Paddles The Beaver
03/25/10 Paddles The Beaver holds court at a National Park Service news conference to announce details of new visitor services for the 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival.
The Festival mascot harkens back to the notorious beaver who dined on the famed cherry blossoms until nabbed by the National Park Service. The three week festival starts this weekend.
Washington Portrait: Mary Johnson
03/25/10 The Washington Hilton celebrated it’s 45th anniversary today with presidential wax figures from Madame Tussauds to represent key moments in the hotel’s history. As part of the hotel’s $140 million restoration (set for completion in June), the hotel is also restoring its name from “Hilton Washington” (as it is currently known since 1998) to “Washington Hilton,” as it was originally christened in 1965.
Three 45-year hotel employees were also honored including Mary Johnson who has been a Room Attendant since the hotel opened in 1965. She told me that one of her first jobs was putting lampshades on all the new light fixtures.
