This is a follow-on to a February Oasis presentation spotlighting lesser-known places of interest in Montgomery County. Through illustrated slides, participants will learn about the county's national landmarks -- including three houses in which notable women lived -- as well as other out-of-the-way fascinating structures. Did you know, for example, there are five covered bridges in Montgomery County? We'll even venture into outer space!

In this class we’ll learn about some of the many women who have made a difference in the world of espionage over the years – including Josephine Baker, the American ex-patriate and worldwide entertainer, and Virginia Hall, a Baltimore native, each of whom provided invaluable assistance to the Allies during WWII. Among the other women we'll discuss is Valerie Plame, the CIA officer whose name was leaked to and subsequently published by Robert Novak of The Washington Post.

In this workshop, you'll learn how to utilize the latest high-tech safety features in your current car, what technology to look for when shopping for a new car, the safety benefits of blind-spot warning systems, forward collision warnings, lane departure warnings, smart headlights, and more!  Limit: 12

The most important pupil to emerge from Plato’s Academy in Athens, Aristotle (384-322 BCE) would end up challenging Plato’s core metaphysical assertions while refining and strengthening his ethical theories. In our ongoing series on The Great Philosophers, join us for this exploration into the way Aristotle shaped the Western worldview like no other philosopher before or since.

Learn about glaucoma and its effect on eye health.  Dr. Kaleem will detail how it is diagnosed, prevented and how to treat it.

The Mid-Century Modern movement in the U.S. was an American reflection of the International Style originating in the Bauhaus movement. But there is much more to Mid-Century Modern than the buildings from the major architects. Mid-Century Modern gained wide following in California and beyond to thousands of homes designed for the returning GIs in massive Levittown developments. Mid-Century Modern also meant the spread of design principles and the color palettes that saturated everything from kitchen appliances to automobiles. We will discuss the varied aspects of Mid-Century Modern going beyond architecture to general design trends and developments.

Hank Williams (1923-53) was country music’s first superstar at the time of his death at age 29. Lingering pain from untreated spina bifida drove him to self-medicate, as well as to pour out his feelings in songs such as “Your Cheatin’ Heart”, "Cold, Cold Heart" and “Lost Highway”. By the time of his death he had 30 Top 10 hits, and eleven songs that reached #1. Today his son and grandson carry on name and his musical tradition.

Ever wonder how the foods you eat affect your heart? Whether you have concerns about cholesterol or hypertension or simply want to keep your heart healthy, this webinar will provide you the answers on salt and fat and ways you can improve your numbers and your health.

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and comedy has been known to cure a variety of ills, or at the very least, put us in a better mood!  In the serious pursuit of humor, Julie Kurzava compares and contrasts a wide range of songs, discussing the various ways songwriters have kept us entertained. She’ll be featuring some of her favorite writers such as Porter, Gershwin, Rodgers, Sondheim and a few surprises. Whether it be parody, slapstick, satire or comic relief, everyone can use a good laugh! 

Digital payment platforms allow us to send money quickly without the hassle of carrying cash. However, because of this convenience it’s important to slow down and be mindful of who you are sending money to. Much like cash, your money can be hard to get back once you have sent it. We’ll discuss payment app options and best practices for using them safely.

Julie Kurzava will talk about the cantor’s son who left Buffalo, found jazz, landed on Broadway and then Hollywood. Arlen is best known for “Over the Rainbow” and the Wizard of Oz, but the sound of the blues infuses many of his greatest hits, including "Stormy Weather", "Blues in the Night" and The "Man That Got Away". More to come!

Imagine an hour with the musical virtuosity of Bach, Telemann, Pachelbel, Corelli, and Couperin...German, Italian and French masters of the golden baroque period. These composers gave us musical pearls with charming ornamentation and invention.  They recognized that music was a blessing that enhanced life. Their music will embrace you, and I'll share perspective and historical context.

Julie Kurzava will talk about the cantor’s son who left Buffalo, found jazz, landed on Broadway and then Hollywood. Arlen is best known for “Over the Rainbow” and the Wizard of Oz, but the sound of the blues infuses many of his greatest hits, including "Stormy Weather", "Blues in the Night" and The "Man That Got Away". More to come!

The Transatlantic Slave Trade was the largest forced migration in human history. In all, more than 12 million African men, women, and children were kidnapped, enslaved and made to board European ships destined for the New World. However, this talk turns this history inside out, examining the huge varieties of African resistance to this 400-year-long nightmare first within Africa itself and then aboard those nightmare ships on their way across the Atlantic.

Courbet (1819-1977) was the bad boy of the Realist movement. A rebel who rejected traditional academic practice, Courbet insisted he could paint only what he could see. No centaurs or angels for Courbet. Courbet also painted in a rough fashion, using a palette knife to apply paint instead of a brush. He painted pictures of peasants on the scale of history paintings, another offense to the art establishment. He painted portraits, landscapes, still lifes and genre scenes. His only history paintings were scenes of his own time and place. A dissident by nature, Courbet will repeatedly offend artistic norms in the 1840s, 1850s and 1860s. In the Paris Commune, Courbet will involve himself in politics, which will result in a 6 month jail term and self-imposed exile in Switzerland upon his release. Courbet’s realism and his rebellious stand against the art establishment will be an inspiration to the next generation of French painters: the Impressionists. 2019 is the bicentenary of Courbet’s birth.

Jane Austen (1775-1817) wrote brilliantly about life in Regency England in her novels of manners such as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. In recent years, all of her novels have been translated to film, giving audiences a view into her Regency world. Austen herself rarely makes reference to architects, paintings, gardens, etc. in her novels yet we know she was well aware of fashionable trends and the major artists of her lifetime. This lecture will provide a brief overview of the art and architecture of the English Regency period to supplement your enjoyment of Jane Austen on the page and in film. 2025 is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth and many events are planned to mark the anniversary.

Neoclassicism is the predominant official style in Washington, but the city also boasts enough architectural variety to provide a kind of primer to the broader history of Western architecture. In this armchair tour of Washington’s “other” architecture, we’ll explore buildings directly inspired by ancient and historical prototypes. We’ll examine the principles of Gothic and Byzantine architecture in the soaring vaults of the National Cathedral and the gold-encrusted domes of Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Also modernism’s break with the past in the spare steel and glass of the World Bank Headquarters and US Institute of Peace. Recently completed (and much acclaimed) DC Public Libraries show a new perspective on traditional and modernist architecture.  (See related classes #375 and 403.)

Visit an English Anglican church in the heart of this most French North American city; check out a former prison, later college, now historical society headquarters; view hundreds of fresco murals depicting everything from fairy tales to the1889 landslides to fishing trades; peruse the medical instruments collection from the oldest hospital in North America; and see 34 giant lampshades covering the streetlights in the arts district. Travel Specialist Barbara Paulson offers alternatives to the more familiar Quebec City sites.