Tis a Dickensian Workshop.....

        Well, the urchins are hard at work in the Dickensian workshop. They're getting ready for the Dickens Tour in December. This year it's December 20th and 21st at noon. This tour covers Charles Dickens visits to Washington City and features an adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" on the tour. Tickets are on sale at www.historicstrolls.com and at historicstrollsweebly as well. For our military discount or student discount, please purchase from Mrs. Cratchit at the tour. Mrs. C will be at Cosi at 10th and E streets NW (1001 Pennsylvania Avenue is the proper address of Cosi but it's actually at 10th and E St NW) fifteen minutes prior to each tour to sell tickets. The tour is outdoors so dress warmly and we promise a lively experience! The  Cratchit Family Christmas Pudding recipe can be found here: Cratchit Family Pudding recipe

Photo by Pat Padua

This tour is accessible and military id is half price for id holders and their spouses. For more information write to mail at historicstrolls.com or call 301-346-5303.

This is from the first year of the Dickens tour in 2001

Doubting Abbey

Ghost Story Tour is On!

Ghost Story Tour is on for Friday October 11th! Meet the ghost under the awning at 858 Vermont Ave NW (McPherson Square Metro White House exit is closest) next to the Veteran's Administration building. Your ghostly guide will have umbrella and lantern!

And it's BoGo this weekend- buy one and get one free or just say your second person is a ghost and get in for $6.00!

Natalie

Shutdown Special on Ghost Story Tour!

    Tonight marks the return of Ghost Story Tour of Washington to Lafayette Square. The ghosts are ready and so are we! As always, military id gets you in for half price (and your kids under 16 for free). Our new student discount goes into effect tonight as well. Show your student id and get in for only $10. And, beginning tonight, October 4th, show your Government Id and get in for half price. To get your discount, simply purchase your ticket from the guide at the tour. She will be at the meeting spot at 7:45 before each tour.

Ghost Story Tour runs Fridays and Saturdays in October at 8:00pm. See www.historicstrolls.com for more details. Special tour on Halloween!

So many discounts, so many ghosts. Parking is always challenging in Downtown DC so we recommend Metro. The Ghost Story Tour begins at 858 Vermont Avenue NW, 20005, right outside the McPherson Square Metro "White House" exit.

Directions from the North, I-270
 Take I-270 South to 495 East
 Exit at Connecticut Ave. South (No. 33)
 Take Connecticut Ave. South approximately 7 miles
 Stay in center lane and continue under Dupont Circle, approximately 7 blocks to H Street
 Turn left at H Street
 Turn left at Vermont Avenue
 Tour meets at 858 Vermont (Vermont and I (eye) Streets)
Directions from New York, Baltimore and Delaware
 Take I-95 South toward Washington, D.C., to 495 West at Silver Spring, MD
 Exit at Connecticut Ave. South (No. 33)
 Take Connecticut Ave. South approximately 7 miles
 Stay in center lane and continue under Dupont Circle, approximately 7 blocks to H Street
 Turn left at H Street, to Vermont
 Turn left at Vermont
Directions from Northern Virginia
 Take Washington Exit onto George Washington Parkway
 Exit at 14th Street Bridge, Rt. 395 North
 Stay in left two lanes to exit onto Route 1, which will become 14th Street, and continue to I Street
 Turn left at I Street
 Turn left at Vermont Avenue
Directions from Richmond, VA
 Take I-95 North to 395 North, the 14th Street Bridge
 Exit onto 14th Street Bridge, Rt. 395 North
 Stay in left two lanes to exit onto Route 1, which will become 14th Street, and continue to I Street
 Turn left at I Street
 Turn left at Vermont Avenue

BRrrrrrrrrrr!

"Bloomers!" says Mrs Cratchit. Twas cold out there my dears, cold indeed. And Mrs. C forgot her over bloomers on the last tour. I had two pairs of woolies, one pair o' jeans, two shirts, two sweaters, one dress, two sweaters on top of that and one cape. And I am positive that I forgot to get a cast photo at the end. If anyone shot a nice pic of the cast on 12/24, do send it to me and if we use it, ye shall get a giftie from the Cratchits!
Each actor had many, many layers on this year. Our poor Desi and Nicolette each wore about 12 to 14 pounds of costumes during the shows. I was determined to keep these ladies toasty warm and they bore the burden with grace. But now a mountain of laundry awaits Mrs. C. Oh, ode to Joy. 'Tis the glamourous side of theatre! The wooly scarves are on the line as I type, the coats are joining them. And soon the slightly holey silk shirts shall make it a festive party out there. I scour thrifts throughout the tour season for silk shirts as they layer nicely. And if they have tiny holes, who can see it through the gleam of a beautifully nuanced performance?

We had lovely people on all the tours but my favorites have to be the wee ones who brave the chill (and Marley's ghost- brrrr!) to come and cheer on those Cratchits.

Now it's time to sip a tea, write a check to So Others Might Eat, thaw my fingers out (perhaps before I write that check?), and get ready for "The Expedition" which opens on January 7th. Walk off those Holiday calories as we ascend Capital Hill using the world's tiniest climbing rope. See the marvel of the City's oldest elevator, the secret connection to the Empire State Building, where the Star Spangled Banner was first sung in Washington City and much,much more.

And donate to charities my dear. Even a little can help a lot and you'll feel so good inside you may not need chocolate. Well, let's not get carried away, you may still need chocolate. Mrs. C does. But you will feel grand.

A Dickens of a Tour: Charles Dickens in Washington | Cosi | Penn Quarter | Washington Events at wusa9.com

A Dickens of a Tour: Charles Dickens in Washington | Cosi | Penn Quarter | Washington Events at wusa9.com

Tiny Fred? Tiny Tim?

Fun Facts for December: Dickens had a brother he called "Tiny Fred". In 1939, President Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up a week to stimulate the economy. Some continued to celebrate the holiday on the original date and dubbed the new holiday "Franksgiving".

Not so fun fact: It is going to be chilly out there this weekend. About 45 degrees I should think, so dress warmly for the Dickens tour my dears. Mrs. C will be wearing about 4 to 5 layers and will resemble a Thanksgiving Turkey herself. One year, I came the tour in curlers thinking I would have time to pull them out before the tour began. But of course, I forgot and this is the result in the photo at the top. I'm wearing curlers, a snood and two hats. My head was warm indeed!

Here's another year where I am not seen but am wearing two layers as it just wasn't that chilly. We cannot predict the weather so we scan www.noaa.gov for radar (oh, Rudolph with your nose so bright, are you just a sattelite?)

Brrr!

See you at Cosi, I'll be there at 11:45 before each tour to sell tickets and you can purchase them online also at www.historicstrolls.com up until 9:00 am the morning of the tour you wish to attend.

Mrs. C.