Conferences, Events, Food Conferences, Events, Food

VRA 2020 Baltimore: Night Out at the Walters Art Museum & A Note About Thursday

Hieronymus Francken II and Jan Brueghel the Elder, The Archdukes Albert and Isabella Visiting  the Collection of Pierre  Roose, ca. 1621-1623, oil on panel, Walters Art Museum (Creative Commons Zero)

You might have noticed Dinner and Night out at the Walters Art Museum on the Sched---the fabulous Walters Art Museum is always free and open until 9 pm on Thursday nights! Located on historic Mt. Vernon Place with the Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church, the George Peabody Library, the Washington Monument, and just a few blocks from the Maryland Historical Society, the Walters is an encyclopedic collection of 36,000 objects covering more than seven millennia, from 5,000 BCE to the 21st century.

While some of you may be attending the The Walters Art Museum: Chamber of Wonders Tour at 4 pm (as of this post, there are still spots left, email join@vraweb.org to add a tour!), other conference attendees interested in spending a casual evening with other VRA’ers should meet in the hotel lobby at 5 pm or at 6 pm to find other interested parties. From there, it’s just a short $8-10 Lyft ride or free Charm City Circulator ride to Mt. Vernon. Please note that the visitor entrance to the Walters is on Centre Street. Once there, attendees may explore the museum at their own pace. Exhibitions up during our visit will include The St. Francis Missal, Excursions through the Collection, and From Mucha To Morris: Books of the Art Nouveau.

File:Walters Art Museum Building.jpg

Walters Art Museum Building, Wikimedia Commons  (Creative Commons)

Feel free to stay at the museum until the doors close at 9 pm! But, if you’re wanting to grab dinner at one of the marvelous restaurants in Mt. Vernon with other conference attendees, sign up here for one of our Dinearounds at 7:30 or 8 pm. If you have signed up for a Dinearound, please meet at the Walters Art Museum gift shop at the noted meeting time on the signup.  If you’d rather explore this culinary neighborhood on your own, we recommend:

B&O Brasserie, Brewer’s Art, Cazbar Turkish, Dukem Restaurant, the Helmand, Homeslyce,  Hotel Indigo, Indigma Modern Indian Bistro, Maisy's, Mick O'Shea's Irish Pub, Minato, Mt. Vernon Marketplace, Owl Bar, Tabor Ethiopian, Topside

While the Walters is always open until 9 pm on Thursdays, this particular Thursday is also a big day for the downtown areas of Baltimore. Orioles Opening Day at 3:05 pm will draw a large number of folks to the harbor area and other areas of downtown Baltimore from early in the day through late in the evening. While you will see Yankee fans, as well, you will also see a sea of orange clad baseball fans filling many of the sidewalks and streets. The largest concentration will likely be around Pickles Pub, but expect traffic delays and larger crowds.

Contributor:Lael Ensor-BennettVRA Vice President for Conference ArrangementsJohns Hopkins University

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Conferences, Food, Transportation, Travel Conferences, Food, Transportation, Travel

VRA 2020 Baltimore: Very Close to Washington, D.C.

VRA 2020 Baltimore: Very Close to Washington, D.C. Consider taking a quick trip to D.C. after the conference! D.C. is only a 45-minute train ride away! Read on for travel tips, museum information, and food picks!GETTING TO D.C. MARC Train

Drive

  • 1 hour. Driving to D.C. is recommended after or before rush hour. Rush hour is typically 7-10am and 3-6pm on weekdays. Street parking in D.C. can be tricky around the National Mall, Capitol Hill, and Georgetown so garage parking is recommended ($25-50 for 6hrs+). 

GETTING AROUND D.C.Metro Rail or Bus: Residents and commuters frequently take the Metro Rail or Bus. Metro Rail fares are determined by destination and time-of-day (peak hours are 5am-9:30am and 3-7pm), starting at $2.25. Metro Bus is a flat $2 fee for each ride. Metro Rail runs 5am-11:30pm (M-Th), 5am-1am (Fri), 7am-1am (Sat) and 8am-11pm (Sun).All riders need a MetroCard. Cards can be purchased (cash or credit card) in any Metro station and costs $5 minimum with $4 to spend immediately (there’s a $1 fee for new cards). These are plastic cards and can be refilled at any station. Ronald Reagan National Airport is accessible by Metro Rail. Take the Yellow Line towards Huntington. All station managers are eager to help D.C. visitors so they’ll answer any questions you may have!D.C. Circulator: $1 flat-fee bus service along certain routes in D.C. Check the routes and schedule to see if it goes where you’re going. They accept MetroCards. Insider Tip: Take the National Mall route to enjoy a ride around the monuments for only $1. Capital Bikeshare: Find a docking station (they’re red and everywhere) and start biking! A 30-min ride costs $2 without having to sign up for a membership. Or you can buy a 24-hour pass for $8. Pick up a bike from any docking station, start biking, and return it to any docking station near your destination. Insider Tip: These are great alternatives to walking along the National Mall. Electric Scooters: You’ll find these everywhere in D.C. You’ll need the corresponding App to use any of these. Brands include Lyft (convenient because you can use the Lyft app), Spin, Skip and Jump. You can base your decision on whichever you see first on the sidewalks or pick one, download their App, and locate one nearby. Or you can look on Google Maps to see if one, of any brand, is nearby. Insider Tip: Stick to wide sidewalks otherwise use bike lanes.Walk: D.C. is a very walkable city and if the weather is nice, I highly recommend walking! Cars: D.C. is flooded with Lyft and Uber options. Costs depend on time of time (meaning traffic) and popular areas. When it rains in D.C., everyone rushes to their Lyft and Uber Apps so costs will surge suddenly. There usually is no cost difference between Lyft and Uber. Cabs: There are plenty of cabs around town especially near the Mall and airport. These will add up quickly if there’s traffic but can also cost the same, just depends on where you go. They accept cash and credit cards.STAY IN D.C.If you want to extend your stay after the conference, there are plenty of hotel options in D.C. and most, if not all, are close to a Metro stop. Some popular options that D.C.’ers even choose for staycations are the Conrad Hotel in City Centre and The Line Hotel in Adams Morgan area. Don’t forget that Arlington and Alexandria make great alternatives to D.C. and both are only 10-20 minute Metro rides away from downtown D.C. Check out AirBNB for opportunities to stay in a historic Capitol Hill townhouse or apartment with a view of the Washington Monument.WHILE IN D.C.D.C. is home to plenty of one-of-a-kind museums! There’s plenty to see and do during the day ending with a plethora of great dining options. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VNPQMcQ0o6MAfqG5PpNQGde6OSn6yGmzW9COJm14p2581EQ4ps_NXSnEoYxnMevf1tjcy952IT_QSbMS5-4LqBPH1EN2QS1LFcWeLUsR7Pqk59Gm91KvXjzxNMjWZMt_-SZwC2sOSmithsonian Institution: The Smithsonian Institution is made of 19 museums, education and research centers and a zoo! All museums are free and open 364 days of the year. Here are just a few:

  • National Museum of African American History and Culture - The newest museum on the mall! You will need to reserve passes ahead of your visit (free!) if you plan to visit before 1pm on weekdays otherwise there will be entrance lines. Same-day passes are available at 6:30am Mon-Sun or ahead of time the first Wednesday of each month. Click for more info about passes. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Federal Triangle Metro Stop (Blue Line). 
  • National Museum of American History - Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Federal Triangle Metro Stop (Blue Line) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
  • National Museum of Natural History - The newly renovated Dinosaur Hall is a must-see! Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Federal Triangle Metro Stop (Blue Line) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
  • National Museum of African Art and Freer & Sackler Galleries - These two museums and galleries are next to each other and below the Smithsonian Castle Visitor Center. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Smithsonian Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver Lines) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
  • Smithsonian Castle Visitor Center - A great way to start your Smithsonian adventure. Check-out a sampling of each museum’s collection in the west wing gallery or pick-up some souvenirs. Open Mon-Sun, 9am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Smithsonian Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver Lines) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
  • Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden - Experience modern and contemporary artwork inside and outside the Hirshhorn. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Coffee shop available indoors. Smithsonian Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver Lines) or L’Enfant Metro Stop (Yellow/Green/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines). (Our Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden tour is currently full, but what’s to stop you from going on Friday, too?)
  • National Air and Space Museum - Half of the museum is undergoing renovations but plenty of the collection remains on view! Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. L’Enfant Metro Stop (Yellow/Green/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
  • National Museum of American Indian - Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. L’Enfant Metro Stop (Yellow/Green/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).

National Gallery of Art: Also along the mall and made up of the East Wing, West Wing, and the Sculpture Garden. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Archives Metro Stop (Yellow/Green Lines) or Judiciary Square Metro Stop (Red Line).Library of Congress: Take a free one-hour tour in the Thomas Jefferson Building offered everyday at every hour 10:30am - 3:30pm. Capitol South Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver lines). National Botanical Garden: Escape the cold and some crowds by visiting the Botanical Garden between the National Museum of American Indian and Capitol. Open everyday 10am - 5pm. Free. Federal South Metro Stop or Capitol South Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver lines). A quick walk north from the National Mall is the National Archives Museum to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill or Rights. Free. Open everyday 10am - 5:30pm. In Penn Quarter/Chinatown area is the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. Free. Open everyday 11:30am - 7pm.  Chinatown/Gallery Place Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Silver/Blue/Green/Yellow lines). MUSEUMS - Off-The-Beaten-PathJust south of the National Mall is the newly built International Spy Museum, worth a visit with families and/or kids. $24.95/adults, $14.95/7-12y.o. 's, FREE for 6 and under. Open everyday 9am - 6pm. Get off at L’Enfant Plaza Metro Stop or take the FREE Wharf Shuttle. Don’t miss the National Women in the Arts Museum located in the Metro Center area. $10/adults, $8/65y.o and students, FREE for 18y.o and under. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm and Sun 12-5pm. Metro Center Station (Red line).A 25-minute walk from the National Zoo (FREE, open every day 9am-4p.m) is the National Cathedral where you can take the Self-Guided Tour, Gargoyle Tour, Behind-the-Scenes Tour or catch a performance indoors. Tours and performances may have a fee. Open everyday. FOODJosé Andres is a D.C. celebrity and owns several restaurants in the Penn Quarter area including Oyamel, Jaleo, Zaytinya, and China Chilcano. Stop by Songbyrd Cafe  in Adams Morgan for brunch, coffee, record shopping, and some live music up in the Adams Morgan neighborhood.Old Ebbitt Grill is a historic D.C. favorite across from the White House. Go for oysters and stay for a martini or burger.Don’t forget to have a second breakfast at Nellie’s Sports Bar’s drag brunch, in the U Street Corridor, on the weekends.Dupont Farmers Market open year-round on Sundays is one of the largest ones in the district.Eastern Market is an indoor market by Capitol Hill featuring butchers, florists, and The Market Place (great for pancakes!). There is also an outdoor market on weekends.Every D.C.’er has their favorite taco and ramen place so try them all and make your own decision! Tacos: Surfside, District Taco, Taco Bamba, Taqueria Nacional, El Centro, Espita and more. Ramen: Daikaya, Toki Underground, Haikan, Sakuramen Ramen Bar and more. Enjoy D.C.! https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/wlpqbAfCioDhBMgeyytI-nv21-kZH4gkp8AbbtAeJkxxX6dCDvWU_zpau2XRzN3RFF7cywLcK54_6NOve5esfqMYEtaYq9CDuElJ7XyWpTaJljZubwiKpcfVbNITc3GtIYKmqegHContributed by:Julia Murphy, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

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VRA LA 2019: See you in Los Angeles!

The Executive Board and the Local Planning Committee do so look forward to welcoming you to Los Angeles next week! The weather forecast looks fantastic with sun and temperatures around 70 degrees.  Please keep reading for some important last minute info, tips, and reminders.

Getting to the Hotel:

For options and details on getting to the hotel from the airport, Union Station, the Little Tokyo Gold Line Station, etc. please visit the recently updated conference site travel page.

Dinearounds:

Looking for an opportunity to meet new colleagues in a relaxed social setting and enjoy local cuisine?  Four dinearounds have been planned for conference attendees on Thursday evening, with two group reservations at 7:00 pm and two at 7:30 pm.  For a listing of restaurants, see Sched. Sign up at the Registration Table in the Golden State Ballroom Foyer before spaces fill up.  Attendees will meet up in the lobby to walk together to restaurants and are responsible for the cost of their own food and drinks.

Tours:

Want to learn about the historical and cultural landmarks of downtown LA from the 18th century to the present?  Sign-up for the Los Angeles Conservancy Walking Tour of Historic Downtown on Tuesday at 10:00 am.  Be sure to check at the Registration Table in the Golden State Ballroom Foyer for any last minute availability in the engaging tours organized by the Local Committee. 

Donate & Win:

For every $5 you donate to the VRA by April 15, your name will be entered to win a year-long membership OR a 2020 conference registration (i.e. if you donate $15, your name will be entered three times). Two names will be drawn, and each winner will select which prize they prefer. The prize is fully transferable, so you can pass along your prize to a friend if you wish! 

For every $800 raised, the Executive Board has pledged to offer an additional travel award for the 2020 conference! We have set an overall goal of $2400, with the hopes of adding three additional awards for travel to Baltimore. Please donate to support this initiative and win yourself a membership or 2020 conference registration!

Grocery Stores,Pharmacies, and Print & Copy Centers:

These locations have been added to the conference map.

Fedex Print & Ship Center, 181 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Office Depot (Print & Copy Center), 401 E W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Little Tokyo Pharmacy, 402 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
CVS Pharmacy, 201 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Marukai Market, 123 S Onizuka St. #105, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Whole Foods, 788 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Ralphs, 645 W 9th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

See you soon!

Contributors:

Krystal Boehlert
Local Planning Coordinator, VRA LA 2019

Lael Ensor-Bennett
Vice President for Conference Arrangements, VRA Executive Board

Amy McKenna
Public Relations and Communications Officer, VRA Executive Board

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Conferences, Food Conferences, Food

VRA LA 2019: Let's Eat!

In a city with an overwhelming range of food choices, we wanted to provide some top picks to help you navigate your conference culinary experiences. The Little Tokyo neighborhood has a plethora of sushi, ramen, tempura, dumplings, and sake to keep you satisfied. Likewise, the Arts District, Civic Center, Chinatown, Olvera Street and other surrounding neighborhoods all have great places to eat. Below is a list of recommendations, which will also be included on our VRA LA 2019 map. All are walking distance from the hotel. Any walk  >15 minutes, has a rideshare travel time included. Find more reviews on Jonathan Gold’s 101, Yelp, The Infatuation, Eater LA, and LA Taco.

Fine Dining

Here are some top rated fine dining experiences, if celebrity chefs and home-cured charcuterie are your thing. Plan to secure a reservation ahead of time for these restaurants:

  • Redbird (New American $$) 114 E 2nd St redbird.la,
    2 min walk

  • Majordōmo (Californian $$$) 1725 Naud St, majordomo.la,
    25 min walk / 10 min rideshare

  • Bestia (Italian $$$) 2121 E 7th Pl  Bestiala.com,
    30 min walk / 10 min rideshare

Good Value

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is grand-central.jpg

These hot spots will keep you under budget without missing out on the flavors of LA:

  • Chado Tea Room (Tea House) 369 E 1st St (inside JANM)  chadotearoom.com,
    7 min walk

  • Lemonade at MOCA (cafe, lunch $-$$) 250 South Grand Ave,
    15 min walk / 5 min rideshare

  • Guisados DTLA (Mexican $)  541 S Spring St #101 guisados.co,
    15 min walk / 5 min rideshare

Plant Based & Allergy Friendly

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is plant.jpg

Lots of healthy options and vegetarian friendly food around, here some safe bets:

  • Cafe Gratitude (Vegan $$) 300 S Santa Fe Ave cafegratitude.com,
    15 min walk / 5 min rideshare

Libations

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is brewery.jpg

Head out for a drink with friends new and true:

  • Far Bar (Gastropub $$) 347 E 1st St farbarla.com ,
    7 min walk

  • Boomtown Brewery (Brewery $$) 700 Jackson St boomtownbrew.com,
    16 min walk / 5 min rideshare

Historic Buildings

Each one of these historic gems has a story to tell:

  • Imperial Western Beer Company (Brewpub $$) Union Station, 800 N Alameda St imperialwestern.com,
    15 min walk / 5 min rideshare

  • Cole’s the Originator of the French Dip & Speakeasy (since 1908) (American $$) 118 E. 6th St.,
    [no website] 14 min walk / 5 min rideshare

Sweet Tooth

Satisfy your sweet tooth with Japanese mochi, French macarons, and vegan donuts, oh my:

  • Mikawaya (Japanese Mochi ice cream $) 118 Japanese Village Plaza Mall ,
    5 min walk

  • Midori Matcha Cafe (Tea Room, Bakery $) 123 Astronaut Ellison Onizuka St, Ste 101- C midorimatchatea.com,
    3 min walk

  • Bae (Ice cream $) 369 E 2nd St,
    4 min walk

  • DŌNATSU, (Donuts, Vegan $)  330 E 2nd St #C ,
    3 min walk

Contributors:

Krystal Boehlert
Local Planning Coordinator, VRA LA 2019
Visual Resources Specialist, University of California Riverside

Maureen Burns
Development and Tour Coordinator, VRA LA 2019
IMAGinED Consulting and Archivision

Jackie Spafford
Local Planning Committee Member, VRA LA 2019
Image Resources Curator, History of Art and Architecture, University of California/Santa Barbara

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