This is why I love living so close to D.C. I snapped this shot of Renoir’s “Luncheon of the Boating Party” on Saturday. For free. Usually, you have to pay to tour the Phillips Collection, but several museums and galleries downtown participated in a free museum day this past Saturday, including the Phillips. So we decided to stop by to see how the luncheon was going. Still looks quite colorful and vibrant, even if stuck at a bit of an odd angle in this photo. It’s a bit difficult to get a straight-on shot of this one; it’s without a doubt the most popular piece in the collection, and the room is constantly near capacity. So I snicked this shot off as quickly as I could and kept my fingers crossed that it would at least come out clear.

Unfortunately, the Phillips was the only free museum we visited. I’m in slow combat with a funky warm weather cold right now, so after touring the Phillips and stopping for a cupcake from Larry’s Ice Cream, I was ready to pack it in. I had hoped to find a little medical advice from the local church…but I think I was barking up the wrong tree on this one. They just kept saying that they wanted to audit me. All I wanted was a cough drop! And stop asking me if I believe in Xena and the Galactic Confederacy! Mixing genres like that is just not cool.

Okay, wipe up the milkshake and clean off the bowling pin. I’m definitely finished. Time to go home and sleep this one off…