Not sure if you've heard- but there's a new beach in town! Yes, a beach has been brought to DC and its located in the National Building Museum as a part of the Summer Block Party. "The BEACH" is an art installation by concept art and architecture designer, Snarkitecture, and encompasses 10,000 square feet with almost 1 million clear recyclable plastic balls as the ocean. Yes, this is essentially a glorified ball pit you played in at the playground at McDonalds when you were 6, however this is SO MUCH COOLER. First off, its in the National Building Museum- which is gorgeous. Second, this art installation is eerily similar to a real beach- there are beach chairs, umbrellas, a Union Kitchen snack bar, and the flooring material legit feels like sand. Third, its extremely freeing to jump into the thousands of plastic balls and act like a child for a little while. Fourth, the photo ops are awesome. Fifth, the concept is utterly cool and you need to go to appreciate the creativity.
This exhibit just opened last week and the word about The BEACH is spreading fast, so I wanted to head there to check this out for myself and deliver the scoop to all you who haven't gone yet! With any beach, there is a strategy to navigating the waves. Although I had a blast at The BEACH, there are a few strategic pointers I want to share to make your experience that much more enjoyable when you go!
Tip 1: The waves (i.e. crowds)
Avoid the crowds by going super early- like as soon as they open, or late. On Wednesday evenings the hours are extended until 9pm- I definitely advise going later (around 8pm) to let the crowds clear out. I went this past Wednesday around 6pm and it was slammed.
Tip 2: Don't take valuables
When I went, a person lost their phone in the "ocean." I was constantly checking my jewelry to ensure it hadn't fallen off into the sea of endless plastic balls. The majority of my toenail polish also fell victim to the sea, and I'm still puzzled about how that happened.... anyways, moral is- don't go diving into the ocean with diamond earrings you wouldn't want lost (lesson learned from that Kim K meltdown in Bora Bora).
Tip 3: Don't fight the current
After I jumped into the "ocean" I had a minor freak out because it was much harder to move in the balls than I thought it would be! The deepest it goes is 4 ft and I had a hard time wading back to the walkway, especially since it was very crowded (another reason to go super early or late so you can flail without anyone in your way!). If you get claustrophobic easily, stick to the shallow area along the walls and make your way into the deeper end slowly.
What To Wear for a day at The BEACH
* Outfit- since you will be moving a ton and possibly jumping into the ocean- pants are a must. I'm normally a skirt/dress girl, but hear it from me- nothing good will come from wearing a dress or skirt to this event if you want to experience the full thing. Sure, you could stand in the shallow area, but when you see everyone in the deep end you'll want to go too. Wear pants!
* Shoes- wear slip on's so you can take them on/off easily. Most people were leaving their shoes on the sand area and going in barefoot.
* Purse- take a small crossbody that can go into the ocean with you, otherwise you'll need to leave it unattended in the sand. I went right after a day at work, so I had a large tote and it was hard to carry around.
What I Wore:
Leaf Jogger Pants: Bar III from Macys
Black Top: Bar III from Macys (no longer available, but this one is similar and only $18!)
Reece Slingback Flats: Sam Edelman from Nordstrom Rack (on clearance! Can't find them at Rack? Nordstrom has them on sale as well!)
Sunburst Necklace: House of Harlow
Handbag: Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Neverfull MM
Enjoy the Beach!
XOXO
Blonde in the District