theparkerfamily.org

Author: evancparker

  • Wedding: Dancing with the Sparklers

    (not us)The Lady Sparkler has wanted to learn how to waltz since we met. I haven’t waltzed since April 1997, but something happened to my senses and I gave dance lessons to The Lady Sparkler for her birthday in May. Needless to say, she just “cashed” them.

    Honestly, the topic is just ripe for a feast of self-depricating comedy, but I have to admit it went better than I ever expected (given that I have size 15 feet). The Lady Sparkler does have a rather funny habit of wanting to lead, tho.

    Anyway, we only have one more lesson before the wedding, so don’t expect anything too, well, impressive. Our highest aspiration is to avoid killing each other, not end in an elaborate pose to waves of rapturous applause.

  • Travel: Chicago, Illinois

    IMG_7153
    IMG_7153, originally uploaded by [ecpark].
    I love Chicago, and would move out here in a heart-beat if the winters weren’t so miserable. A great friend of mine (Chrissy, the groomsmaid) moved out here after college, and we came out for a long weekend as a kind of last hurrah before the wedding. We had such a fabulous time, and Chicago is an incredibly photogenic city.
    Explore the Photo Set:
    Chicago, Illinois

  • Wedding: Our Favorite Things to Do in D.C.

    [Arial View of Washington, D.C.]This is (hopefully) the first in a series of posts about things to do, places to eat, the best ways to get around the city, etc. In case you are coming to D.C. to see something other than us get married, let’s start off with a list of some of our favorite things to do while in the District. Let us know if you have questions, or if you need additional inspiration.

    The Korean War Memorial

    Why? It is the most interesting of all the National Mall memorials, composed of a group of soldiers making their way through Korean rice paddies. See it on a cloudy day or at night for the best effect. Easily the “local” favorite of all the monuments.

    How? It’s on the very west end of the Mall, next to the Lincoln and Vietnam Memorials. A long, but nice walk from the Smithsonian metro, and tour bus accessiable. Open 24 hours.

    ONLINE: The Korean War Memorial

    PHOTOS: ‘koreanwarmemorial’ on Flickr

    MAP: The Korean War Veterens Memorial on Google Maps

    Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

    Why? It’s one of the newest monuments, and is easily the greatest departure from the rest because it is a little more interactive than the more somber downtown monuments. in its layout. It occupies over seven acres, with dozens of statues and waterfalls.

    How? It’s a little remote, being on the west side of the Tidal Basin (ie. the far side if you are standing on the Mall) in between the Lincoln and the Jefferson memorials. There is plenty of parking, a longer (but nicer) walk if you are up for it, and tour bus accessiable. Open 24 hours.

    ONLINE: Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

    PHOTOS: ‘fdrmemorial’ on Flickr

    MAP: FDR Memorial on Google Maps

    View from the Washington Monument

    Why? Easily the best view of the city, and a nice short cut to see a lot (as in ALL) of the city in a short period of time. There is an elevator to the top — since the renovation, you aren’t allowed to take the 896 stairs — and they give you a great overview of the monument on the way up.

    How? It’s hard to miss, so I will spare you the directions. Timed-entry tickets are required, but they are free and can be obtained for same day visits from the kiosk at the bottom of the monument’s hill. Tickets run out early in the summer, but you should be fine on off-peak weekends. Open 9 am to 4:45 pm.

    ONLINE: Washington Monument

    PHOTOS: ‘washingtonmonument’ on Flickr

    MAP: Washington Monument on Google Maps

    Smithsonian Museums

    Why? Normally, the National Air and Space Museum wouldn’t make our personal top 10 — been there 10,439 times — but the National Museum of American History is closed and the Smithsonian has relocated their “Treasures” collection here (think “Ruby Slippers”). Across the Mall is the National Museum of Natural History, which was magnificantly redone in the last 5 years, with the addition of a brand new IMAX theater (which makes a great break in a day of touring). You also have the Castle (houses special exhibitions) and the National Gallery of Art (best gallery outside of the Met in New York City).

    How? The whole DC transportation system is geared to get you to these places. Take the metro (Smithsonian), drive or take any of the tour bus operators’ offerings. Most are open 10 am to 5pm, everyday.

    ONLINE: The Smithsonian Institute

    PHOTOS: ‘smithsonian’ on Flickr

    MAP: Smithsonian Museums on the Mall

    U.S Botanic Garden

    Why? This is a great place to visit, rain or shine. It is a giant greenhouse, with some of the most exotic plants you will ever see. There is a brand new external garden next door as well, and a rotation of new and permanent exhibits inside the conservatory.

    How? It’s on the east end of the Mall, between the Capitol and the Smithsonian museums. Smithsonian Metro, although Union Station will work in a pinch. Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

    ONLINE: U.S. Botanic Garden

    PHOTOS: ‘usbotanicgarden’ on Flickr

    MAP: U.S. Botanic Garden on Google Maps

    National Geographic Museum

    Why? Always with a global flavor, you can view changing and permanent exhibitions on a variety of scientific, geographic, and cultural themes. Check to see if they have something for you on their website.

    How? Located on 17th between L and M, this is about three blocks from the wedding hotel. Open Monday thru Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    ONLINE: National Geographic Museum

    MAP: Museum Hours and Directions

    Eastern Market

    Why? Absolutely beloved by locals, Eastern Market is the last traditional city market in DC. The main building recently burned down, but it relocated just across the street while being restored. There are several “sub-markets” including a flea market, farmers market and arts-and-crafts market every weekend.

    How? Located on the opposite side of the Capitol, the market has its very own metro station (cryptically named “Eastern Market”). The flea market is open Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; farmers market Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; arts-and-crafts market Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

    ONLINE: Eastern Market

    PHOTOS: ‘easternmarket’ on Flickr

    MAP: Historic Eastern Market on Google Maps

    The Library of Congress

    Why? The reading room is one of the most spectacular inside spaces in DC, and their collection is easily holds its own with the Smithsonian. The Library of Congress also offers book talks, gallery talks, poetry readings, lectures, and vintage movies that are open to the public.

    How? To get the most out, you should do a tour, which is available Monday thru Friday at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 and Saturday at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30 and 2:30. Visitors should arrive 15 minutes early for a security check. Capitol South is closest, though Union Station will again work in a pinch.

    ONLINE: Library of Congress

    PHOTOS: ‘libraryofcongress’ on Flickr

    MAP: Library of Congress on Google Maps

    Arlington National Cemetary

    Why? On the other side of the Potomac from DC, there is something for everyone from the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to JFK’s eternal flame. The cemetary is huge, so plan on walking… quite a bit.

    How? There is a metro station at the base of the grounds. The guard changes every hour on the hour from October 1 through March 14, and every half-hour from March 15 through September 30. The cemetery is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. from October 1 to March 31, and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. from April 1 to September 30.

    ONLINE: Arlington National Cemetary

    PHOTOS: ‘arlingtonnationalcemetary’ on Flickr

    MAP: Arlington National Cemetary on Google Maps

    Cultural Tourism DC

    Why? There is a DC beyond the Mall, and these guys will help you find it. Oddly enough, not all of DC is made out of marble and granite.

    How? Check out their web site, as there are dozens of walking tours that you can take to get a much better flavor of the city.

    ONLINE: Cultural Tourism DC

    PHOTOS: ‘culturaltourismdc’ on Flickr

    MORE: Check out their Trip Manager

  • fostermom

    a friend of ours is getting ready to become a foster parent, and is @#$%ed off about the process enough that she wants to vent. publicly. not my design (i don’t really do purple — or butterflies) but i setup the nastiness on the technical backend.
    Foster Mom
    http://fostermom.miramir.org/

  • Travel: Champlain Valley Exposition, Vermont

    Crowds, Champlain Valley Fair, Champlain Valley Expo Center, Essex Juntion, Vermont
    Crowds, originally uploaded by [ecpark].
    We weren’t able to make it up to Vermont this year for my brother’s birthday, so we went up a couple of weeks later for the Champlain Valley Exposition outside of Burlington. Nothing is better than a county fair for photography.
    Explore the Photo Set:
    Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, Vermont

  • Wedding: Basics, v2

    52 days left before the big day, so we figured it was a good time for an update.

    The wedding ceremony is now scheduled for 10:30 am on Saturday, October 6th at Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, DC. We have had two of our three meetings with the minister, and have mapped out most of the service — with the exception of the music, which is still to come.

    The reception to follow will be held at 15 RIA, which is about two blocks south of the church — check out or interactive Google map to see where everything is in relation to each other. The reception will feature a mostly traditional brunch spread, which is heavy on our favorite food groups: eggs and breakfast pork. They kick us out at 4pm.

    That night, we are throwing a little after-party at Stetson’s on U Street. For those who aren’t familiar, Stetson’s has quite the political heritage, including a stint as the central watering hole for Clinton Administration staffers, later gaining further notoriety as the place where the Bush twins got busted for underage drinking (wonder if there is a connection between the two?). We have the top floor reserved from 7:30 to 11pm.

    As you may have heard, our block of hotel rooms at the Doubletree Hotel is full, but we have a new block for anybody who needs one next door at the Holiday Inn (details here).

    If you have any questions post us a comment or email us at [email address].

  • Wedding: Holiday Inn @ $159/night

    As you may have heard (we tried to email everyone who may be looking for a hotel room) our room block at the Doubletree is booked solid.

    However, The Lady Sparkler was able to work her magic yet again and get a great deal at the Holiday Inn next door — and that’s literally next door, no exaggeration. Just call up the reservation line (202.483.2000) and tell them you are with the Spindler-Parker wedding, and they will give you the extra-special bonus rate of $159 a night, available Thursday, Friday and/or Saturday nights.

    (We just faxed in the contract this morning, so they might not know what you are talking about if you call before Tuesday afternoon.)

    The good news is that we don’t have to fill a quota of rooms, but the trade off is that the block rate is only available until September 5th, 2007.

  • Wedding: Unregistry

    The Lady Sparkler and I are in kind of a non-traditional wedding position … not only have we both been blessed with good jobs, but we have each spent a decade setting up our comfortable living situations. Unfortunately, that makes the prospect of registering for traditional wedding gifts a little, well, uncomfortable.

    With that in mind, we hope that you will at least consider making a donation in lieu of the gift you may have otherwise given us. For instance, we love the work that Mercy Corps does in the aftermath of natural disasters and human conflicts, as well as their work fighting chronic poverty and social instability around the globe. In the last three decades, Mercy Corps has provided $1.3 billion in assistance to people in 100 nations.

    Coincidentally, they also have a wonderful Mercy Kit gift program, which is perfect for people looking to give tangible gifts — a well for a villiage, a goat for a family, a soccer ball for a school — on behalf of their friends, family members or incredibly smart and attractive wedding couple(s). Best of all, Mercy Corps sends a card announcing your gift to the happy couple so that we/they can share in the joy of your contribution.

    All that being said, we have been told often enough that it is rude not to register somewhere — though maybe not as rude as blogging about it, I would imagine — in case someone would prefer to make a more traditional gift. If that is the case with you, we have found a few things we could use for our new kitchen (Cooking.com), on our eco-honeymoon in Belize (REI.com) or in our new home (CrateAndBarrel.com).

    p.s. We really weren’t kidding about Mercy Corps. Check out some of the work they are doing if you have a minute.

  • Home: The First Step Towards Disenfranchisement

    Today, The Lady Sparkler went to the DMV and successfully revoked her right to participate in our fair Republic. And, from the pictures, I’ll bet that you thought she just got license plates.

    For those of you who don’t know, voters in DC do not have voting representation in Congress. We didn’t get the right to vote for the President until 1961, and weren’t given the right to elect our own mayor until 1973. Our founding fathers apparently didn’t expect anybody to *live* in the Federal City, just work. Hard to believe, no?

    It’s especially ironic because Washingtonians pay the highest per capita federal income taxes in the country, even though we aren’t allowed to vote in the body that makes those taxes into law. This neatly explains why all DC license plates have “Taxation without Representation” emblazoned across the bottom, instead of a nice state motto like “Live Free or Die” or “She flies with her own wings.” (For those playing at home, DC’s motto is Justia Omnibus or “Justice for All”.)

    So, if you happen to be talking to YOUR representation in Congress, be sure to mention the DC Voting Rights Act. It has already passed the House, is currently before the Senate, and would give The Lady Sparkler, myself, and 600,000 of our dearest neighbors a voting member of Congress for the first time ever. It should be voted on this fall.

    That’s it. No more sermons until the wedding, we promise 🙂

  • Photos: The Home Stretch

    Life is finally returning to normal in the Sparkler household, after a pretty crazy couple of weeks. Here are some highlights (or skip to the bottom for pictures of the new place):

    • Emily has regained control of her faculties — After spending three hours on move-in day hiding in her litter box, Emily decided that day two would be best spent trapped under the bathroom vanity. It took a saw and a couple of crowbars to spring her. The good news is that after two weeks in Mt. Pleasant, she is starting to mellow down to her usual high strung, psychotic self.
    • Our home air conditioner has stopped flooding water all over our hardwood floors — Somewhere around day six, water started spewing from our air conditioning. We had the previous owner’s AC guy come out who said that it was leaking because the condensation drain was plugged up from the floor below all the way to the floor above. They professionally installed a bucket under the drain pipe (which we replaced the next day with a funnel and fifteen feet of hose leading to the bathtub) while we waited for the condo board to send out a plumber. Somewhere around day twelve, the plumber came and liberated us from our MacGuyver existance.
    • The car has stopped breaking — A green, glowing “emissions” light come on about day four, followed by a bright, blinking red “engine overheating” light on day six (which nicely coincided with the car’s air conditioning failing), followed by another green, glowing “emissions” light on day eleven. So, during four trips to the dealership in the last ten days, we have replaced the catalytic converter, the oxygen sensor, a radiator fan fuse, and retightened an engine exhaust hose. The dealership assures us that everything is fine … for now.

    Fortunately, somewhere in all that we managed to unpack and finish setting up all the rooms. We still have about a car load of stuff in Arlington, and about 6 boxes of miscelaneous crapola that we have to give away, put away, pitch or recycle … but we are finally in the home stretch (pardon the pun).

    For those of you in town on Thursday before the wedding, we are going to host a little open house that afternoon so our beloved friends and family can see the new place. Until then, some more pictures below:

    Second Bedroom

    Master Bedroom

    Kitchen