Today's Washington Post reports that a wave of user-created video game art is taking over office windows in the nation's capital.

Princess Zelda, Ms. Pac-Man and Mario are just some of the game characters decorating windows along Vermont Avenue.

What's it all about? From the WaPo:

Amy Crosby and some co-workers were charmed by [Laura] Elliott's Pac-Man... Crosby put up some Pac-Man fruit with Post-its. It was a fun workday break, said Crosby..."Suddenly, it started to have a domino effect, floor to floor, building to building," Smith said. "Now it's made its way down the street."

 

Crosby speculates that more than 40 windows along that block of Vermont are now festooned with Pac-Man references, Marios, Space Invaders, Froggers, many putting Elliott's original design to shame. Some extend floor to ceiling and incorporate several colors.

 

It might be a symptom of raging urban ennui on Vermont Avenue, but there's nothing that deep about it. In fact, just the opposite: "Every now and then, even in D.C., you've got to lighten up and enjoy life a little bit," Smith says. "Maybe it'll even make it to the White House window."