Cherry Blossoms

A "memorable" time was had by all when my sister & her husband came to visit DC for the cherry blossoms. First we couldn't get into the Library of Congress after waiting in line for a half hour because someone doubted the advice I gave NOT to bring an assault weapon (ok, maybe just a standard, run-of-the-mill pocket knife) with him into the city. Then someone got stuck on the metro train because it was crowded as the doors closed and whisked her away while the rest of stood on the exit platform eyes wide open like in the movies. Then it rained at Arlington Cemetery and the tomb of the unknown soldier and hail pelted our faces at the cherry blossom grove around the tidal basin. Then the line to get down into the Smithsonian metro station was so long that there was no way were going to take that stop. Then the restaurant we had planned to go to was closed. And even though everything went wrong that probably could have, we had an excellent time at the cherry blossom festival, rain, pretty trees, fireworks, and all.

Day in DC

After months of trying lure them out of their cave in Pennsylvania, my parents finally came to visit me. The weather couldn't have been nicer on Saturday. I gave them a lovely tour of DC featuring...drumroll please...metro stations. Kidding!--that was just the secondary highlight. Mmmm, the smell of homeless men in rapidly moving confined spaces 100 feet underground.

For real, we hit up the American History Museum in DC, the Old Post Office & tour of the clock tower, the Washington Monument, an Indian restaurant, Dalchini, in Dupont Circle, and a winning Wizard's basketball game. My parents had never eaten Indian food before or gone to a NBA game so it was a day of firsts. Hopefully, I convinced them that they have to return again when the weather is even better for more fun DC touring.

Let's start PotholePalooza earlier

DC streets are a mess. They are not only impossible to navigate but also dangerous. We went to the Air and Space Museum this weekend which admittedly, was cooler than I expected, but on the way a giant pothole took out a tire. The car made a loud BOOM as we drove over a crater in our nation's capital.

The giant hole in the middle of road took out the rubber part of the tire, bent up the frame, and knocked the hubcap loose. So what causes potholes?

Asphalt road surfaces eventually crack under the heat of the day and the constant stresses of traffic. These cracks allow snow and rainwater to seep into the underlying dirt and gravel. During cold winter nights, this water freezes and expands. Some of the dirt and gravel is pushed out as a result, leaving a hole when the water eventually melts.

DC has had problems with potholes for a long time. As seen here, here, and here. Maybe they need to start potholepalooza a whole lot sooner to fix DC streets. It's really unacceptable to have that big of hole in the roads. But until the marathon pothole repair, you still report the potholes, but I wouldn't hold my breath until they're repaired.

On the bright side, I learned the art of tire changing from an expert tire changer. It's something I have been wanting to know in case it ever happens when I'm driving in my car. Good skill to know. For those of you who don't: How to change a tire.

Then with a temporary tire, we stopped at every tire store we could find until one of them had frames for sale. And let me tell you, used tire stores aren't necessarily the nicest places in the world. But alas, what would life be without a little excitement to make things more interesting? Unfortunately the hubcap is still missing...so if anyone has an extra VW hubcap lying (not laying) around let me know.

Wizards Basketball Game

Believe it or not, a DC sports team actually won a game last week! Yay, go Wizards. They crushed the NJ Nets by 20 points, a lead which carried on throughout the entire game.

The Wizards blue thing mascot and blue guy basketball player need a little work, but they're still lovable nonetheless. The best part about the basketball game was the stadium atmosphere. From 3-D glasses, the kiss cam, dance cam, wave your arms cam, insert your way to get on jumbotron here cam, free Chipotle, t-shirt launch, halftime show, and excited fans, being at the game was a lot fun.

National Harbor

The National Harbor is a nice place to go to spend an afternoon or evening. If you're like me, you didn't even know we had a national harbor, but surprise, we do! It's not hard to get to at all from VA, MD, or DC, so if you live in the metro area you should try to visit at least once. It seems like it might be a popular convention location. At this time of year there's a christmas tree up in addition to pier year round and a strange body sculpture in the sand.

We ate at a lovely restaurant on the harbor, Rosa Mexicano They have interesting food and very cool, bright modern Mexican atmosphere. The dish I ordered included chihuahua cheese. I still have no idea what that is and it's probably best that way. I just hope it didn't come from a purse dog.

Peep Peep

Due to some confusion in my family (names shall go unmentioned to protect their identity) over the definition of the word "peep" used in modern context, I'd like to clarify for the whole world: It is NOT a derogatory word for women. When you visit your "peeps" you are not visiting a harem of prositutes or even gaggle of attractive ladies. "Peeps" can be used to refer to both men and women equally and is simply short for "people" as the Urban Dictionary so graciously informs us.

Of course Peeps with a capital P are also delicious marshmallow candies in the shape of rabbits and baby chickens usually served around Easter.

At a recent trip to the National Harbor in DC, a life-size Peep was dancing around, posing for photo ops in front Peep Store (yes, an entire store devoted to Peeps) Cute no?

The Peep store also featured Peep artwork which a USA Today commenter aptly pointed out to the artist: "Thank God you found something to do with those things other than eat them," Amen. You'll also note my prior posts. My own Peep bomb, Peeps Research, and Drawing them on eggs. I have a fascination with the things even though I refuse to eat them. I fear human stomachs can't digest such hazardous material. Seriously. I feel the same way about taffy.

The newest fad, however, is apparently Christmas Peeps. No need to wait until Easter for your sugary crystalized neon-colored goo. The Peep Store gave us adorable cupcakes; but unfortunately, like I said, I don't eat them. They'd be cute to serve at a holiday party though. Maybe your "peeps" would enjoy some Christmas Peeps.

World Trade Center: Still Nothing?

Progress at the World Trade Center looks to be very slow. I mean it's been over 9 years and the area still looks like a big hole in the ground. Instead of worrying about a community center that might be built nearby, why don't we get our game together and get the memorial built?

Same with the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in DC. I almost fainted when I heard it will take 5 years to complete and over $120 million. What is it the statue going to be made of, pure gold? I'd hope so for that kind of price tag.

The vision for the new WTC does seem to be pretty ambitious though, so I think we can give them a little bit of a pass. According to WTCprogress.com--The new World Trade Center embodies a bold vision: To remember, to renew, and to rebuild the future.

With five major new office towers built to the highest architectural, environmental, safety and security standards, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, a state-of-the-art Transportation Hub, unparalleled retail opportunities, a performing arts center and more, the new World Trade Center represents the triumph of the human spirit.

The new World Trade Center is destined to become once again the world's premier destination for commerce, culture and community.

How to get tickets to go up the Washington Monument

Even though I've been to Washington, DC a million times as a kid and have been living here for two years, I've still never gone up the Washington Monument.


For a couple years it was closed for renovation, but I do believe it's been opened for while since. You have to have a timed ticket to go up as I learned this weekend when I took this photo. Apparently you have to arrive on site at 8:30AM in order to get tickets to go up. Ha. Yeah right. On a day I would have time to go the monument (namely Saturdays), there is no way I'd wake up up at 8:30AM let alone be waiting in line for a ticket at 8:30AM. I love sleeping in on weekends. So what are those of us who are not early birds to do?

Well, we can order tickets at Recreation.gov. If you want to go on a weekend, it's likely you'll have to order yours a few weeks in advance. Or in the summer a few months in advance. The tickets are free, but there is a nominal fee per ticket for shipping and whatnot ($1.50 each when I checked), but the extra couple of hours of sleep is worth it.

I'm going to order my tickets soon, because it's about time I check out this DC from the best vantage point--within!

How do you zoo?

Took a trip to the National Zoo and was reminded how nice it is. Even after visiting the San Diego Zoo earlier this summer, I still prefer the good ol' free one in DC. The highlight? The pandas. The creepiest? All the critters in the reptile house.

I have but one complaint about the DC zoo though. Get some giraffes! What is a zoo without graceful, slightly awkward, long-necked giraffes?

DC Restaurant Week

Don't forget, fellow Washington DC metro area dwellers, this week is Restaurant Week, where you can get a fancy 3 course meal for a fixed price well below the going rate at over 200 participating restaurants. Last night I had dinner at a restaurant that is way out of my price range as a poor graduate student. Yay for fine dining on a budget.

I know there are many people in the city who can afford to wine and dine at places like this every evening. Dropping a hundred bucks for dinner (or more) is nothing to them. To be honest though, I'm not sure I would feel comfortable with that type of lifestyle even if I had all the money in the world.

Whats with DC Sports Teams?

I have to say, DC sports teams are weird. What's with their mascots? We have the Nationals which have an ugly bird and presidents with wrinkly faces. The Wizards which are a blue hairy wizard. The Redskins which are a politically incorrect Native American. The Capitals which are another blue bird-like furry thing. And DC United which is another bald eagle wanna-be. Come on! Why do you have to have such sucky mascots? If it weren't for the fact DC is a city full of nerds, i would say that's why DC sports teams never win.


Nevertheless, making fun of bad mascots is all part of the sporting event fun (as I'm getting quite used to with a turtle as my current school's public face). I went to my first Nats baseball game last night and despite the pouring rain that delayed the game 2 hours, wet seats, overpriced concessions, and loss to Florida Marlins, it was a lot of fun. I hate watching baseball on TV because it is soooo boring, but watching a game in person is actually exciting. I have to admit though, rather ashamedly, my favorite part of the game was the president's mascot race. Just when it looked like Abe Lincoln was going to win, he got sacked by a giant cat, and good ole George Washington pulled ahead. Yay first prez. But how come Teddy never wins?

ZOOlicious

When my parents cam to visit me two weeks ago, I took them to the National Zoo. Yay. I love the zoo. The day was a little rainy, but I'm still really happy they came down to see me. We saw the elephants, sea-lions, tigers, black bears, gorillas, and gross reptilian things.

The gorillas were the most amusing. Two were in the middle of a fight when stopped by their cage. They actually did the whole, beat on my chest, I am alpha male thing. It was crazy to see. Everyone was chattering and clapping when they did that. But it was a little too much violence for my tastes. Walking away from that display really made me think about agression and natural tendencies. Is it really ok to push your brother off of a branch? And then for human children to clap about it? This was some sort surreal experience for me, and it made me feel uncomfortable.

After the zoo, I took my parents to Dupont Circle where we had dinner at little Italian place. Yay for visitors!

DC Chinese Cultural Festival

I forgot to post about a Chinese festival that I went to with some friends from my cohort last Sunday. We took the metro to Chinatown for a parade and little performance on the streets of DC. It was fun and festive. I was enthralled by the pretty fabrics of the dragons dancing down the streets. The Chinese know how to do celebrations in rich color.


The show was a display of kung fu (or maybe some other form of fighting since I really don't know my kicking and chopping so well) and drumming with ribbon dancing. Yay. I love living in a multi-cultural city. Homogeneity is so boring when so many different cultures have amazing contributions to our diverse world.

Who wants to go on a little field trip to China now? I know I do.

Casa Blanca USA

Today, a group of friends and I hit up the White House. Yeah. We went inside. I bet you are jealous now, but don't be too much, we only got to tour the first floor East Wing. Thank you Wisconsin congressman, (even though I've never stepped foot in Wisconsin).


It was cool, something every American should visit at some point in their life time. We walked through the Green Room, Blue Room, Red Room (my fav), and the State Dining Room in addition to a few others. I think I could get used to living there; a little stately elegance. My plan is in progress. My bid for the 2024 presidential election is only a few years away. Watch out Washington.

What I really want to know though, is how you get a job working in the White House. I was envying all the young professionals scurrying through the corridors. How could I be one of those people? Hmmmmm.

Oh, and about the one lone protester outside. He apparently he has a 99 year permit (of which he has completed 26 years) to camp out, but they don't offer such things anymore. All other protesters must go home to sleep. We opted not to walk by him; looked a little creepy. We don't even know what it was that he was protesting. When I suggested that I could live in the White House, I did mean in it. Not outside. Across the street. Or on the road.

A Day in the City

Thursday, a friend and I spent a day in Washington DC doing the touristy things. We visited just about every memorial on the mall. From the Washington Memorial to Lincoln Memorial and back again. I really like downtown DC, it's such a good place to spend a nice sunny afternoon. The city has very clean feel to it; that is, except for the water edges of the Tidal Basin. There were a few piece of litter floating around and some lovely green foam/slime. We happened to find an abandoned ice cream sign floating in the water, and it just looked so sad. No thanks, I don't believe I want that Popsicle.


We are going to be experts on the Metro soon. Everything was going really well, until we messed everything up right at our last transfer when we literally ran on a train, sat down in delight, looked up at the sign, realized we were on the wrong one, and ran hurriedly ran off again before we were whisked away to who knows where.

At night we met up with people from our cohort in our department at UMD at Comet Pizza and Ping Pong (yes, you guessed it, a restaurant that combines pizza and ping pong). We got to meet all the people that will be spending the next 2-4 years with, and really think we have a good group. Everyone is friendly and sweet, and very intelligent. I can't wait to get to know everyone better.

Arboretum Et Voila

Yesterday Nicole and I kidnapped Emily C. and carted her off to Washington DC for her birthday. First we visited the US National Arboretum which is basically a giant 446 acre garden. Whoah. Lot's of plants. We walked around the Asian collection and the "Wa"shington Youth Garden. We also drove past lots of other sections until we got kicked out. Yes, that's right, we got kicked out of an arboretum (It was closing time).

Then we took her to the French/Belgian restaurant Et Voila. The food was exquisite. Yeah, really good. And Emily loves all things French so it was great.

Unfortunately, we only got lost, what?, a hundred times? Let me tell you, I was really regretting my decision to "find it when we got there." What did humanity do before the creation of MapQuest and GoogleMaps? Trying to navigate through a city with a simple map is like trying to go scuba diving with a straw. It doesn't exactly work. At least there was good company in my car to ward off the insanity:) Although, if I never drive around another circle thing in my life, I will be happy.





The plants (and butterflies) at the arboretum were sooooo gorgeous.

A Turtle. Really?

On Saturday I drove down to Maryland to visit my soon-to-be graduate school and potential apartment for the first time. I love the UMD campus. It is huge and very nicely landscaped. The academic buildings are classic-looking and the other facilities are giant, especially after going to a small university. I'm really excited for the upcoming fall. We hit some of the DC traffic once getting close to College Park. I can't wait to live so close to the (or really any) city!

Unfortunately, we picked kind of an ugly day for touring outside. The rain was practically coming down sideways. And weather.com displayed a little gray cloud with raindrops falling out of it for absolutely every daylight hour. For once they were right--it rained all day.

Might I just ask one question? Who would pick a terrapin, namely a turtle, for a school mascot? There are various 'artworks' around campus triumphing the iconic diamondback, but I have to admit that it's kind of strange. And slightly ugly. A turtle. Really?

Also, they supposedly have this saying that goes something like, "Fear the turtle." And to that I would ask once again, really, a turtle?

Grad School

So for those of you who have been wondering... I've finally made my final decision on which grad school to go to. I will be attending the University of Maryland in the fall. I will be studying Rhetoric and Political Culture within the Department of Communication. Rather than studying presidential election type political culture, I will study more of media influences in a public forum on culture with an emphasis on globalization. I'm so excited! And, I'll want lovely visitors once I find a place in near College Park...

This photo was taken during model OAS, one night when we exploring the city and got caught in a torrential downpour. The rain was falling sideways and the wind about knocked us off our feet. We had to run to the side of the Washington Monument as the shelter within running distance from the flash storm. It made for a good story later, but stringy hair and really gross wet denim jeans that night.

Washington MOAS

This past week I participated in the Washington Model Organization of American States. The experience was quite unlike any other that I have ever had. In case you don't know what the OAS is, it is basically the United Nations (UN) of the Western Hemisphere. They define themselves as such:

The Organization of American States (OAS) brings together the nations of the Western Hemisphere to strengthen cooperation on democratic values, defend common interests and debate the major issues facing the region and the world. The OAS is the region’s principal multilateral forum for strengthening democracy, promoting human rights, and confronting shared problems such as poverty, terrorism, illegal drugs and corruption. It plays a leading role in carrying out mandates established by the hemisphere’s leaders through the Summits of the Americas.

With four official languages — English, Spanish, Portuguese and French — the OAS reflects the rich diversity of the hemisphere’s peoples and cultures. It is made up of 35 member states: the independent nations of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. The government of Cuba, a member state, has been suspended from participation since 1962; thus only 34 countries participate actively. Nations from other parts of the world participate as permanent observers, which allows them to closely follow the issues that are critical to the Americas.

Students from Shippensburg represented the delegations of Belize and Haiti. We were required to act and speak as if we really were a representative of our respective nations. We sought to simulate real OAS sessions and approve or oppose resolutions as our assigned countries really would.

Our class had been preparing for this model all semester, and now I'm kind of sad it is over. I actually had a really nice time in DC thinking and living like a diplomat (I even bought a business suit).

A Trip to DC

Yesterday Emily C. and I went to Washington DC. We drove to Shady Grove and then took the metro into the city. EMILY gave ME wrong directions. Yes, that's right, now there is balance in the universe and people can no longer accuse ME of being a bad direction giver.

We first visited the National Museum of the American Indian. I was more impressed with it that I expected to be. The elaborate bead work of Native Americans is amazing. Also, the influence of Christianity on Native American culture was clearly delineated in certain displays.

Next we visited the National Zoo. Unfortunately, we got to the zoo so late that we missed a lot of the animals. Emily flirted with the zoo police in the panda exhibit so the officer let us stay to watch the pandas chomping on bamboo for an extra half hour. Way to go.

Lastly, we saw a show at the National Theater: Nen Daiko: The Power and Beauty of Taiko Drumming. I was highly impressed. The settings were intimate. We were very close to the performers; so close we could see the sweat dripping off their brow. The performance was spectacular. I don't know how their arms don't fall off.

The fabulous drummers from the Ekoji Buddhist Temple present kumi daiko – ensemble drumming – played on large Japanese drums with choreographed movement. Their performance embodies the bold energy and athleticism characteristic of this mesmerizing musical form.

Overall, we had a nice day.