Exhibition Spotlight: "I’ll Have What She’s Having”: The Jewish Deli

Learning through food histories is a fascinating & compelling way to explore the past and learn about peoples, regions, and cultures. For instance, a few years ago I wrote a 60 minute food histories of DC program for a client and through this strictly food-based research, I learned so much more about the District of Columbia itself. A new exhibition at the Capital Jewish Museum titled "I’ll Have What She’s Having”: The Jewish Deli encapsulates all of that same sentiment and more.

From exploring the effects of 20th century immigration, to defining the actual foods served in delis, to surprisingly relevant modern day pop culture movie references, this exhibition is more than just a food history. It showcases how American Jews, through delis, created new American food traditions, ensured continuity of important established traditions, and practiced a time-tested, cross cultural social exercise — sitting down together to have a meal.

Of course, since this is the Capital Jewish Museum —as in Washington, DC— there is a solid emphasis on the DC area history in deli culture from present day and years past. That includes the suburbs of Washington, too. Not to mention the existing interactive computer display of delis and other Jewish owned business, schools, places of worship, and significant sites in the ongoing exhibition (Connect. Reflect. Act.).

I loved the mix of laying groundwork through immigration histories while showing present day ephemera that makes every individual deli that particular deli — uniforms, menus, equipment, signage, and advertisements. We have all seen these places in everyday city life, but the context and meaning make seeing the exhibition more of a journey. And of course, if you explore it all from beginning to end, you'll get to watch the namesake, payoff “I’ll have what she’s havingfilm scene in the final gallery. Admittedly a somewhat hilarious sounding clip if you haven't seen the movie and you hear it while making your way through the adjacent room in the exhibition.

“I’ll Have What She’s Having”: The Jewish Deli” is on view through August 20, 2024. As a special exhibition, it does require an entrance ticket of $15. The rest of the museum is free with timed ticket. Walk-ins are excepted as space permits. 575 3rd St NW.

Exhibition Spotlight: Brilliant Exiles

Josephine Baker est aux Folies-Bergère. Lithograph, 1936. ByMichel Gyarmathy (1908-1996).

Happy belated birthday Josephine Baker! The singer, dancer, and actor who captivated Paris in the 1920s was born 118 years ago this week, on June 3, 1906.

Baker was but one of many innovative and creative American women who moved to Paris in the early 20th century seeking personal autonomy along with professional agency and success.

Some of these “brilliant exiles” are profiled in the new National Portrait Gallery exhibition by the same name, “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900-1939.” The exhibition is open through February 23, 2025.

Loïs Mailou Jones 1905-1998. Charcoal and chalk on textured paper, c. 1940. By Céline Tabary (1908-1993) .

Gertrude Stein 1874-1946. Oil on canvas, 1905-6. By Pablo Picasso (1881-1973).

The show is made up of nearly 80 works of art, mostly in the form of portraits. The portraits are of, and sometimes also by these Americans who shifted and elevated the Paris culture through literature, visual, arts, dance, drama, and philosophy.

Portraiture has a way of annunciating identity in a more evocative way than even the written word can. This exhibition does that in a simple way, letting the paintings speak for themselves.

Baker, like the other American women featured in the exhibition, did not leave the U.S. and land in Paris by accident or coincidence. Crushing legal and social limitations in the U.S. left little room for freedom expression for independent and talented women. Restrictions were based not on just gender, but sexuality, race, economic stratifications, and politics. Paris was not a panacea for all U.S. societal ills, but the artistic climate offered more independence, agency, and freedom to an extent that, for these women, the U.S. could not compare.

Mercedes de Acosta 1893-1968. Oil on canvas, 1923. By Abram Poole (1882-1961).

Baker herself moved to Paris in 1925. She did return to the U.S. for short stints in theatrical productions, and more extensively to lend her aid to the cresting civil rights movements in the 1960s. But by then she was a Parisian through and through, having gained French citizenship way back in 1937. Baker died in Paris, passing away in her sleep on April 12, 1975, just days after performing in a show marking her 50th year of her Paris debut.

This exhibitions is about more than Baker herself. The portraits that make up the show give a luminescent view into the personality, and dare I say, aura, of the people captured. This is high recommend to visit before the show closes in February of 2025!

This and all Exhibition Spotlights are brought to you by our wonderful Patrons. Patrons get monthly insight into new and upcoming museum exhibitions, DC history posts, photographs not shown anywhere else, and more. If you like this post, there’s way more at Patreon.com/AttucksAdams! Memberships start at just $3/month.

In Exaltation of Flowers: Rose- Geranium; Petunia-Caladium-Budleya; and Golden-Banded Lily-Violets. Katharine Nash Rhoades 1885-1965. Marion H. Beckett 1886-1949. Mercedes de Cordoba Carles 1879-1963. Tempera and gold leaf on canvas, 1910-13. By Edward Steichen(1879-1973).

New Works at the Gallery: Bisa Butler

This week I will be sharing some of my favorite new pieces on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery.

Up second is "Patternmaster" by Bisa Butler.

Octavia Butler is one of my favorite authors – but I’m not alone. She was a groundbreaking science fiction author and multiple award winning literary giant whose work perhaps has resonated more even after her passing in 2006.

Butler is known for complex world building while incorporating themes such as racial injustice, gender inequality, environmental degradation, genetic engineering, and human (and sometimes alien) evolution.

In that same world building vein, Bisa Butler (no relation) has used various materials to build this stunning portrait of Octavia Butler. The artist used cotton, silk, vinyl, lace, beads, rhinestones, and other materials that all come together to make a quilt. The quilt is the portrait. Bisa Butler’s layering of fabric and materials mimic the layering of human emotion, speculative fiction, and fantastical scenarios that make Octavia Butler's writing so engaging. Talk about the portrait matching the person. This is it.

Check out yesterday’s post on Roger Brown and stay tuned for the final post tomorrow.✌🏾

New Works at the Gallery: Roger Brown

"World's Tallest Disaster" painting by Roger Brown. The painting shows a tall skyscraper building with the top portion in flames. The bottom half. is not on fire and people in the windows of the lower level are living their normal lives.

This week I will be sharing some of my favorite new pieces on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery.

Up first is "World's Tallest Disaster" by Roger Brown.

I mostly chose this work due to the stylized colors and shapes of the flames and building. Half of this skyscraper is on fire with the upper floors ravaged in flames and people panicking. In the lower half, we see residents carrying on on with their lives, unaware (?) of the horrific chaos happening above in the very same building. Is the painting allegorical? Probably. But I really appreciate how accessible it is. Roger Brown’s art feels so accessible in part because much of his work was inspired by works of self-trained artists and comic book art. I love this one.

Stay tuned for more observations this week!

Capitol Hill Tours Return!

Capitol Hill walking tours are back! We have revamped itinerary — adding new elements, updating others, and we’re so happy to be offering it again to those interested in history, government, and examining the peaks (and valleys) of our democratic process.

Capitol Hill Morning is a three hour experience featuring visits to the United States Capitol Building, Library of Congress, and the Supreme Court. We are offering this tour in the morning hours on Tuesday - Thursday to accommodate open hours of all the institutions on the Hill and to match the busiest times on the Hill.

This tour is meant to convey the busy and occasionally chaotic environment on the Hill, while offering historical narrative about why, how, and by whom Capitol Hill was established as an entity and how it still manages to change and adapt after every election cycle.

Sample Itinerary:
9:00am: Walk the the west front of the Capitol. See, up close, where the President is inaugurated every four years!

9:30am: Explore the labyrinth of tunnels beneath the House Office buildings. See an actual Hearing Room where Congressional Committees meet to discuss bills.

10:30am: Go inside the Library of Congress and Supreme Court. If the Court is in session, we will view it from the outside.

11:30am: Discuss the role of Congress and see timely artifacts in the newly renovated Capitol Visitor Center and museum.

12:00pm: Photo op on the steps of the Capitol!

And so much more along the way.

Capitol Hill Mornings are $300 for up to 5 participants.

Book this tour right now!

OK, I know what you’re thinking (FAQs):

Where do we meet?
We will meet in front of the U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave SW. The tour will end on the east steps of the Capitol.

What about government shutdowns?
Occasionally Congress can not agree on passage of spending bills to continuously fund government operations.. The end result is a “government shutdown,” until a new funding is passed into law. Essential government functions are preserved, but spaces like the Library of Congress, Capitol Visitors Center, and Congressional office buildings would close. We will still proceed with the tour! Typically we will spend more time on the grounds and time permitting, see additional memorials including the Disabled American Veterans Memorial and Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II.

Is the same as the CVC/Red Coat Capitol Building tour?
Our tour is an excellent companion to --but not the same as— the Red Coat Capitol Building tour run by the Capitol Visitor Center. They have official access to places we will not go on tour, including the Rotunda and Statuary Hall. Please contact your Senator/Representative for assistance with a Red Coat tour or visit the CVC website.

What about security on tour?
We will we be entering secure buildings on tour, including the U.S. Capitol. We will pass through magnetometers and your bags will travel through x-ray machines. Please travel as light as possible. Obviously, don’t bring weapons or sharp objects. No liquids, including water, are allowed in the Capitol. If you follow the rules of this list provided by the Capitol (linked), you will be good to go!

What should I wear?
There are no restrictions on dress, but consider that the tour takes place half indoors and half outdoors. Please were comfortable walking shoes and dress weather appropriate.

We’re so excited to be doing these tours once again!