My trip back east is firming up. As I've mentioned before, I've been planning a trip to the wrong Washington (D.C.) and New York City. The primary reason is to photograph my grandfather's paintings at the Naval Historical Center in Washington, D.C., and to see some of the sites in New York City where my father grew up.

My sister, Madelane, and I will be flying out of SeaTac on a red-eye special the night of April 20 and getting into Baltimore The morning of the 21st. Saturday, the 24th, we will take the train to NYC and stay there until Wednesday the 28th. We haven't firmed up lodging in Washington, D.C., yet. We do have a hotel picked out in New York. We plan on staying in Greenwich Village. It's only a block from my grandfather's studio on West Eleventh Street and about 2 1/2 blocks from The Village Vanguard.

The studio light, for copying Griffs paintings, should arrive Tuesday. I will be reporting on that. Madelane should be making reservations for our stay in NYC today. Any suggestions on where to stay in Washington, D.C.? It needs to be inexpensive and not require a car. And not be too exciting.