Jeff Malet • June 19, 2012

Hundreds of astronomy enthusiasts, young and old, turned out on the front porch of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum on June 5 to view a rare astronomical event which occurs when the planet Venus passes between the earth and the sun. It is something that won’t happen again for at least another 100 years. Though the show in the skies over Washington, D.C., was largely obscured by cloudy skies, the sun did peek out on a few occasions. A large video screen was on hand to show Venus as a black dot gliding across the disc of the sun in real time from an observatory in Hawaii. Smithsonian staff and volunteers were on hand with free viewing glasses and a variety of devices for observing the celestial event.

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Jeff Malet • June 18, 2012

The annual National Memorial Day Concert on Sunday May 27 was interrupted about half way through due to a weather emergency. But we were able to grab close-up photos of the entire performance at the full dress rehearsal a day earlier inlcuding performances by Joe Montegna, Gary Sinise, Daughtry, Natalie Cole, Trace Adkins, Jessica Sanchez, Ellen Burstyn, Dennis Franz, Selma Blair and Russell Watson.

You can view our photos by clicking on the photo icons below.

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Jeff Malet •

The Annual National Memorial Day Parade, took place along Constitution Avenue in Washington DC on May 28, 2012. Consisting of a lineup of entertainers, veterans units, marching bands and patriotic floats, the parade honors those who have served and died to protect our liberties. The reviewing stand was symbolically positioned directly opposite the National Archives Building, the home to this nation’s most hollowed documents including The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. The parade as always began with the marching platoons of each of our armed services. It was televised around the nation and to our troops serving around the world.

View our parade photos by clicking on the photo icons below.

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Jeff Malet •

The 134th annual White House Egg Roll attracted over 30,000 visitors to the White House South Lawn for a day of racing, reading and fun on Monday, April 9, 2012. The theme of this year’s egg roll was “Let’s Go, Let’s Play, Let’s Move!” which was modeled after the First Lady’s “Let’s Move!” campaign. View our photos by clicking on the icons below. (All photos by Jeff Malet)

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Jeff Malet • June 11, 2012

The Susan G. Komen Foundation said that 27,000 walkers and runners participated in the Annual Komen global race for the cure for breast cancer on the National Mall in Washington D.C., on June, 2. The event drew about 30 percent fewer participants than last year due in large part to the organization’s controversial withdrawal of funding from Planned Parenthood. Komen quickly reversed the decision, but it left many wondering whether politics influenced its decision-making. That did not seem to diminish the enthusiasm of those that did turn out on a beautiful spring day. The Komen website estimated that $1.8 million was raised from Saturday’s walk.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation raises awareness and funding for breast cancer research and services. The opening ceremony was held at the Washington Monument. It is one of the largest 5K runs and fitness walks in the world.

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Jeff Malet • June 4, 2012

For the 25th year, the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally thundered through Washington calling attention to veterans and those missing in action, on Sunday May 28. View our photos from the National Mall by clicking on the icons below. [gallery ids="100831,125650,125659,125667,125677,125685,125695,125705,125713,125641,125633,125748,125742,125735,125597,125729,125605,125614,125623,125722" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet • May 24, 2012

In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the National Asian Heritage Festival’s Fiesta Asia held their 7th annual street fair covering three full blocks on Pennsylvania Ave. near the Capitol on May 19. The event displayed various aspects of Asian art and culture featuring over 90 acts and 600 performers including musicians and dancers, the martial arts and a lion dance demonstration.

View our photos from the cultural stage by clicking on the photo icons below.
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Jeff Malet • May 17, 2012

The Washington Savoyards, the professional light opera company, begin their 40th Season performing the music of the celebrated team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II to positive reviews at the Atlas Theater in Washington DC. Performances continue thru May 6. For information about performance times and ticket prices, visit the Savoyards website at http://www.savoyards.org/

The careers of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II parallel the coming of age of the American Musical Theater. From their first collaboration, Oklahoma! in 1943, to Carousel, South Pacific, Flower Drum Song, Cinderella and the Sound of Music, the pair continued to break new ground with innovative plots and exotic settings. Prior to Oklahoma, most hit shows were essentially vehicles to showcase the talents of its stars. They had little serious to say and there was no need to integrate the songs, dances, comedy routines and the spectacular chorus girl numbers. In “Oklahoma!” the musical found a new form. This “integrated musical” marked a revolution in American theater. “Oklahoma!” was the complete synthesis of music, libretto, lyrics, dancing and staging.

The heart of every R&H show are of course the songs, many of which became American standards, including the title song of this production which was written for the movie musical “State Fair”. This Savoyards musical review includes many of R&H’s well know tunes, mixed in with some relatively obscure gems from lesser know works such as Me and Juliet, Allegro and Pipe Dream. The cast of three women and two men includes Scott Russell, Emily Levey, Nick Lehan, Dorea Schmidt and Maria Egler.

View our photos of the show by clicking on the photo icons below.

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Jeff Malet •

The space shuttle Discovery, attached to a modified NASA 747 aircraft, flies over Washington, D.C., Tuesday, April 17, 2012, as it makes its way to its permanent new home, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. (Photos by Jeff Malet)

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Jeff Malet •

The Washington Humane Society’s 6th Annual Fashion for Paws took place at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. on April 14 2012, featuring fundraising models who agreed to raise a minimum of $5000 in the weeks leading up to the event. Opening the event were custom made designs by the Fashion Institute of Design and Marketing’s 2012 Debut Class. Several of FIDM’s top design students were asked to create a custom couture outfit exclusively for the Fashion for Paws show to match their line that was recently showcased in Los Angelas at FIDM’s annual Debut Gala. Five students were asked to take on the challenge of creating one-of-a-kind, high fashioned garments for models and then a matching outfit for some of Fashion for Paws much loved “model” dogs to wear down the runway. These custom creations were designed and made completely by the students from the Debut 2012 group.

View our photos of the event plus a behind the scenes look at the FIDM designs by clicking on the icons below. (All photos by Jeff Malet) [gallery ids="122184,122033,122025,122016,122007,121998,121989,121978,121969,121961,121953,121943,121934,122042,122050,122058,122175,122166,122157,122148,122136,122124,122112,122103,122094,122086,122077,122067,121926,121919,121773,121765,121756,121747,121738,121729,122197,121720,122207,122219,121709,122228,121782,121791,121799,121909,121901,121889,121881,121872,121861,121853,121844,121835,121826,121817,121809,100748" nav="thumbs"]