kaleidoscoping chaos...: Shabbot Song 1

Big plans, Big plans! We always have big plans! Sometimes they work out and other times... we kaleidoscope our way through making whatever it is beautiful... that is the point!

Since we sort of have our groove back these days (sort of), I decided to research our Shabbot options. When we spent our six months in Chicagoland (6/10-12/10) we did a shabbot activity almost every weekend. Shabbotots, Tot shabbot, first fridays at the JCC, shabbot hikes with the naturalists... you name it we did it if was in a 60 mile radius of Glenview, IL (our home base). But since being back in DC we haven't really hit the Shabbot circuit. There was the cancer, adoption, moving... you know the drill. We always have Shabbot dinner at home on Friday. We sing our songs, light our candles, drink the wine, eat some challah - and yes - just like it says in the dinosaur song - have a good time (see youtube of song here). But alas, I was ready to get our Shabbot groove back into action. So I did some internet research. Turns out the Washington Jewish Music Festivalwas happening this week and one of the events was a free musical family Shabbot at the DCJCC (in our old 'hood) - Shir La La. I figured we'd do it.

I also wanted to check out the cool exhibit, Doug Aitken's Song 1, at the Hirshhorn Museum that everyone is raving about this weekend. (It is an exhibit in which there are projectors all around the ciruclar museum building and a short film like presentaion is played in a loop with the chorus from the song, I Only Have Eyes for you," plays continuously) After reading No Monsters in my Bed's post today, I was sure it was a must and figured maybe we could do that after the Shabbot Music - it all had a musical theme to it...

So the Shabbot event started at 6pm and dinner was at 7. We ate dinner before, because I knew we couldn't handle that and anyway it was sold out. I figured we'd get snack at 7pm and then head down to the sculpture garden and then watch the Hirshhorn exhibit. After reading No Monsters in my Bed's post, I knew we should be there on the later side.

One of our urban family Aunties was going to join us as Mama had alternative Shabbot plans tonight (she had received earlier special dispensation from moi). So you all know I seem to have a "being late" problem. I realize now that it is a bit exaggerated now because we moved and I am used to going everywhere from Dupont Circle and not Chevy Chase... and I have no idea what the short cuts there are from Chevy Chase, so I keep taking the long way to everything which makes me even later. I tell you all of this to explains that it was 6:40pm and we still were not at the DCJCC, so I made an executive decision to skip the Shabbot event and go to the museum event downtown...

This of course meant we were early for the Hirshhorn... I can't seem to get it right. All of tht being said, we had a really good time tonight.

We went to the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden first. We slowly took it all in. Looking and talking about all of the sculptures. Jonah was having a terrific time telling us all about them. He was especially happy that Auntie C was with us. He was explaining all sorts of stuff to her. Vera enjoyed it too. She was pointing and talking up a storm. And the weather was perfect! It was warm with a cool breeze. The sky was blue with willowy white clouds. Really an awesome Spring evening. Then we walked to the other sculpture garden across the mall next to the Art Museum, but of course that one closes at 5pm. So we looked at many of the sculptures through the fence. Jonah had some awesome commentary on those. He insisted the eraser was a jelly fish. And the black 3-d shapes were a heard of zebras... he was quite into the whole interpreting art sculptures tonight. Then we made our way to Pitango (on 7th Street), the fancy gelato store for some summer evening treats. YUMMY! chocolate, vanilla and Bacio gelato-heavenly.

Bellies full we waked back to the Hirschorn. I had the single stroller again so Jonah was doing all the walking himself. We got back and found our spot on the grass across from the Hirschorn by the big red crane-like sculpture and picked a spot. The music had started. It was 8:15pm, but just a No Monsters in my Bed had predicted, you could not see anything for quite a while. We played with mommy's keys, mommy's blackberry, mommy's phone, mommy's purse... we kept singing (with Auntie C's help) the "I only have eyes for you" song, over and over again with the exhibit. We had drinks. But it took a prettty long time for the "movie" to be completely visiable (meaning it didn't get dark for a while). I found it extremely interesting to see the evolution from all light to minimal light, and Jonah & Vera found it somewhat interesting. Once it was fully visible we watched a bit, but the kids were exhausted and done - we made our way back to the car for diaper changes, PJs, milk and car seats. Vera was out cold one second after she hit her car seat. Jonah fought it off until we got home and managed to get two books before he lost the battle to sleep. Jonah was "sleep talking" the whole ride home about the movie and the song - and our adventure. He is a pretty funny kid...

THUMBS UP! & Shabbot Shalom, Song 1 and All!

It was very cool. I think the kids enjoyed it too. Definitely try to make it there to see it. Even if you do a drive by/walk by at night. Also if you are short on time, wait till at least 9pm to go so you can get the full effect of the presentation.

Jonah said this looked like a hippo, Vera waved at it

This was a big monkey

From the side this was a big watermelon (which was spot on) and then we walked around it and it became at tunnel!

Here he is explaining to Vera that this is a ball, but someone took a bite of it, just like you bite strawberries - oh yeah, he also thinks there are strawberries inside of it?!?!