By Lani Gering This year marks the first anniversary of Spirit Park. While it got off to a slow start, it was sure worth the wait. The park opened last year on Veterans’ Day and is designed to honor the history of the American flag and all of those who represent it—veterans, first responders, public servants and Americans across the USA. It has proven to be a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike. There are lots of activities planned on the 11th as we celebrate not only the anniversary but also Veteran’s Day. I want to thank Kimberly Jorden from Bendure Communications for getting me the details of the day: National Harbor to Hold Spirit Park Celebration on Veterans Day! The festivities will commemorate the park’s one year anniversary with a walk/run, sealing of a Patriot’s Value time capsule, performance by U.S. Air Force Band and the Harbor tree lighting! The day will begin at Spirit Park at 10 a.m. with a walk/run that will benefit The Check-6 Foundation. Since its inception in 2004, The Check-6 Foundation has assisted hundreds of veterans in need in paying their bills, receiving medical attention, finding jobs and so much more. It also continues to provide an unforgettable experience for children battling serious illnesses (and their families) through its Pilot for a Day Program nationwide. “Check-6” is a military term used to reference an aviator’s practice of checking his wingman’s 6 o’clock position (directly behind him) to ensure it is clear of any threat. Simply put, it means “I’ve got your back and am looking out for you.” Participants in the walk/run must register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spirit-park-walkrun-tickets-716153072117?aff=oddtdtcreator. The cost is $24.25 for civilians, $13.58 for military. There will be a pancake breakfast (early bird pricing is $13.58) in Spirit Park following the walk/run. From 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., National…
By Lani Gering Something to look forward to this fall is the arrival of this interactive exhibit featuring all things Titanic. While I am sure the major portion of you who read this have seen at least one of the movies that are based on this tragedy, this exhibit will bring its history back home. It opens on the 13th and appears to be ongoing. It comes here after a long stint in New York City. I tried to get some information from the PR people for the exhibit but had to rely on the internet. The following is info garnered from titanicexhibition.com. “An audio guide will take you on a narrative experience describing the events on that fateful day in 1912 while it unravels the true story of the ship through personal belongings, photographs and other relics as you walk through a recreation of the ship’s interior—from a first-class suite to a humble third-class cabin. Titanic – The Exhibition – is far more than a display of historic items: it is a unique narrative experience, a tale of the people aboard history’s most legendary ship on its maiden and final journey. Travel back to 1912 through photographs, handwritten letters, wayward keepsakes, and other personal belongings telling countless stories about the fates and heroic deeds on board. CONNECT WITH THE PAST The exhibition boasts over 200 original objects. Connect with the Titanic’s passengers, listen to their testimonies, and discover their stories through their belongings. You’ll walk in their footsteps as you explore life-size, detailed recreations of the ship’s interior, witnessing the stark contrast between a lavish first-class suite and a humble third-class cabin. DISCOVER THE TRUE STORY Created by the Spanish company Musealia and the contribution of Titanic historian and expert Claes-Göran Wetterholm, this experience separates fact from fiction like…
By Lani Gering I’m not sure if I’m happy or sad that summertime is coming to an end. I just celebrated my 70th birthday the end of last month with a very fun “Come Fly With Me” themed party at the Flight Deck at the base of the Capital Wheel a week or so ago and I guess I sort of consider that my send off to the season. I realize we still have a few weeks of “official” summertime left to cram some last minute adventures in but I really do look forward to the fall kind of activities. Football games and tailgating, roasted marshmallows and fire pits, Blue Ridge Mountain leaf peeping (during the week), Fall Wine Festivals, etc. I also look a whole lot better in fall clothes – you know…jeans, denim shirts, sweaters and cute fall boots! No more worrying about making sure my legs are shaved and tan and that my swimsuit tummy control panel is in full “working” mode. If you know, you know. September is also the prelude to the holiday season and Halloween is one of my favs. It also means that we are that much closer to the Christmas hullabaloo at the Harbor. Looking forward to welcoming Rudolph back to the Gaylord as this red-nosed icon is the subject matter of this year’s ICE display. Watch this space in the upcoming months for detailed info about Christmas 2023 at the Gaylord and the rest of the Harbor. Coming to an end this month are the all of the free weekly fitness classes – Monday Cardio Blast, Tuesday Dance Fitness and Saturday Yoga. All of these “get in/stay in shape” classes take place at the foot of the Plaza Stage. Cardio and Dance run from 7-8 pm and Yoga is a 10-11…
By Lani Gering For those of you who read this column on a regular basis, you know what a big fan I am of the displays in the Conservatory at the MGM. I stopped at the casino a couple of weeks ago just to check things out and donate my token $40 to the Wild, Wild Buffalo slot machine and strolled down the “District” retail and restaurant corridor into the conservatory. I make every attempt to check the displays out as they change during the year and I am always amazed at the talent that goes into bringing them into fruition. When you consider that there is 15,000 square foot of space to fill, it is quite an undertaking. The current Spring & Summer display is pretty eye-catching to say the least. It doesn’t really have a “theme” other than trying to capture the natural beauty of our region’s flowers, foliage and atmosphere during the spring and summer seasons in the DMV. The sheer SIZE of the displays are hard to comprehend until you see them in person. The photos don’t really do it justice. There are extraordinary butterflies and blooming flowers that cascade across the 85-foot atrium with the sounds of other natural elements – running water and chirping birds – in the background that exude a serene sense of calmness. I could sit on one of the benches and people watch for hours if I had the time. In order to give you a sense of the immenseness of the features, there are nearly 2,500 (yes, two thousand five hundred) plants used throughout the display. In addition to them, there are eight 6-foot yellow flowers and eight 8-foot orange flowers overhead, eighteen 8-foot butterflies at various heights and colors, a 20-foot bamboo watering can that includes a water…
By Lani Gering Man oh man…did I ever struggle with deciding on what the subject matter of this month’s column was going to be. Not that there is a lack of things to highlight in the Harbor, especially this time of year as summer is getting into full swing – concerts, movies, etc. Thankfully, my pal Bob suggested that we take a Sunday drive over the bridge to see if I could garner some inspiration. Well…it worked! It was a gorgeous sunny day and there was a bit of a breeze coming off of the water so we spent the afternoon just walking around and stopping into some old favorites along the way. After parking at the Fleet Street garage, we headed to Waterfront Street and landed at Bond 45 for a beverage and some nourishment to fuel up for the rest of the day. As always, the cocktails were great and the meatballs never disappoint. The best part of this visit is always the staff. John Alfy Edward is a great host. I always run into people that still live in my former condo building so it’s great to catch up with them. Leaving Bond we took a leisurely stroll over to the Gaylord along the waterfront path to see how things were going with the newly remodeled Old Hickory Steakhouse in the hopes that our longtime friend, Joseph, would be behind the bar. Our wish came true. He has been with the Gaylord staff almost since the first day they opened. Old Hickory has always been a special place for dinner but with the new model in place they are open for breakfast and lunch daily as well as brunch on Sundays. After seeing Joe, we stopped by the Belvedere Lobby Bar to see Carlos. I love this…
By Lani Gering The Harbor slowly started gearing up for the season last month with the return of free fitness classes on the plaza, the movies on the Potomac and live entertainment on the streets. June brings back the Salute to Sunset concert series on Saturdays at 7 pm. These performances take place on the Plaza Stage and run through September 16th. New this season are the Stars & Stripes concerts that will take place in the amphitheater in Spirit Park. Spirit Park is the newest venue in the Harbor and is located right off of the entrance to the Harbor. You can’t miss it. These performances will take place on Wednesdays at 7 pm. Both of these series are comprised of bands representing the arms of the military the likes of the Navy – Commodores, Cruisers and Sea Chanters; the Army – Singing Sergeants, “Pershings Own” Country Roads and the 247th Army Band; the Air Force – Airmen of Note and Max Impact. I have listened to all of these groups at one time or another while living in the Harbor and they are all wayyy talented! These performances are definitely crowd pleasers! Concert goers are encouraged to grab food from one of National Harbor’s many restaurants and enjoy a picnic along with the music. Concerts are subject to weather conditions and may be cancelled for inclement weather. Visit www.nationalharbor.com/events/annual-events/stars-stripes-military-concerts/ for information on the Wednesday Stars & Stripes Concerts or http://www.nationalharbor.com/events/annual-events/salute-the-sunset/ for the Salute the Sunset Concert Series on Saturdays. Give me a Frozen Strawberry Lemonade The Flight Deck at the Capital Wheel rolled out their new summer beverages last month and they have some winners! Since they aren’t licensed to serve “distilled spirits”, they have to get creative with spiked seltzers and the like. They have partnered with Truly Hard Seltzer…
By Lani Gering You all are probably wondering what’s up with that headline besides being very creative J…I just wanted to get your attention since there are two “firsts” coming to the Harbor this month. The announcement of these events caught my attention since I have a keen interest in both. The Boat Show Being involved with an avid sailor who is always looking for the next bigger vessel, I am pretty psyched that the Inaugural DC Boat Show is coming to National Harbor! It will be here all weekend from the 5th to the 7th. May traditionally is the beginning of boating season in the DMV and this show comes in on the heels of the spring shows in Annapolis in April. At the time of this writing there should be 40 boat dealers who will be displaying over 300 boats on land and in water. Boat shows give you the opportunity to climb aboard a wide variety of vessels from sail to power (both pre-owned and new) and the chance to place an immediate sale or to order. Tour the boats, grab food and drinks, listen to live music throughout the show, peruse the vendor tents for the latest in boating gear, meet the experts, and commune with boaters from local and far away harbors! The show will have a lot to offer in the way of entertainment with live music in three locations throughout the weekend. A beach party is scheduled for Saturday, the 6th where musician Shawn Owen will play off the back of a Lagoon Catamaran. Bobby McKey’s Dueling Pianos will be performing in the afternoon in Spirit Park and more than 15 live musicians will perform throughout the weekend at various locations in the show! Pernod Ricard, the Official Spirits Sponsor, will be providing drinks from their vast portfolio…
By Lani Gering Wow! Can you all believe that it has been 15 years since National Harbor made its debut? Those years certainly flew by. I remember when Milt Peterson first unveiled his plan for the project and the hullabaloo that ensued afterward, most specially on the Alexandria side of the Potomac. Comments like “He is building a resort that is going to take away our tourist business.” “It is never going to work. Who would want to spend time in Prince George’s County? It is dangerous!” and so on…. Well….no tourist business was taken away from Old Town. In fact, the Gaylord has provided hundreds of thousands of tourists each year to our fair city. Old Town has something the Harbor doesn’t have – hundreds of years of history. I lived in a wonderful condo in the Harbor from 2010 to 2021 and never felt in danger once. In fact, I wish I still lived there but the Economic impact of the pandemic forced my move. When Peterson took on this project he didn’t know that the economy would take a bit of a hit in the early 2000’s. When the downturn occurred he stayed true to his word (unlike many others in the building business) and put his money where his mouth is and kept the project going. After the completion of the Gaylord and the main footprint of the “Heart of the Harbor” – it officially opened on April 1, 2008. We were there at the ceremony and were happy to be part of a little bit of history being made. “When Milt Peterson, first saw the piece of land, he saw something that no one else saw,” said Jon Peterson, CEO of Peterson Companies. “As a developer, we always look to provide what a community is…
By Lani Gering Whoa…what is wrong with this weather? I have no clue what it’s going to be by the time this issue hits the streets but it’s in the mid 60’s as I write this and is going to hit 80 degrees in the DMV tomorrow! Pretty wild temps for this area in late February and I’m not complaining as long as a freak freeze doesn’t blow through any time during Cherry Blossom season. Speaking of which…the Okame cherry trees in the Harbor have been blooming for over a week now. Many of you might remember that the last of the 200 of these trees were planted in the Harbor in 2019 and in these last 4 years they have grown exponentially. They grow about two feet a year and are very desirable for areas that want quick, hardy, spectacular color. They are also more tolerant to the cold than most other types of cherry trees and are early bloomers with flowers lasting up to three weeks. They are earlier than ever this year and are way ahead of National Harbor’s Cherry Blossom Festival that kicks off on March 16 and runs through April 16. In a region that is known for its cherry blossom displays and celebrations, the trees at National Harbor have quickly become a large draw not only because they are some of the first to blossom, the Harbor Festival is full of celebrations that complement the events that take place in D.C. Information on National Harbor’s Cherry Blossom Festival is in this link. https://www.nationalharbor.com/events/annual-events/cherry-blossom-festival/ March and April are both great months to visit the Harbor before the onset of Memorial Day and the beginning of tourist season. One of the newest attractions and also one of my favorite is Spirit Park. You may remember when…
By Lani Gering For the last few years I have dedicated the February column to the Chinese New Year themed installation in the Conservatory at the MGM Grand. I just love the Chinese New Year “stuff” and I really get excited when I go to a Chinese restaurant and they have the place mats that have all of the years and animals on them. You know, the ones that tell you who you are and aren’t compatible with, what your personality is like, etc. According to my reliable source – Chinesenewyear.net – Rabbit is the fourth animal in the Chinese zodiacs. About said Rabbit…legend has it that Rabbit was proud – and sometimes arrogant – about its speed. He was neighbors with the Ox and always made fun of how slow he was. One day the Jade Emperor said the zodiac order would be decided by the order in which the animals arrived at his party. Rabbit set off at day break but when he got there, there were no other animals in sight. Thinking that he would obviously be first, he went off to the side and napped. However, when he woke up three other animals had already arrived. One of them was the Ox that he had always looked down on. This year’s display, as in the past, has elements of Chinese gardens, the likes of pagoda’s and koi fish, along with 16,000 flowers, massive Chinese lanterns and a glistening pond where the beautiful silk rose koi fish is frolicking. The Money Tree is back as well. As far as the animatronics go…the Rabbit moves his ears and there are wild birds chirping in the trees along with the water fall and koi pond. While not as impressive as the Year of the Tiger – it seriously is…
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