Intrepid Pup Blog — Page 6

A Titanic Fascination

April 13, 2012 by admin

99 years and 364 days ago, the approximately 2200 people aboard the RMS Titanic were four days into their trans-Atlantic voyage from Southampton to New York City and having a grand old time. That all changed the night of April 14, 1912, when an iceberg tore open her starboard side, and the unthinkable happened. Within just two and a half hours, in the early morning hours of April 15, the “unsinkable” ship had cataclysmically broken apart and plummeted to a watery grave 12,540 feet below. And the rest, as they say, is history.

* * *

Fast forward to a few weeks ago on the Washington, DC waterfront. An early twenty-somethings couple was sitting on the wall of the Titanic Memorial when we approached. Intrigued by the fact that Tavish the Intrepid Pup was being photographed, the young woman in the duo struck up a conversation and inquired about Tavish. Upon explaining to her that this was the latest monument in a growing list of ones he’s visited, she seemed thoughtful. “Hmm,” she said, “the Titanic. Yeah. I saw the movie.” And then, a few moments later: “So, what’s up with this memorial, anyway? Did the Titanic sink here?”

Aside from the egregious incongruity of her remark, she had actually made a good point: why is there a Titanic Memorial in Washington, DC? The Titanic most assuredly did not strike an iceberg in the nation’s capital, and DC’s Southwest Waterfront couldn’t look any less like the cold expanse of the North Atlantic. Indeed, there are other places with far more direct connections to the Titanic, like Belfast, where the ocean liner was built, or Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, where 121 of the victims are interred.

The reason, quite simply, is that a group of wealthy women, the Women’s Titanic Memorial Association, raised the funds in response to congressional authorization of a national monument. The winning design selected by the Fine Arts Commission consisted of a robed male figure designed by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (1875-1942, of Whitney Museum of Art fame) standing amidst a granite exedra designed by architect Henry Bacon (1866-1924, of Lincoln Memorial fame). The memorial was completed in 1918, but it wasn’t until 1931 that it was installed and dedicated at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue, NW and Rock Creek Parkway, on the riverbank. The base of the sculpture bears the inscription:

TO THE BRAVE MEN
WHO PERISHED
IN THE WRECK
OF THE TITANIC
APRIL15, 1912
THEY GAVE THEIR
LIVES THAT WOMEN
AND CHILDREN
MIGHT BE SAVED

Erected by the Women of America

Kirk Savage’s compelling book Monument Wars (University of California Press, 2009) includes a 1936 photograph of the memorial at this location, partially and disturbingly submerged during Potomac River flooding. In 1968 the memorial was relocated to its present location on the southwest waterfront near Fort McNair, as it had been removed two years before to make way for construction of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

In departing the Titanic Memorial and continuing our walk along the waterfront that afternoon, we encountered an older woman and her dog. We exchanged pleasantries and learned that she lived in the nearby Riverside Condominium complex. She’d observed that we’d come from the memorial and offhandedly remarked, “You know about the men in tuxedos, don’t you?” With a sly smile, she then launched into a seemingly apocryphal eyewitness account of a group of men who, since 1979, appear every year on April 15th at 12:30 a.m., dressed in formal wear, to place flowers at the memorial and offer up a champagne toast to the men who’d sacrificed their lives. Haunting, but—as it turns out—absolutely true. The tuxedoed group is none other than the Men’s Titanic Society, which started out as a group of friends who wanted to honor the spirit and intent of what they saw as a forgotten memorial.

Though the DC memorial may have fallen off the public’s radar, the Titanic itself never did. In this 100th anniversary year, towns and museums far and wide are leveraging any Titanic connection they have, whether it’s a hometown family lost in the tragedy or a single artifact. And while this list is not exhaustive, there are currently substantive Titanic-related exhibits at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Mystic Aquarium, National Geographic Museum, Titanic Belfast, Widener University Art Gallery, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Ocean Science Exhibit Center. RMS Titanic, Inc., the company that controversially conducted salvage operations on the wreck site, has Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition on view at 8 distinct venues throughout the country, including a semi-permanent installation at the Luxor in Las Vegas. Separately, there are permanent Titanic Museum Attractions in Branson, Missouri, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Alas, you’re too late to join the “Titanic Memorial Cruise” of the MS Balmoral that’s already underway, but you can catch the re-release of James Cameron’s 1997 film “Titanic” in 3D. Or you can read National Geographic’s newly-published e-book single about the Titanic. Prefer television? You have your choice this week of a History Channel documentary, two National Geographic specials, or an ABC mini-series. It all adds up to a somewhat macabre fascination of, well, titanic proportions. Why does the Titanic story still resonate after 100 years? For one, the Titanic was a cruise ship, and we still have those. It’s not an abstraction in the way that, say, a sunken 17th-century galleon might be. Secondly, in the grand scheme of things, 100 years isn’t really that long ago. The last survivor from the Titanic only died in 2009. There are people alive today who can tell of grandparents and great-grandparents aboard the ill-fated ship. One can relate, and the stories are all the more palpable. Third, positively identifying the wreck site in 1985 reignited interest and gave tantalizing hope to those seeking answers to Titanic’s multitude of unanswered questions. Your author (and one half of Team Tavish) grew up in the community that’s home to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the entity that backed the fabled 1985 exploratory expedition of Bob Ballard and crew. The frisson of excitement that rippled ’round the world upon the discovery of the Titanic was amplified locally; not only was the news historic, but also chances were you that your neighbor, your dad, or your friend’s parent had somehow been involved with the effort. Finally, when the Titanic sank, it violently intruded upon a cold and inhospitable world, introducing humanity—people, lifetimes, names, memories—where none had previously existed. This alone will be what perpetuates the Titanic’s legacy another 100 years.

Dogging the Details 38°52′18.90″N, 77° 1′9.68″W

Titanic Memorial, Washington, DC

The Titanic Memorial is located where P Street, SW dead-ends into the channel; once you’re in the vicinity, blue way-finding signs point you in the right direction. On a weekday, it’s pretty easy to find nearby parking either at meters by Arena Stage or in 2-hour spaces along 4th Street, SW. If traveling by Metrorail, the nearest stop is the Waterfront-SEU station at the intersection of M and 4th Streets, SW.

Visiting the memorial scores a “1” on the Intrepid Pup wag-a-meter for the easy, flat walk. The memorial is usually fairly deserted, although the Titanic 100th anniversary fanfare is bound to raise its profile. The Southwest DC Heritage Project is holding an elaborate TITANIC 100 commemorative event at the memorial on April 14, 2012. The program will feature 50-foot archival images projected onto a nearby building, luminaries lit in memory of the 1,500 people who died, and a live performance of “Nearer My God to Thee,” the last song that the Titanic’s onboard musicians played before the ship sank.

One final note on the subject of the Titanic: research into nearly every conceivable angle of the voyage continues to turn up the occasional new tidbit. Among the latest is that there were apparently 12 dogs aboard the Titanic; only 3 survived.

Filed Under: Statue, Wag-A-Meter=1 Tagged With: 100th anniversary, Bob Ballard, centennial, dog, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, Henry Bacon, intrepid pup, James Cameron, Kennedy Center, KIrk Savage, memorial, Men's Titanic Society, RMS Titanic, shipwreck, Southwest DC Heritage Project, southwest waterfront, Tavish, Titanic, Titanic 100, vizsla, Washington DC, Women's Titanic Memorial Association, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Play Ball!

April 5, 2012 by admin

It’s Opening Day for Major League Baseball 2012! For many, it signals a prelude to summer with baseball being the quintessential pastime, as American as Mom and apple pie. But did you know your dog can get a piece of the action, too? For the 2012 season, a record 16 MLB franchises are welcoming dogs to their ballparks as part of regular season, individual game promotions. Kudos to the Astros, Athletics, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Giants, Indians, Marlins, Mets, Nationals, Padres, Pirates, Rangers, Reds, Royals, and White Sox for embracing dogs and dog lovers among their fan bases!

Depending upon the stadium, the concept of ballparks going to the dogs gets billed under various monikers (Bark in the Park, Dog Days, Puppypalooza…you get the idea), but since Tavish the Intrepid Pup‘s home team is the Washington Nationals, we’re featuring Pups in the Park.

This is the Nationals’ fourth year catering to dogs, and the club has increased its number of Pups in the Park games to four for the 2012 season. Although all of Outfield Reserved sections 140-143 are designated for dogs and their human companions, don’t delay in securing your seats as they do tend to sell out quickly. It’s no wonder. It’s a great event in a classy stadium—the first major pro stadium LEED Silver Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council—where cherry trees line the concourse, President mascots race, and the left field backdrop is the U.S. Capitol dome.

For everyone’s safety and enjoyment, a few basic rules apply for Pups in the Park. Dogs must be on leash and can’t outnumber the people in your party, and you’ll be asked to sign a waiver with proof of your dog’s current vaccinations in order to enter the ballpark. Stadium staff and event volunteers really do seem to have anticipated the dogs’ needs. What is usually set up as the Family Picnic Area near Section 143 is converted to a water station and “relief” area for the dogs. Yes indeed, there’s really a giant patch of artificial turf on which your dog can do its business. Sharing an Xtreme Loaded hot dog with your pup is your call, but since your dog can’t accompany you to any of the concessions beyond the Pups sections, you can either leave your dog to enjoy the game in the stands with another member of your group or enlist temporary help from the legions of official Pet Sitters stationed at the landings. You’ll absolutely kick yourself for leaving your camera at home, but if you do happen to forget, FanPhoto photographers roam the stands throughout the game. When they snap your photo for free, they’ll hand you a card with a link to where you can review the photos afterward in an online gallery. Like what you see? With just a few clicks, you can order and pay for prints and other products imprinted with your game day images.

Just being in the stadium with hundreds of dogs is a blast. Given the sheer numbers, they’re surprisingly quiet and well-behaved. They come in all shapes, sizes and breeds. Many sport their “Natitude” with Nats bandannas, jerseys, and other team-inspired red and white gear. As you might expect, there’s “pup”-ular dog-centric scoreboard entertainment and no shortage of “Who Let the Dogs Out?” snatches played over the PA system. And you can’t help but smile when you look out and see the backs (okay, and often the fronts) of dog heads intermingled among the rows of fans.

Tavish meets Steve Garvey!

The extent of the Nats’ Pups in the Parks promotions varies by game and sponsor, so check the listings to see what might be happening during your game. Our first Pups outing was a Nats-Marlins match-up last May. We were treated to the pre-game antics of Tillman the skateboarding bulldog and Norman the scooter-riding dog. Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Pet Foods® was a sponsor (yes, the same Dick from Eight is Enough fame), so all the dogs received reusable totes filled with Natural Balance treats and swag. While we were waiting in line to enter, Natural Balance’s spokesman, ten-time All Star and National League MVP Steve Garvey, put in an appearance and made an impromptu call for dogs from the crowd to show off their tricks. Tavish ended up being one of four dogs to perform for the future Hall of Famer (see photo)! Adding to the fun was that this was the one Pups game of the season to include a Pup Parade. There was no additional fee beyond the ticket price to participate; it simply meant getting to the stadium earlier than we would have otherwise. But it was well worth it to be ushered en masse through the tunnel onto the outfield warning track to circle the field before the game. With officials making sure we literally stayed on track (no rogue dogs tearing up the infield, please!), this was a view that relatively few outside baseball ever get to see or experience.

Look for the Intrepid Pup in the stands at one of this season’s games. He’ll be there. Go, Nats!

Dogging the Details

38°52’21.57″ N, 77° 0’26.09″ W
Nationals Park, Washington, DC

Pups in the Park maxes out the Intrepid Pup’s Wag-A-Meter at a rare “3” for being uniquely fun for canines and humans alike. This is a real treat!

When purchasing tickets online, don’t just navigate to an advertised Pups in the Parks game date, select any seat, and assume you can bring your dog. Nope, it doesn’t work that way. Though it might seem a bit less intuitive for first-time users, Pups tickets are actually sold under the web banner of GROUP tickets/Group Theme Games. In 2012 you’ll be purchasing a $22 ticket for yourself and a reduced-price $8 ticket for your dog, the latter of which benefits the Washington Humane Society. Once you’ve purchased tickets online for one Pups game, chances are you’ll be on the Nats’ email list to receive updates about future ones.

Some extra tips:

Parking is ample, but fees directly correlate to proximity to the ballpark and can get pricey. The clear message here is to walk, bike (yes, there are numerous bike racks outside the stadium!), take Metro to the Navy Yard stop, board a bus, or hop a DC water taxi or one of the special Baseball Boats running a 35-minute cruise from Alexandria, Virginia. But if you’re bringing your dog, you’ll find that many of these either don’t allow pets or require that they be crated, so you pretty much have to find a place to park and then walk. The Nationals website highlights the options, the least expensive of which (for an individual game, i.e. not part of a package deal of games/parking) are $10 and $15 parking lots about a mile away. Note that pre-paying for parking via the website does allow for the convenience of printing out your voucher at home but does carry an additional service fee.
Remember that DC summers are hot and, above all, humid. If your dog doesn’t tolerate the heat well, select from the available Pups dates accordingly.
If you happen to be attending one of the Pups games that is preceded by a Pup Parade, note that you’ll be lining up outside the stadium well beforehand. Be sure to have poly bags and plenty of water on hand. It can get warm standing in line with tons of other people and dogs.
Dogs of all sizes are welcome, but Team Tavish did observe a few of the larger breeds finding it a bit harder to get comfortable in their seats.

Filed Under: Special Events, Sporting Events, Wag-A-Meter=3 Tagged With: ballfield, ballpark, baseball, bulldog, Dick Van Patten, dog, intrepid pup, major league baseball, MLB, Nationals, Nats, Natural Balance, Norman scooter-dog, Pups in the Park, stadium, Steve Garvey, Tavish, Tillman, vizsla, Wag-a-meter=3, Washington DC, Washington Nationals

Ode to a Duke

April 2, 2012 by admin

Word had it there was a new statue in town. It was no April Fool’s Day joke, so Tavish the Intrepid Pup was on the case. Our trek on Sunday, April 1, 2012, took us to the intersection of Florida Avenue and T Street, N.W. in Washington, DC, where we found the recently-installed memorial to DC native son and jazz legend Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899 – 1974). Entitled Encore, the 20-foot stainless steel sculpture on a granite base is the work of artist Zachary Oxman, whom DC’s Commission on the Arts and Humanities selected in a design competition. A work crew had gingerly craned the sculpture into place on Ellington Plaza just a few days earlier on March 29th. It depicts Duke Ellington at a piano, the keyboard of which soars upward like a melody itself. Ellington is perched on an oversized treble clef adapted from Ellington’s own handwritten musical scores.

Ellington’s childhood was spent in several different family homes all in the vicinity of Howard University. He began taking piano lessons at about age 8. As a teenager he worked as a soda jerk, and at age 14, he composed his first original score, Soda Fountain Rag. Because Team Tavish can’t resist a good canine reference, we have to add that this song became more commonly known as Poodle Dog Rag, taking its name for the Poodle Dog Cafe, a Georgia Avenue establishment where Ellington often played. Ellington left DC for New York in 1923 but frequently returned for performances, contributing to a vibrant African American music and theater scene in DC that also featured the likes of Jelly Roll Morton, Pearl Bailey, and Cab Calloway. In his lifetime Ellington composed more than 3,000 songs (think Take the “A” Train, It Don’t Mean a Thing, and Mood Indigo) and gave some 20,000 concerts in the United States and abroad. For a city that proudly claims Ellington’s roots and has several things Ellington—among them: the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, a robust Ellington collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and many references along Cultural Tourism DC’s Georgia Avenue/Pleasant Plains and Greater U Street Heritage Trails—it’s high time there’s a statue for him, too.

Dogging the Details

38°54′55.96″N, 77°1′14.37″W
Duke Ellington Plaza, Washington, DC

After viewing Encore, we continued on our walk eastward down the block into the LeDroit Park Historic District, an architecturally and historically significant subdivision dating to the mid 1870s. The excursion earns a “1” on the Wag-A-Meter as it’s pleasant and easy to take everything in within a short distance. An unexpected bonus on the return was that we discovered Bistro Bohem at the corner of 6th Street and Florida Avenue, N.W. Drawn by the Czech flag flying above the entrance (a member of Team Tavish has Czech heritage), we stopped to take a look at the menu posted outside. Much to our surprise, a man burst through the door moments later and enthusiastically rushed to pet Tavish, who loved every minute of it. Turns out that this vizsla-phile is a former vizsla owner and none other than Bistro Bohem founder Jarek Mika. We happened to catch Mika in the gap between the lunch and dinner shifts on just his 10th day in business offering a modern twist on classic Eastern European cuisine. We plan to return to the restaurant sans the Intrepid Pup, but in the meantime, it was refreshing to see that Mika had completely renovated a rundown, vacant building. When we said we’d just been to see the Ellington statue, Mika agreed that it’s already proven to be a nice addition to the streetscape. As sculptor Oxman noted in his original concept for the Ellington Encore piece “[The treble clef] is used as the entry to a musical score, just as this sculpture represents the gateway to this community.” Truly this is neighborhood experiencing a rebirth. Nearby Shaw’s Tavern has recently re-opened under new ownership. A block of condominiums is being developed incorporating the brickwork facades of the original storefronts. And, finally there’s the historic 1910 Howard Theatre. Once the “largest colored theatre in the world” drawing to its stage such icons as Booker T. Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, the Duke himself, and later, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Brown, Aretha Franklin and others, this arts landmark had languished in neglect upon shuttering in the early 1980s. In the wake of a $29 million restoration begun in 2010, the Howard Theatre will be celebrating its grand re-opening on April 12, 2012. Indeed, as Ellington might say, it’s enough to get you “in a sentimental mood.”

Filed Under: Cultural Heritage, Statue, Wag-A-Meter=1 Tagged With: Bistro Bohem, Cultural Tourism DC, dog, Duke Ellington, Edward Kennedy Ellington, Ellington Plaza, Howard Theater, intrepid pup, Jarek Mika, jazz, LeDroit Park, music, piano, Poodle Dog Cafe, statue, Tavish, vizsla, Wag-a-meter=1, Washington DC, zachary oxman

“Knowledge is the Prime Need of the Hour”: Women’s History Month and Mary McLeod Bethune

March 30, 2012 by admin

Every March the United States officially observes Women’s History Month—an outgrowth of both International Women’s Day and, in 1981, a congressional resolution for a “Women’s History Week.” In recent years the month has been ascribed a theme, with March 2012’s being “Women’s Education – Women’s Empowerment.”

One who personified this theme through her own works was Mary McLeod Bethune (1875 – 1955), daughter of former slaves, educator, key political influencer, and founder of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) in 1935. The Intrepid Pup recently visited two sites, both in the nation’s capital under the aegis of the National Park Service, to learn more.

The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House is tucked within a row of stately townhomes in a residential section of northwest Washington off Logan Circle. For the price of $15,500 in 1943, the property became not only Bethune’s residence but also the official headquarters for the NCNW. The site has been administered by the Park Service since 1994. On the day of our visit, we were welcomed by a college undergraduate serving in the Park Service’s Student Career Experience Program. She invited us first to listen to a recording of Bethune speaking at an event in 1955 just a few months prior to her death. Hearing Bethune’s actual voice was a good introduction to someone we previously knew very little about, and it gave us the impression of a strong yet humble woman with a commanding presence. The ranger gave a brief orientation on the highlights of the home’s history, encouraging us to explore the rooms and interpretive displays on the first two floors. She checked on us several times to answer our questions. We had the house to ourselves that weekend afternoon. Just beyond the reach of the tour bus throngs on the National Mall, this historic site is not a high-traffic destination. Yet contributing to its appeal is the very fact that in providing a personal, intimate experience it is in marked contrast with its crowded counterparts. Our knowledge and appreciation of Bethune expanded exponentially as we uncovered details about her upbringing in poverty and perseverance in starting Florida’s Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls (now Bethune-Cookman University) in 1904 fueled only by desire and $1.50. It seems fitting that today the university offers a master’s degree program in transformative leadership. It was also fascinating to learn of Bethune’s role in championing African American women’s involvement in the war effort and of her official capacities in the Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman administrations.

About a mile and half away from the Council House as the crow flies is Bethune in monumental form. Sculpted in bronze by New York artist Robert Berks (1922-2011), the statue grouping emphasizes Bethune as educator, literally and figuratively imparting her legacies to a boy and girl. Around the base are inscribed excerpts from her last will and testament which Bethune also holds in her outstretched left hand. The oft-repeated refrain “I leave you…” is completed by such powerful concepts as “hope”, “a thirst for education,” and “racial dignity.” The monument itself has an interesting history. It’s located in Lincoln Park 11 blocks due east of the U. S. Capitol Building. Book-ending the rectangular plot of open space maintained by the Park Service are the Bethune memorial and, sited directly opposite, the famous Freedmen’s Memorial Monument to Abraham Lincoln (also known as the “Emancipation Grouping”) which was paid for entirely by freed slaves and sculpted by Thomas Ball in 1875. The original intent had been for the dedication of a Bethune memorial to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1963, but the entire project was delayed. With funding from the NCNW, the Bethune monument was ultimately unveiled in 1974 on what would have been Bethune’s 99th birthday. Adding the Bethune memorial to the park also resulted in turning the Freedman’s Memorial 180 degrees so the two groupings would face each other.

If the Bethune memorial’s roughly faceted, somewhat abstract style looks familiar, it’s because Robert Berks sculpted several high-profile pieces. In DC alone, one can most readily see other examples of his handiwork in the 22-foot seated Albert Einstein memorial (1979) outside the National Academy of Sciences and in the 8-foot, 3000-pound bronze bust of John F. Kennedy (1971) gracing the Grand Foyer of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In a city dotted with literally hundreds of statues, monuments, and memorials, Berks’ Bethune sculpture represented the first honoring a woman (let alone an African American woman) installed on public park land in the nation’s capital.

Dogging the Details

38°54′29.31″N, 77° 1′50.29″W
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House, Washington, DC

38°53′23.19″N, 76°59′21.13″W
Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial, Lincoln Park, Washington, DC

There is no fee charged to explore the Bethune Council House. While dogs understandably aren’t allowed inside, the neighborhood itself has sidewalks and is great for dog-walking.

Lincoln Park is exceptionally dog-friendly and what earns this Bethune-themed expedition a “2” on the Wag-a-meter. In fact, the park’s entire center concourse is basically one big unfenced and very popular dog run. So long as your dog plays well with others, it’s among the top spots to rub noses with the canine denizens of Capitol Hill. During our visit, Tavish encountered 3 weimaraners, a doberman, a rottweiler, a basset hound, a Wheaton terrier, a miniature greyhound, a Boston terrier, and a shepherd mix.

Important to note is that Lincoln Park is not an officially-designated city dog park. There are trash cans, but bring your own your poly bags to clean up after your dog.

Filed Under: Historic Home, National Historic Site, National Park, Statue, Wag-A-Meter=2 Tagged With: Bethune-Cookman University, bronze, Capitol Hill, Council House, dog, dog park, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, historic site, intrepid pup, Lincoln Park, Logan Circle, Mary McLeod Bethune, National Council of Negro Women, National Park, National Park Service, presidents, Robert Berks, statue, Tavish, vizsla, Wag-a-meter=2, Washington DC, Women's History Month

A Blossoming Tradition

March 20, 2012 by admin

Think spring in Washington, DC and it’s synonymous with cherry blossoms. For a fleeting few days the frothy, confectionery splendor of more than 3,700 blooming cherry trees transforms the already-stunning National Mall and Memorial Parks. What makes 2012’s vernal display all the more special is that it marks the centennial of the gift of 3,020 trees from Japan. With this 100th anniversary comes an unprecedented five weeks (March 20 – April 27, 2012) of celebratory events throughout the city, ranging from concerts, special exhibitions, and performances highlighting Japanese culture, to fireworks, a kite festival, and the annual parade. The Cherry Blossom Festival, which has been an annual event in some form since 1935, today partners with the National Park Service, which in turn is offering its own activities and special ranger talks from March 24 – April 15, 2012.

The trees themselves are likely among the most scrutinized and closely monitored in the country. Tracking green buds, florets, and peduncle elongation, the National Park Service keeps meticulous data on the five stages of blossom development. While there are multiple types of cherry trees in the park, the most prevalent is the Yoshino, so the Park Service defines peak bloom as specifically being “when 70% of the blossoms of the Yoshino Cherry trees are open.” The historical average predicts the peak bloom date to be April 4th, but Mother Nature is notoriously fickle. A cold snap or a warm spell can move that date significantly in either direction, and once the blossoms are out, all it takes is one good gusty thunderstorm to toss all the pink petals from the trees.

Seeing the blossoms with the Intrepid Pup has become an annual tradition, but getting to the trees can be an adventure unto itself. The Metrorail system or biking are by far the best bets, but if you’re bringing your dog along, you’ll have to find an alternate means of transportation. Parking anywhere close to the Tidal Basin during the peak of the blossoms is a fantasy, so consider parking further away and walking back. Pedicabs seem to be a viable option, as we saw a lady and her pug zip by in one on our own most recent walk en route to the blossoms.

Bear in mind that while the outdoor venues of the National Mall and Memorial Parks are dog-friendly, you must keep your dog leashed at all times and prevent your dog from entering the Tidal Basin waters or any of the pools or fountains. As a general rule, dogs are not allowed in the inner sanctum (i.e. where the statue is) of any memorial, but Team Tavish has found that simply asking a park ranger for clarification on the boundaries is both appreciated and avoids any unnecessary confusion. And, as it turns out, many of the rangers really like dogs. The ranger we met at the Jefferson Memorial last week has been with the National Park Service for more than 20 years and was genuinely pleased to see us out exploring the monuments and blossoms with Tavish. Though the ranger regretted that she couldn’t permit him past the exterior columns on the façade, she went out of her way to give the Intrepid Pup a commemorative 100th anniversary cherry blossom pin bearing Paddles the beaver, a Park Service cartoony “mascot” that otherwise cautions visitors not to pick the blossoms. Opportunistic beavers have long tried to gnaw on the cherry tree trunks, but the ranger confided that the mesh barriers one sees around the cherry trees are good deterrents and that she had seen more raccoons and foxes than beavers so far this spring.

Dogging the Details

38°53′06.39″ N, 77°02′11.27″ W
National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington, DC

As mentioned above, if you don’t already live in the DC area, timing your visit to see the blossoms at their peak can be an inexact science. And be prepared to do miles of walking to fully appreciate them. For these reasons, the festival gets a “2” on the Wag-a-meter.

The Yoshino cherry trees concentrated around the Tidal Basin seem to attract the greatest flocks of blossom-gazers, and the narrow 2.1-mile walkway encircling the water’s edge can become quite congested. If you or your dog aren’t fond of pedestrian traffic jams, you have a couple of choices. Either plan your walk for the early to mid morning or late afternoon hours on a weekday (the lunch hour and nice weekends bring out tourists and locals) or stray off the well-beaten path. The Washington Monument grounds are much more open, absorb a lot of people, and boast numerous cherry trees representing yet another gift from Japan, this one to Lady Bird Johnson in 1965. Or, just a short distance east of the Jefferson Memorial you’ll find access to Ohio Drive, SW. This road and adjacent sidewalk loop 4.1 miles around East Potomac Park and Hains Point, and the whole way is lined with cherry trees! While your vistas from here won’t be of the monuments, you will have lovely views of the Washington Channel and the Virginia banks of the Potomac River. It’s on this route that you’ll discover completely different species of cherry trees: Kwanzan, Japanese weeping cherries, Takesimensis, Yama-zakura, and a single Okame cherry tree. There’s also an interesting grove of cherry trees on the golf course—land once a research area for the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—that likely represent the oldest anywhere in the park. Although 1912 is commonly cited as the year of the gift of the celebrated trees, Japan actually first sent 2,000 trees to Washington two years earlier in 1910. Sadly, those trees arrived with infestations, and after unsuccessful treatments, President Taft—at the recommendation of the USDA—ordered that they all be burned. It appears, however, that the precious few in this outcropping miraculously survived.

Finally, be sure to bring a camera. Pale pink cherry blossoms against granite memorials and a clear blue sky ought to be on your “bucket list” of backdrops for great family photographs.

Filed Under: National Monument, National Park, Nature, Special Events, Wag-A-Meter=2 Tagged With: cherry blossoms, cherry trees, dog, festival, intrepid pup, memorials, National Mall, National Park Service, Tavish, Tidal Basin, vizsla, Washington DC

Intrepid Pup Bracketology

March 14, 2012 by admin

Every March, members of Team Tavish dutifully fill out their NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament brackets. It’s a time of mild angst and giddy anticipation. Stats are weighed, websites consulted, gut instincts tapped, and alma mater loyalties tested. It’s all in good fun but never has it resulted in a Team Tavish member actually winning an office pool or even securing temporary bragging rights. Alas, for all the data and firm convictions, inevitably there comes a point in March Madness when the outcome of a single day’s games dashes all those careful selections asunder.

Old habits die hard, though, and Team Tavish members did still succumb to the individual rituals of bracket-picking this year. Nevertheless, it was also decided that it was time to introduce a new, less predictable, element to the mix: Tavish, the Intrepid Pup. Forget hours of ESPN coverage, Sports Illustrated analyses, Selection Sunday, and the opinions of Dick Vitale and Digger Phelps. Tavish would have none of it, and he was going to make his picks his way. Let’s just say that lots of dog treats were involved (specifically, Milk-Bone® biscuits and Milo’s Kitchen™ Chicken Meatballs), but the process was otherwise as unbiased as could be. As proof, you’re invited to watch this brief video (click link to view in YouTube or otherwise see below) of the Intrepid Pup making some of his selections:

Completing the brackets was done over the course of three days so Tavish would neither lose focus nor overindulge during any one sitting. While sports analyst wisdom prevailed in some picks, it more often seemed that Tavish had an affinity for, well…the underdogs. But hope springs eternal, and who doesn’t love a Cinderella team? So if 16th seed LIU Brooklyn really does pull off the upset over #1 seed Michigan State in the first round, then Tavish will likely be the only soul in the country to have predicted it.

Welcome to a world where Detroit goes to the Sweet Sixteen, St. Bonaventure advances to the Elite Eight, and Southern Mississippi breaks into the Final Four!

How do your picks stack up against the Intrepid Pup’s? Enjoy the Madness!

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Filed Under: Sporting Events Tagged With: bracketology, brackets, Cinderella, college, dog, intrepid pup, March Madness, men's basketball, NCAA, Tavish, tournament, underdog, vizsla

Catching Some Rays at the Public Observatory

March 8, 2012 by admin

With all the recent talk of feisty solar flares amping up the activity of the Northern Lights and having the potential to wreak a little havoc with power grids and GPS devices here on Earth, the Intrepid Pup turns his attentions to the firmament. And what better place to whet one’s celestial appetite than the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum?

Except…we’re directing your attention not to the museum’s exhibition galleries that are literally among the most visited in the world but rather to its lesser-known but not-so-little nub of an astronomical observatory that rests upon the museum’s outdoor east terrace right on Washington, DC’s National Mall.

The Public Observatory Project (POP) is the tangible manifestation of a dream long-held by Dr. David DeVorkin, the museum’s senior curator of astronomy and space sciences. To know DeVorkin is also to know that he’s an enthusiastic proponent of making astronomy accessible. “The Mall has its monuments,” he wrote back in 2009, “What it needs is a portal, a portal to the universe.” The idea was to put a telescope where people—slews of them!—already are, thereby igniting interest in astronomy among casual observers. It didn’t quite take an act of Congress, but it did require a dedicated project team and approvals from the museum, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission. Dream became reality when the observatory opened in October 2009 to coincide with the International Year of Astronomy. The observatory’s workhorse is a 16-inch Boller & Chivens telescope re-purposed from Harvard-Smithsonian’s Oak Ridge Observatory in Massachusetts, but staffers also keep several smaller hand-held telescopes at the ready for visitors. The observatory is free and open to the public, though operating hours are highly weather dependent, so check POP’s Twitter feed for updates. For daytime viewing, you’ll be training the telescopes to look at moon craters, the phases of Venus, and yes,—with the aid of safe solar filters—sunspots! Now you can see for yourself what the sun is up to.

Dogging the Details

38°53′16.26″N, 77°1′6.67″W
Public Observatory, Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC

The observatory scores a “1” on the Wag-a-meter as it’s pretty darn accessible. Parking during the day can be problematic as there are no big public parking lots close by, but there are metered spaces along Independence Avenue and side streets, and the L’Enfant Plaza and Smithsonian Metro stations are both within easy walking distance.

Alas, your dog can’t hang out in the observatory and would likely have trouble peering through the telescope’s eyepiece even if he could. Yet if you’re out on a walk with your dog, there are informative panels to read on the observatory’s exterior, and when the observatory is open to visitors, astronomy educators are often right by the door and will gladly field your questions.

If you happen to go stargazing on one of POP’s special nighttime observation evenings, ask the staff if you can take a gander at Canis Major (a constellation representing one of the great hunter Orion’s dogs)…and tell them the Intrepid Pup sent you.

Filed Under: Museums, Science, Wag-A-Meter=1 Tagged With: astronomy, Boller & Chivens, canis major, David DeVorkin, dog, intrepid pup, museum, Naitonal Air and Space Museum, Public Observatory, Smithsonian, solar flare, sunspot, Tavish, telescope, vizsla, Wag-a-meter=1, Washington DC

Getting Out and About in Vacationland

March 4, 2012 by admin

Just learned about the inaugural Great Maine Outdoor Weekend taking place this March 2-4, 2012. It’s being touted as a bi-annual celebration with a “series of events scheduled all across the great state of Maine to help connect [people] with the natural world, and promote fun, physical activity, and good health.”

Well, if that isn’t something that appeals to the Intrepid Pup’s sensibilities, we don’t know what will! Tavish isn’t in Maine this weekend to help celebrate, but he did spend the first 5½ years of his life in “Vacationland” living the state’s motto “Maine: The Way Life Should Be.” And in that time, he had ample opportunity to sample and enjoy some of the best trails, views and natural beauty the state has to offer. So, while this is by no means a comprehensive list, here are some of the Intrepid Pup’s top picks, by region, for getting out and about with your dog in Vacationland:

Dogging the Details

The three excursions described below all rank “2” on the Wag-a-meter as these are active, outdoor adventures with some pre-planning required. You’ll also be out-and-about pretty much the whole day with your dog, so be sure to pack along food/treats, water, and doggie bags.

MAINE BEACHES

43°20′51.32″ N, 70°28′50.92″ W
Kennebunk Beach, Kennebunk, Maine

If you’ve always associated Maine with craggy shorelines, there are plenty. But you might be surprised to learn that beautiful sandy beaches can be found in coastal towns throughout southern Maine. One favorite is Kennebunk Beach. At low tide, this crescent-shaped swath of sand extends out about a hundred yards before receding into the Atlantic Ocean. Then, if you could even see this far, the next land you’d spot would be Portugal. Seriously. The surrounding communities, collectively known as the Kennebunks, are tourist magnets (particularly in the summer and fall), but Kennebunk Beach holds a year-round allure even after temperatures for swimming and sun-bathing are but distant memories. The sidewalk follows the shoreline and is great for dog-walking, complete with several waste receptacles and doggie-bag dispensers. In fact, this same scenic route along the seawall is used by the area’s Animal Welfare Society for its insanely popular (and fun) annual “Strut Your Mutt” fundraiser.

Within certain hours, dogs are allowed ON the beach, too, provided you follow the regulations. Kennebunk Beach is a great spot for your dog to run, swim, and enjoy the company of the myriad other dogs and dog owners you’ll find. Do note that in the summer, nearby parking requires a beach permit.

Want to spend a full day exploring the Kennebunks with your dog? If it’s between June 15 and the day after Labor Day, time your romp on Kennebunk Beach to be either before 9 AM or after 5 PM. For the rest of the day, consider heading to Kennebunk’s very own dog park just a short drive from the beach up Sea Road. This fenced-in dog park shares an entrance with Kennebunk’s recycling center and is open daily from dawn to dusk. Still have energy to burn? From the dog park, go across Sea Road into the parking lot for Sea Road School. On the left-hand side, you’ll be able to access the trailhead for the Bridle Path, going southeast. Since it’s the former rail bed for the Boston & Maine Railroad from 1883, it’s pretty flat. For a little ways you’ll snake behind neighborhoods, but before long, you’re surrounded by woods and marshland. Keep your eyes peeled for glimpses of the Mousam River to the west; it’s a favorite for birders and kayakers. In this direction, the trail ends in about 2 miles at the junction with Western Avenue. Reward yourself and your dog for a day well-spent by heading into the heart of nearby Kennebunkport. In the heart of Dock Square, you’ll find Scalawags, a marvelous pet boutique, where a bowl of fresh water always awaits. Owner Mary Beth does a great job of sourcing tasty dog treats and an array of truly unique Maine-made and Maine-inspired wares (think rope leashes hand-crafted by Maine lobstermen!) for your four-legged friends. Extending your stay is always an option, and you’re in luck in that the Kennebunks are home to a number of pet-friendly accommodations like the Captain Jefferds Inn, the Colony Hotel, and the Hounds Tooth Inn.

GREATER PORTLAND AND CASCO BAY

43°39′02.59″ N, 70°11′41.37″ W
Peaks Island, Maine

Team Tavish dug back into the Intrepid Pup archives for this pic of an approximately 11-week-old Tavish on one of his very first trips to what would become a frequent destination: Peaks Island. Of the several hundred island communities that dot Casco Bay, Peaks is the most populous with ~1,100 year-round residents, though that number swells to 4,000+ during the summer months. Peaks is actually part of the City of Portland, but its history has been punctuated by various—and as yet, unsuccessful—secessionist movements. It’s accessible via a 15-minute ride from downtown Portland on the Casco Bay Lines ferry and is thus a popular day-trip destination. Vehicle traffic is minimal, with bicycles and golf-carts easily outnumbering cars on the roads. At just 2 miles long and about a mile wide, Peaks is both walkable and eminently picturesque.

Dogs are allowed on the ferry but do need their own tickets. Climb aboard and take a seat on the open-air top deck. It’s not uncommon to spot harbor seals en route. Once you arrive at the ferry landing on Peaks, walk up the ramp to Downfront, where you can fortify yourself with an ice cream cone. As you head out the door, hook a right to stay on Island Avenue and go back past the ferry landing, a little park, and a few restaurants. Within about 1/4 mile, the road will curve inland. Make a right on Whitehead and look for the short walking trail that leads down to Picnic Point and Hadlock Cove, where this photo of Tavish was taken. Here’s your craggy coastline and a stunning view of Casco Bay! If you bring along a picnic and a camera and never get any further in exploring Peaks, you won’t be disappointed. There is, however, much more to see. For a longer walk, rejoin the main road heading east, and within a few hundred feet you’ll come upon the Fifth Maine Museum. Its Memorial Hall cottage was constructed in 1888 as a memorial and reunion site for members of the Fifth Regiment Maine Volunteer Infantry (1861-1864) active during the Civil War. The museum’s exhibitions and programming cover regimental history and, more broadly, various facets of the island’s settlement. The museum is also playing a key role in the statewide sesquicentennial commemoration of Maine’s role in the Civil War. Heading right (east) from the Fifth Maine Museum, Seashore Avenue passes the 8th Maine Regiment building (now a lodge) and then quickly opens onto panoramic shoreline vistas. Seashore Avenue makes a circuit of the island and winds up being a little more than a 3-mile walk, ultimately reconnecting to Island Avenue, delivering you past the quirky, seasonally-open Umbrella Cover Museum and right back to where you started at the ferry landing. You can trim your overall distance by turning off Seashore Avenue onto any of the roads that bisect the island (see map). If you have time to spare before catching your return ferry, enjoy Shipyard Brewing Company beverages and a meal at the Inn on Peaks. When outdoor seating is available, your dog can join you on the patio.

MIDCOAST

44°13′22.91″ N, 69°04′07.73″ W
Mount Battie, Camden Hills State Park, Camden, Maine

Camden, Maine is a charming Midcoast town with quaint shops and inns, great seafood, schooner charters, and a bustling autumn Windjammer Festival that spotlights Camden’s picturesque marina. It’s also great base from which to undertake some hiking. Just over a mile outside the town center, heading north on Belfast Road/Route 1, is the main entrance on the left to Camden Hills State Park. The 30+ miles of trails are well-maintained and well-marked, but they do intersect one another frequently within the park’s 5,700 acres, so it helps to request a map at the ranger station and have a ranger suggest an appropriate route, based upon the time you have available.

A favorite of Team Tavish is the Mount Battie Trail, which is accessed from the parking area just beyond the ranger station. While the trail isn’t technically challenging (heck, it even crisscrosses the auto road to the summit, but driving up would be “cheating”!), it’s a lovely couple miles of walking in the woods, and the payoff is huge. The trail tops out at a smooth rock outcropping 780′ above sea level with a breath-taking view of Camden Harbor immediately below and Penobscot Bay beyond. In autumn, leaf-peeping and spotting the migrating hawks are additional draws. For a longer foray, daisy-chain the trails and try out Bald Mountain (1200′), Mount Megunticook (1385′), or Maiden Cliff (800′).

Word has it that the next Great Maine Outdoor Weekend is already slated for September 28-30, 2012. Stay tuned for the Intrepid Pup to share more of his favorite Maine excursions then!

Filed Under: Nature, Wag-A-Meter=2 Tagged With: bay, beach, Bridle Path, Camden, Camden Hills State Park, dog, dog park, ferry, Fifth Maine Museum, Great Maine Outdoor Weekend, hiking, inns, intrepid pup, island, Kennebunk, Maine, Mount Battie, mountain, ocean, outdoors, parks, Peaks Island, state parks, Tavish, trail, Wag-a-meter=2

Tavish Hears a Who

March 2, 2012 by admin

A 1st grader peeped his head around the door, turned back to his classmates and proclaimed, “Hey! The dogs are here!”

Tavish, the Intrepid Pup, was making his way through the corridors of Stanton Elementary this afternoon to attend a birthday party. Not just any birthday party, mind you, but one in honor of beloved children’s book author Theodor Geisel (1904-1991), better known as Dr. Seuss.

Every year on March 2nd—Dr. Seuss’ birthday—the National Education Association does it up big with Read Across America Day, a nationwide reading celebration involving schools, libraries, and tons of kids. Today’s reading party at this DC public school was part of Stanton’s community partnership with People. Animals. Love. (P.A.L.), which runs PAL Club as a year-round, animal-centric enrichment program.

The classrooms were hives of activity. 130 kindergartners through 5th graders could barely contain their excitement. Tavish’s role, along with five other dogs, was to “help” with the final after-school activities of the day. Tables were cleared to make way for scissors, staplers, paper plates and construction paper. The result? “Cat in the Hat” hats, of course! And then, armed with Dr. Seuss bookmarks, there was the chance to choose from an array of Dr. Seuss storybooks. Grinning from ear to ear, young Cheyenne* plunked down on the brightly spotted carpet to read Yertle the Turtle to Tavish, and it wasn’t long before her friends had gathered around. Out came Oh, The Places You’ll Go! Dante threw his arms around Tavish’s neck with glee. Next up was Dr. Seuss’s A B C, and D’Antwan balanced a red-and-white-striped Dr. Seuss hat on Tavish’s head. What fun it was to see the world momentarily come to a standstill and be all about Star-Belly Sneetches, the Lorax, Sam-I-am, and Horton, with kids giggling at the nonsense words. Pointing at the illustrations. Enjoying reading.

So, blow your floofloovers and bang your tartookas, spin your trumtookas and slam your slooslunkas!**
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

*Children’s names changed to protect privacy
**Excerpt adapted from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Filed Under: Pet-Assisted Therapy Tagged With: author, birthday, children, commemoration, dog, Dr. Seuss, intrepid pup, literacy, National Education Association, PAL Club, Read Across America, reading, Tavish, Theodor Geisel, vizsla, Washington DC

The View from Cedar Hill

February 28, 2012 by admin

February is Black History Month, and the Intrepid Pup wants to share a true gem of the National Park Service: the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. The house, known as Cedar Hill for the preponderance of cedar trees on the 9.75 acres, was the residence of an aging Frederick Douglass from 1877 until his death in 1895. This handsome estate in southeast Washington, DC’s Anacostia neighborhood sits atop a promontory commanding a truly magnificent panorama of the capital city and is a site tourists should venture beyond the National Mall to see.

For those only familiar with Douglass (c. 1818 – 1895) from his 1845 autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself, a visit to Cedar Hill takes the longer view, providing a more comprehensive treatment of Douglass’s life and legacy. A 17-minute introductory video, “Fighter for Freedom,” in the adjacent National Park Service visitor center chronicles Douglass’s childhood in slavery in Maryland and eventual escape to New York, marriage to free black Anne Murray, rise as a distinguished orator in the anti-slavery movement both in the United States and abroad, and continuing influence during the Civil War, Reconstruction Era, and women’s suffrage and civil rights movements. The only way to access the historic home is via a ranger-led, 30-minute tour, for which a nominal ticket fee is charged. Photography is permitted inside the house so long as it’s without a flash.

On the day of our visit, we had an exceptionally knowledgeable and engaging young ranger. He deftly hit the highlights of Douglass’s public life but also gave insights into Douglass’s more personal side, pointing out Douglass’s extensive library, the violin he played, and the free weights he used to maintain his personal fitness. Referencing the various portraits throughout the house, the park ranger expounded upon Douglass’s social circle and relationships with abolitionists William Lloyd Garrison and John Brown; Presidents Lincoln, Grant, Hayes and Harrison; Underground Railroad champion Harriet Tubman; and abolitionist and suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton. He explained the importance of Douglass’s family life and—after wife Anne’s death in 1882—controversial second marriage in 1884 to Helen Pitts, a white woman and women’s rights activist and publisher. And we learned-lesser known details, such as Douglass’s appointments as Charge’ d’Affaires for Santo Domingo and as Minister to Haiti. Before departing, we checked out the rustic outbuilding at the rear of the property. It’s a reconstruction of Douglass’ self-proclaimed “Growlery.” Evocative of a lion’s lair, it served as Douglass’ personal retreat for writing and study.

Dogging the Details

38°51’48.53″ N, 76°59’6.66″W
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, Washington, DC

Cedar Hill ranks a 1 on the Wag-A-Meter for its ease in being able to experience.

This National Park Historic Site has ample free parking. Dogs are not allowed inside the visitor center or house but are welcome on the grounds so long as they remain on leash. A ticket is not required for strolling the grounds and taking in that fabulous view! Summers in the nation’s capital are hot and humid, so if you’re coming then, be sure to bring along water for your dog.

There’s a steep set of 85 stairs from the visitor center to the house itself; an alternate route is via a slightly less steep but winding access route that passes a landscaped garden and comes out adjacent to the Growlery.