Capitol Shutdown: Week One in Photos
• October 7, 2013

The Washington D.C. metro area was hit far harder than most during the government shutdown which now enters its second week. To add to the tension, a shooting outside the Capitol put the building on lockdown. View our photos of “Week One” by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101482,152188,152204,152207,152212,152217,152222,152226,152263,152241,152245,152231,152237,152250,152255,152260,152268,152195,152191,152131,152120,152135,152175,152126,152165,152170,152139,152144,152149,152153,152158,152162,152179,152182,152199,152270" nav="thumbs"]

Doors Close to Mall Visitors During Shutdown (photos)
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It was noon on a beautiful Summer-like day when the National Mall would normally be filled with museum goers, vendors, government workers, and the sounds of fountains, softball bats and carousels. Instead, visitors on October 1 were greeted with barricades, and locked doors. It was of course the first day of a Congress inspired government shutdown.

By viewing our photos (by clicking on the photo icons below), you can get an idea of the emptiness on the Mall. You will also meet disappointed visitors from New Zealand, Australia and Brazil who were in town for short vacations. You will meet the manager of Smithsonian Segway tours offering two for one specials with few takers. And veterans trying to visit the great war memorials, confronted by steel barriers and police tape. Days like these do serve one purpose, to help us appreciate what treasures we have, but sometimes take for granted. [gallery ids="101479,152373,152377,152382,152386,152390,152395,152400,152404,152408,152412,152418,152422,152427,152431,152435,152368,152361,152355,152294,152289,152298,152302,152365,152345,152307,152312,152317,152321,152325,152330,152335,152340,152350,152438" nav="thumbs"]

Wreath Laid at Navy Memorial in Honor of Victims of Navy Yard Shooting (photos)
• October 2, 2013

Senior Department of Defense officials laid a wreath at the Lone Sailor Statue at the U.S. Navy Memorial on Sept. 17 in honor of those killed during the previous day’s shooting at the Washington Navy Yard. Participants included: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel; Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus; Chief of Naval Operations Admiral, Jonathan Greenert; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey; Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr.; Vice Admiral John Totushek, USNR (Ret), president and CEO of the U.S. Navy Memorial; Mayor Vincent Gray; Metropolitan Police Commander Kimberly Chisley-Missouri. Flags will fly at half staff nationwide through Friday night, Sept. 20, in remembrance of the 12 victims. The Lone Sailor Statue stands on the broad granite plaza which forms the amphitheater of the Navy Memorial which is located on Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, between 7th and 9th streets, adjacent to the Archives-Navy Memorial Metro station.

View our photos of the wreathlaying ceremony at the Navy Memorial by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101456,153559,153555,153551,153547,153543,153538,153533,153530,153526,153522,153518,153514,153510,153501,153506,153562" nav="thumbs"]

National Book Festival 2013 in Photos
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Nearly 200,000 book lovers and more than 100 leading authors gathered on the National Mall on Sept. 21-22 for the 13th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. About a dozen tents were constructed between 9th and 14th streets, each representing a different literary genre, including history, fiction, poetry and children’s literature. Among those making presentations were Margaret Atwood, Don DeLillo, Linda Ronstadt, Taylor Branch, Brad Meltzer, David Nasaw, Evan Thomas, Khaled Hosseini, Thomas Keneally, Rick Atkinson, Hoda Kotb and Joyce Carol Oates.

View our photos of the event by clicking on the photo icons below.
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Latinos Celebrate Fiesta DC (photos)
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The highlight of the annual Latino Festival in Washington, D.C., also known as Fiesta DC, is the colorful Parade of Nations down Pennsylvania Avenue. This year’s event took place on Sunday, Sept. 22. The festival, designed to showcase Latino culture, coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

View our photos of the Parade of Nations by clicking on the photo icons below.
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Jim Henson Puppets Donated to the National Museum of American History (photos)
• September 24, 2013

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the National Museum of American History received a donation of more than 20 Jim Henson puppets and props from the Henson family. Donations included Miss Piggy and the Swedish Chef from The Muppet Show, Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street and Boober Fraggle and Travelling Matt from Fraggle Rock. The gift was made on what would have been Henson’s 77th birthday and shortly after his wife, Jane Henson, died in April. Miss Piggy will go on display in March 2014 in the Smithsonian’s “American Stories” exhibit next to storied artifacts such as Dorothy’s ruby slippers and Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves. The original Kermit and Cookie Monster will go on view in November in a special display case. Fans of the Muppets will be able to see some of these latest additions to the collection in December in a new exhibition on puppetry.

Many of the donated puppets are the first constructions of these characters and represent Henson’s work in The Muppet Show (1976-1981), Fraggle Rock (1983-87), Sesame Street (1969-present) and his collaborations with artist Brian Froud for the 1982 feature film The Dark Crystal. These new puppets will join the current Jim Henson Collection. The original Kermit, made from an old coat and pingpong balls for eyes, was donated to the Smithsonian in 2010, along with other characters from “Sam and Friends.”

On hand at the donation ceremony were Cheryl Henson, daughter of Jim Henson; Bonnie Erickson, who designed and built many of the puppets and now serves as executive director of the Jim Henson Legacy; and Fran Brill, the first woman puppeteer Henson hired for “Sesame Street,” who created the characters of Zoe and Prairie Dawn.

View our photos from the dedication ceremony at the National Museum of American History by clicking on the photo icons below.
[gallery ids="101460,153042,153046,153051,153056,153062,153067,153072,153077,153082,153038,153033,153089,153092,152999,153004,153010,153014,153019,153024,153029,153087" nav="thumbs"]

Protestors Opposing Attack on Syria Gather Outside White House (photos)
• September 23, 2013

Anti-war protesters gathered outside the White House and marched to the Capitol on Sept. 7 to voice their opposition to a U.S. military strike in Syria. View our photos by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101439,153860,153864,153869,153874,153879,153884,153889,153894,153898,153902,153906,153911,153915,153919,153923,153929,153934,153855,153846,153842,153771,153850,153766,153813,153776,153780,153785,153789,153793,153798,153803,153808,153819,153824,153829,153834,153838,153937" nav="thumbs"]

Celebrating Bastille Day With the Annual Paul Baguette Relay Race (photos)
• September 9, 2013

Bastille Day is the French national holiday celebrated every July 14 to mark the storming of the Bastille Prison and the launch of the French Revolution. To mark that event in Washington, D.C., Paul Bakery Cafe hosted its third annual Baguette Relay Race outside its restaurant in Penn Quarter. Both kids’ and adults’ teams of up to six individuals speedwalked around the U.S. Navy Memorial Plaza using a baguette in place of the traditional baton. Winners each received a $25 gift certificate to Paul Bakery, plus an Alliance Française tote bag with treats inside. 50 adults and 20 kids participated in this year’s activity. Paul Bakery has five locations in the D.C. area and has plans for more.

View our photos of the event by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101387,153893,153899,153904,153909,153916,153921,153927,153932,153938,153943,153887,153882,153877,153963,153839,153958,153845,153954,153851,153857,153862,153867,153872,153949" nav="thumbs"]

First Day Qualifying Action at Citi Open Tennis (photos)
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First round match play began on Saturday, July 27 with qualifying action at the Citi Open Tennis Tournament at the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C. The tournament runs through Sunday, August 4 and features a strong lineup of some of the world’s best players, including Wimbledon men’s semi-finalist Juan Martin del Potro, and top ten ranked Angelique Kerber among the women participants. The Citi Open is one of only 11 elite ATP World Tour 500-level events worldwide and the only one held in the United States.

The first day was devoted to the qualifiers with 20 matches spread out over five courts, providing a chance for fans to get very close to the action. Monday begins the main draw. View photos of the qualifying matches by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101406,154514,154519,154524,154529,154535,154540,154545,154550,154555,154560,154509,154504,154581,154466,154576,154572,154472,154477,154483,154488,154493,154498,154566" nav="thumbs"]

Up Close at Citi Open Tennis (photos)
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Top-seeded and world-ranked Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina won his third singles championship at the Citi Open Tennis Tournament in three sets against top-ranked American John Isner Aug. 4 at William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Stadium in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. The victory earned del Potro $295,000 in prize money and capped off an excellent week of tennis. Del Potro limited Isner to six aces, after the American pounded 29 in the semifinals. Known for his powerful serve, Isner recorded speeds just short of 150 MPH in an earlier match. Del Potro countered in part by standing well back of the baseline to receive. Defending Citi Open champion Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia later defeated Andrea Petkovic of Germany in the women’s final in straight sets. In Sunday’s first match, American Mardy Fish, playing only his fourth event of the year, partnered with Radek Stepanek (Czech Rep.) in the doubles finals but lost out to Julien Benneteau (France) and Nenad Zimonjic (Serbia). The women’s doubles title was claimed by top seeds Shuko Aoyama (Japan) and Vera Dushevina (Russia) in a straight set victory against the North American teenagers Eugenie Bouchard (Canada) and Taylor Townsend (USA) who were partnering for just the first time since winning the Junior Girls’ Doubles title at Wimbledon last year.

View our photos of all the finals action by clicking on the photo icons below.

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