I love taking pictures of desert and have been working on improving the craft of it. Here is some of my food photography in my travels (and my home). Let me know what you think – do the pics make you want to take a bite?
Chocolate Desserts
Traveling to The White House
Today I had the pleasure and honor of traveling to one of the most popular destinations in all the land – 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I attended a Moms briefing at the White House coordinated by the EPA and Mocha Moms, Inc., an organization that I’ve been involved in for the past 7 years where I’ve held leadership positions and served.
The Moms Briefing at the White House was an historic event. I don’t usually talk politics but I gotta be honest, this event would probably never have happened if we didn’t have a black president and probably won’t happen again under the leadership of someone else. It was definitely a noteworthy day for myself and the other moms in attendance.
WHO WE MET
We enjoyed a private audience with the following White House staff and administrators:
- Dr. Nadine Gracia, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, Department of Health & Human Services
- Jocelyn Frye, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Special Projects for the First Lady
- Cecilia Munoz, Director of the Domestic Policy Council
- Tina Tchen, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady
- Stephanie Owens, Deputy Associate Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
- Tyra Mariani, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Education
- John Carson, White House Director of the Office of Public Engagement
WHAT THEY SAID
Here are just a few soundbites from the day:
“The first two years of a small business are most critical.” – Cecilia Munoz
“The number one way people can find out how the affordable health care act can help them is not through the Washington Post or New York Times who are gonna focus on the politics. It’s through word of mouth. More people need to believe they can make this country stronger and doable.” – John Carson
“Incredible obstacles are opportunities for greatness.” – Karyn Parsons (actress, Hillary from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air)
“Parent engagement is necessary for Washington to get things done.” – Tyra Mariani
MOVING FORWARD
We wrapped our day with a brief Town Hall meeting with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. Unfortunately, because of time constraints, only one of our members had an opportunity to ask her a question and my burgeoning one, had to wait. If she so happened to be reading, this is what I’d ask her: As instances of autism are increasing and some argue that the issue is environmental, what studies are being conducted to find out the environment’s role in the equation?
I learned that the administration really wants to listen to the people. The Office of Public Engagement is working hard to give Americans a chance to lend their input and be heard. I appreciated this rare opportunity to voice my opinion at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue – an experience I know most will never have. Yet, as wonderful as the opportunity was, I know that I was sitting in a room of people who support me and understand my frustrations. The people that really need to hear what us Mom citizens had to say were behind closed doors over on Constitution and Independence avenue. Lucky them.
WHAT WOULD YOU ASK?
As a student of public policy, I enjoy observing the process. However, as a member of an under-served population, I don’t enjoy the stalemates in some of the progress. But alas, this isn’t a political blog so I won’t get into that here. Governance is all about engagement, discussion, and problem-solving – too little of which is being done today. On this special occasion, I will ask – If you traveled to the White House and had an opportunity to sit in front of administrators, what would you ask? What would you say? Please keep it clean – I may not be able to control policy-making, but I do control the power to delete.
Ask away, you never know who may be reading.
Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Today our family sat down to read a children’s book that spoke about the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the role that even young children played in the struggle for Civil Rights. My son and husband alternated reading this story about two little girls who would sing for Dr. King. Then we watched the History Channel to get a more three-dimensional account of his life and his journey. We sat on the couch as a family, listened and paid homage to the spirit of a man who did so much so that we could have a fair chance in the United States.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit Washington D.C. or Baltimore, you must make it a point to travel to the Tidal Basin and visit the Memorial for Dr. King. I doubt you will leave that space unmoved. Accompanied by my mother, sister, and nephews, we visited the memorial last summer. Even under the oppression of the humidity and the crowd, my soul felt uplifted and in the presence of greatness. It was as if the spirit of Dr. King and all the soldiers that fought the good fight were there peering at us., just as we were looking at this stone likeness of him.
D.C. Travel – Something else to do with the Kids
Everyone knows that the nation’s capital is full of drama but how many actually travel here to watch it? The average visitor would be pleasantly surprised to find out how much real theater takes place on a traditional stage. And families traveling to D.C. will be happy to know that there are other culturally-enriching things to do with their kids.
When you think of Washington, D.C. what are the first places that come to mind for things to do or see? Now, no answer is the wrong answer but most visitors think of the White House, the Smithsonian, and a slew of other national monuments. These are Washington’s iconic symbols and are what usually top average online guides. Aside from the Kennedy Center, many tourists don’t think of D.C. as a travel destination to see a stage show.
However, D.C. is on its way to becoming a viable theater destination.
As I mentioned in my previous post, this past weekend I had an opportunity to check out the D.C. Arts on Foot festival on a trip sponsored by the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC). I saw a preview of several upcoming shows including the possibly Broadway-bound Oklahoma and the popular world-touring FELA! Hosted by STC at its Sidney Harman Hall, approximately 18 companies previewed their upcoming fall performances. These presentations ranged in variety from flamenco dance, ballet, opera, and hispanic theater, to name a few. I also had the opportunity to see a bit of classical theatre, catching the STC’s 25th anniversary season-opener, The Heir Apparent, an adaptation of the French farse.
I’ll be honest with you – I did not know that D.C. had so much to offer in the area of theatre and performing arts. I’m that biased New Yorker who only looks for theatre on Broadway. Shame on me.
The Festival and showcase illustrated that there’s more to D.C. than meets the eye. (Hence, why I’m a big fan of festivals). Besides the shows, I had the opportunity to taste and survey delectable creations of rising culinary superstars, all employed in the kitchens of what I like to call chic-fab restaurants. This concentration of restaurants and performance art spaces in the Penn Mar neighborhood are easily turning the once-dilapidated area into a little theatre district.
My favorite foodie stop was CocCo. Sala. If you follow me on Twitter, you will have seen my numerous brown-nosing tweets. Excuse my French but it was a chocolate lovers wet dream. I dined at this little piece of heaven for a decadent brunch and could easily see myself bringing my kids there on a Sunday or returning with the hub for a romantic evening. It may be a little bit on the sophisticated side for younger kids but with all the chocolate offerings, I still consider it to be kid-friendly.
If you’re a fan of tapas-style dining, nearby Jaleo is the way to go. It would make an excellent choice before a show. Small well-proportioned plates will populate your table quickly and fill your tummy without over-stuffing you. The Flan al estilo traditional de Mama Marisa was the smoothest flan I’ve ever tasted and I couldn’t stop eating it. I wasn’t a fan of the dark meat used in the Pollo al ajilloo con salsa verde but I did enjoy the non-greasy Croquetas de pollo (traditional chicken fritters).
My trip to D.C., a city I write family travel advice on, re-proved a point: Travel is not just about the arrival, it’s also about the discovery. The performance-art identity of D.C. is definitely understated and not as quickly recognized as a theater destination for travelers. If you decide to visit, after you’re done doing the typical tourist stuff in the city (museums, monuments, and memorials), take a load off, enjoy a show and partake in some good eats. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Have you considered or seen performance in the capital? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments.
Disclaimer:
My trip was sponsored by The Shakespeare Theatre Company, who provided accommodations, dinner, and theatre tickets. I was not financially compensated for this post. The opinion expressed within is solely my own.
Traveling Solo: D.C. Without Kids
Traveling with children to cultural meccas is fun, rewarding, entertaining, and educational for everyone in the family. It can also be slightly restrictive if you have really young children. It’s not often that I get to enjoy a hotel room by myself. Family life and priorities rarely afford the opportunity. However, this weekend I got a chance to travel to D.C. without the kids. I was blessed with a few moments to myself at the The Hotel George in D.C. on a blogger arts trip sponsored by the Shakespeare Theater Company.
If you don’t believe in the power of God then feel free to skip this paragraph as I display how He answered a very specific prayer. Several weeks ago, overwhelmed by work, home-life, triathlon training, and everything else in between, I told my husband that I needed a monthly getaway at a local hotel. One full day a month, I would check into a hotel and have quiet time with myself and my computer. This, I told him, was my wish. So we debated briefly about the lack of room in the budget for such behavior, with me strongly arguing my case. After the discussion ended, I left it alone but only after saying, “God, I wish….” Fast forward and here we are to my point about the power of prayer. My very strong feeling and request manifested itself and placed me here, in front of my computer, in a hotel room by myself.
Today I was completely in my element. I enjoyed a day of walking in the city, attended a street festival, watched amazing live theater, tried new and interesting foods, and relaxed in a hotel. Solo.
Traveling alone isn’t necessarily about getting away from the ones I love. For me, it represents a time of solitude, something that I occasionally need which feeds my mind and my soul. That’s just who I am. It is a time to get back to me and appreciate the simple things I took for granted before kids. Like what, you ask? Well, things such as:
- Long showers in the middle of the day.
- Uninterrupted self-paced walks through the museum.
- Non-assisting meals.
- Extended walks in the city.
- Experimental eating.
- Spur-of-the-moment unplanned decision-making.
- Sustained conversations with new people that I meet.
Here are some of the sites that I saw and foods that I tasted along the way:
The day began early and ended well after midnight. It was filled with extensive walking, relaxed museum-touring, wine and food tastings, evening theater, and good conversation. These are not things I personally would have been able to do with my kids. What are some of the things you seek or look forward to when traveling solo?