Tuesday 21 July 2009

RWA 09: Washington DC - Wednesday part 1

I think my optimism about blogging from the conference was a little premature! Not only was I very short on time, but I could never get a strong enough signal from the Wifi in the hotel lobby and meeting rooms to be able to get onto the internet. Anyway, here's the next post about my week in Washington DC:

Wednesday started off with a little bit of sightseeing. Historicals author Michelle Willingham had volunteered to act as tour guide for a group of assorted authors and editors. I was still a bit jet-lagged and very glad just to troop around after someone who would tell me where to go so I didn’t have to think too hard.

We got the metro to the Smithsonian and stopped to take a few photos as we walked across the National Mall to the Museum of Natural History. Here’s Kim Young and Jo Grant, lovely editors from the London offices of Harlequin Mills & Boon.

After looking at the dinosaurs, we went upstairs to stare at the gemstones.Here’s the Hope Diamond, which was truly stunning and my washed-out photo really doesn’t do it justice. Even the setting and necklace was exquisitely crafted. And that wasn’t the only piece of marvellous jewellery. We wandered round, speculating on which rocks would go best with our RITA outfits on Saturday night. Here’s a few pics of some of my favourites:


After that, we nipped along the road to the Museum of American History and took in an exhibition of dresses worn by first ladies from the time of Martha Washington right through to Laura Bush. Jewels first, and now frocks and shoes…you can tell it was a girls’ outing! Here’s Mamie Eishower’s wonderful red dress and shoes and Mary Lincoln’s gown. The lighting was quite low in the exhibit so you can’t see the fabulous pleating and detail where the black satin meets the patterned section of the skirt, but it was truly a work of art.

We then did a bit more sightseeing, before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the Readers for Life Literacy Autographing – but that’s a whole post in itself!


Me and Senior Editor for Harlequin Mills & Boon Romance, Kim Young


World War II Memorial


The reflecting pool with the Lincoln Memorial in the distance


Me with some of my sightseeing companions: Michelle, Kim, Elaine and Mary-Lou


The Washington Monument
(which I could see quite clearly as my plane passed over the city the day I arrived)


6 comments:

Donna Alward said...

Am totally envious of your new camera now! Your pics turned out MUCH better than mine! Esp the museum ones. Dammit.

Susan said...

Wow! Fiona! It looks like you guys had a great tour of DC!

susan meier

Kate Johnson said...

Great pictures, Fiona--I saw quite a few of the same things but my photos were rubbish! I tried about ten times to get pictures of Mary Lincoln's clothes but kept getting repelled by flash. I don't think she wanted me to photograph her frocks...

Donna Alward said...

Kate - I KNOW. And if I turned the flash off...so dark. Grrr. I got home and the dh said "you know there is a museum setting...."

Sigh.

Fiona Harper said...

Hi, everyone! I must admit, I had to crop and adjust levels for some of the pics.

It was lovely to get to know you better, Susan.

And I have a pic of you at the book signing I'm going to send you, Kate!

Modern Beauty Girl said...

Thanks for posting this