Next time or maybe at an art outing in DC."----For sure, Louisa, that would be great. I didn't reach out pre-trip this time because it was just for over night and a friend was planning to go.
"I should have suggested meeting for dinner or catching up with a glass of wine. Next time or maybe at an art outing in DC."----For sure, Louisa, that would be great. I didn't reach out pre-trip this time because it was just for over night and a friend was planning to go.
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