Light at Cannon

We paused in the corridor of the Cannon House Office Building the other day after a visit to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's office, and I happened to glance up and see this amazingly ornate lamp hanging from an amazingly ornate decorated ceiling. Since the two people I was with were blind, when I told them what I saw, they asked me to describe it and agreed with me how unique and unusual this was. In fact, the whole corridor ceiling was covered in decorative plaster work painted in white, french blue and embellished with ribbons of gold foil in some places.  The lamp itself was frosted glass held in a basket of lacy brass that included arrowhead designs and some other shapes that I could barely discern from the floor below. The floor below was nothing to sneeze at neither, of shiny black and white marble squares, gleaming gently due to the muted lamp light. On reflection I wondered who designed this lamp and ceiling and by what inspiration? And, who keeps this in good repair, who gets to change the light bulbs on such wondrous work that we own, how many notice this incredible wealth of the nation?

Shopping on K Street for Bags and T-Shirts

You can't go far when you're downtown in D.C. without seeing something being sold on a corner such as bags or T-Shirts, usually brightly-colored and priced for more than you really want to pay. I've never really had much luck with buying items on the street although I've tried a couple of times.  The bags are usually copies of designer bags once removed but there must be purchasers for these as there are so many such sellers.  I saw this stand at the corner of K and Vermont NW in front of the Citibank today. There's been a stand there for as long as I can remember as I use that Citibank, but the guy used to sell clothes. I once bought from him a wool pants suit in bright blue with gold buttons. It was labeled for my size but since you can't try them on in the middle of the street you are taking a risk. And sure enough, when I got home, it was way too big. I never threw it out and since I'm now 10 years older and at least ten pounds heavier, the items fit me now although they are totally out of style. I tried to buy a wheeled bag at another stand once but the guy wanted a much higher price than I wanted to pay and it was just too hot to stand there and negotiate. And I had a suspicion the zippers would not last very long.  I really not too sure who buys three white shirts for $10, or $4 for one, but you can see these stands all over town as well. Some of the shirts seem like decent or useful souvenirs -- such as for sleeping in --  embellished with "Washington DC" or "FBI" or "I'm in the Witness Protection Program" or some other silly slogan. If I come across a jewelry table, another common stand on K street, I'll add that photograph to this. No end of shopping in DC! Such bounty!