Oh, they're very good, which is why they survived the Great Romance Book Purge of 2006--I got rid of about 70 percent of my romances, but kept most of my Rachel Lees and Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quicks, all of my Nora Roberts and Loretta Chases, and various and sundry other titles.

Dark and oppressive romances don't mean they're not good. Kathleen Korbel (aka Eileen Dreyer for her mysteries) writes depressing romances that are fascinating to read but you really have to be ready for it--they deal with parental abuse, adult illiteracy, Downs' Syndrome, Vietnam nurses suffering from PTSD, suicidal thoughts on the parts of the hero/heroine, just to name a few.

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High steel workers are usually from tribes of the Mohawk Nation, which is native to the Northeast, where much of early to mid-20th Century high construction was concentrated.

Eastern Cherokee Nation tends more to the southeast mountains, Western Nation to the southwest; neither area has a high concentration of high steel construction. Some, but not a lot.

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Mohawk! Yes, the steel workers were part of a Mohawk exhibit. It was a bit more specific than that -- a particular group within the Mohawk nation -- but I don't remember the group name, just that it was about 20 letters long.

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According to, among others, this article it was the Kahnawake and Akwesasne Mohawks. They are minorly famous.

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a particular group within the Mohawk nation -- but I don't remember the group name, just that it was about 20 letters long

and had a : in it's name, that we were wondering how you pronounce.

For one of the groups, where a lot of the men go to New York City to work as iron workers, there were pictures of a bunch of the buildings they'd built, and a quote from someone talking about watching the WTC fall, knowing that his father had been one of the people who built it.

don't forget the title was WTC, but they had a picture of the Empire State Building.

In other words, Native American. Multiple serving stations, representing different regions of the Americas.

Dude! I felt like Robin Williams character, that Russian dude defecting to the US, in the supermarket for the first time. TOO MANY OPTIONS! But was very yummy.

Hil gave you most of the details. I museumed for about 35 minutes more, until they closed the place down. I looked around the store a bit, was disappointed that most everything cost a fortune, but found a couple things. Then the check out gal said I could join the Smithsonian for $19, and get a 10% discount as a member. So. Now I'm a member. I was going to do it when I got home, online. But. This gives me 10% discount and who knows what else for the rest of the museums I visit. If only I had another week.

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but I don't remember the group name, just that it was about 20 letters long.

They are minorly famous.

Heh. It's funny to me because in Quebec those bands (along with the Kanesatake) are practically household names so I forget they don't roll off the tongue for everyone.

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I'd guess it's a pretty rare exibit/event/whathaveyou looking at historical native american culture that even references who or where these people are today or acknowledges a connection between the two.

The Wichita Indian Center did a great job of being a museum/center incorporating past and present, because it was basically present responsible for upkeep. Current inter-tribal gatherings and functions were a staple of the center. The inside arena was large and so pretty that many Proms rented the center for Spring nights to have their formals. I honestly don't know if it is open at this time due to an unfortunate scandal with funds that shouldn't have been allowed to taint the place, but the building is definitely there so maybe someday soon it will be functioning again.

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I remember when the museum opened there was a bit of a fuss about how it was organized. Seemingly, they'd gone to the people the various items came from and asked them about how they related to their lives, how things were used, etc., and organized them that way. Gasp! how un-scholarly!

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I've had conversations with 3 people who were either involved with the design or have worked there. Sadly, it is not the house of happy. All three had uncharacteristically harsh things to say about the process and outcome. And have since quit.

On the other hand, the cafe enjoys unanimous acclaim. Weird that.

Someone upthread asked about the cafeteria in the East wing of the Museum of Modern Art. There are now two eateries down there. The cafeteria is vast and fairly popular. The 'bistro' has good food and a gelato that will kill you dead, it is so yummy.

The Smithsonian has done a great job with their concessions...not at all the hotdog and soda fare I used to expect from attractions. Except, of course, for that gross 'space ice cream' chemical contraption they sell. shudder

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I'm envious of your access to the Nat'l Gallery of Art. I went to see this every day that I was in DC: [link] a quick run in and stand and look for awhile, then run out to another museum. There's a bistro next to the Nat'l Gallery that has good food. Too cold to be outside now, but it's in a gorgeous garden.

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