Author Archives: tcwells14

Even the saga of Middle-Earth comes to an end (maybe)

Posted on October 7, 2018 by tcwells14

The Lord of the Rings saga written by noted fantasy writer, and Oxford Professor, the late J.R. R. Tolkien finally comes to an end in The Fall of Gondolin published by his son Christopher, now 94. J.R.R.Tolkien taught Anglo-Saxon and Old English … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, Tolkien, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

At the Freer Gallery, a seminar on looting of cultural heritage

Posted on August 8, 2018 by tcwells14

If you think museums are just homes for great art, think again. The art, academic and museum worlds have combined forces into activism against theft. They have to since the illegal sale of cultural heritages has become endemic. It is … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, art, Freer Gallery of Art, History, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Don’t blink or you’ll miss ‘Artes de Cuba’ at the Kennedy Center

Posted on May 14, 2018 by tcwells14

On a trip to pick up tickets at the Kennedy Center, I discovered the Artes de Cuba: From the Island to the World. For those unfamiliar with the Kennedy Center, the theater along the Potomac River is one of several … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, art, Costume, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Top shopping at the Smithsonian Craft Show

Posted on April 27, 2018 by tcwells14

I have seldom walked through a craft show and had my jaw drop at virtually every booth. The outstanding quality and imagination sets the 2018 Smithsonian Craft show at the National Building Museum apart from so many others. It is … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, Asian art | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A to-be-read book, ‘Darjeeling,’ turns out to be so worth it

Posted on April 5, 2018 by tcwells14

Too often books languish in a pile named, “I’ll get to it soon.” That’s what happened to Jeff Koehler’s “Darjeeling: The Colorful History and Precarious Fate of the World’s Greatest Tea” which has been gathering dust for roughly three years. … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, History | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Ikats! Ubiquitous but unknown

Posted on March 31, 2018 by tcwells14

The next time you hit Crate and Barrel, or Target, take note of the ikat designs everywhere. If you don’t know what ikats are, go down to Washington’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Art for the new exhibit, “To Dye … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, History, Sackler Museum | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A ‘March For Our Lives’ in Washington DC

Posted on March 25, 2018 by tcwells14

They came from all around the DC area and from out-of-state – Minneapolis, New York State and more. They filled the historic Pennsylvania Ave and overflowed to some of the other streets. The March for Our Lives was not just … Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

DC’s morning meetings – Pence, Klobuchar

Posted on February 15, 2018 by tcwells14

One of the great pleasures of living in the Nation’s Capitol is the chance to seeing  legislators in the flesh and hear their words without any media filter. This can be good or bad depending on your thinking. If nothing … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

And… we’ve achieved a new TV

Posted on February 3, 2018 by tcwells14

After dragging my friends out to Best Buy and having intense discussions with an employee (which degenerated into an agreeable political discussions because this is the Washington DC area), I ended up with a new television. What kind? Well, that’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Cats, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

The art of choosing a new TV

Posted on January 30, 2018 by tcwells14

Since it’s January, when you’re paying for last December’s frivolity and are looking forward in sick fascination at the upcoming tax season, it’s time for your electronics to break down. I mean, would they choose to fail in anticipation of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments