Panda Tian tian and Mei Xiang get Warm Reception at Zoo They came, they saw, they conquered. And then they sat down for some serious eating. For a week or so, the first couple in town weren’t President-elect George W. Bush and his wife Laura. They were a couple of unbearably adorable giant panda bears...who made their long-awaited debut at the National Zoo this month... Now That's Italian Institute Defies Cliches but Promotes Popular, Classic Culture of Italy Institute The new home of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura (Italian Cultural Institute) on the sixth floor on 2025 M Street NW, Washington, D.C., has a certain austere, and decidedly compact, pragmatic and modern feel to it... IDB's Director Felix Angel Helps Build Stature In some ways, the exhibitions that arrive with some regularity at the Cultural Center of the Inter-American Development Bank are one of Washington’s little secret treasures. Here’s something you should know about these exhibitions: There’s nothing like them. You won’t see them anywhere else... Russian Embassy Extends Holiday Christmas Tree Festival Jan. 7 Brings Out Gleeful Children Thanks to the Russian Embassy, Christmas lasted a little longer than usual this year. For dozens of gleeful kids, the magic of Christmas extended into early January as the embassy opened its usually tightly closed doors for a celebration of the holiday...

Place of the Spirit In "Siam,"...Lily Tuck describes Jim Thompson's house as at once earthy and elegant, often open to guests while remaining private and protecting its owner's secrets. Lacquer bowls filled with pistachios and macadamia nuts and five-colored Bencharong porcelains adorn teak furniture upholstered in Thai silks of red, purple, yellow and blue. At the dinner party her characters attend, well-dressed dignitaries and beautifully coifed women sip champagne and whiskey del ivered by sarong-wrapped servants running barefoot across hardwood floors... Dining East a la Mode From the moment you step into Japone, with its strikingly white interior, you know you are in for something different... Events Lectures, Music, Dance... Film Reviews Enlightenment Mysteries Behind ‘Vendôme’ ‘Snatch’ Film Directory Cinema International Film Clips