Bike to the blossoms

Despite the over night snow, I decided to hop on my bike and ride into DC to see the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin. The weather was in the 30's when I left my place which definitely helped keep the tourists away (Yeeeeees!). Usually there are so many people it's near impossible to really enjoy the simple beauty of the trees at the Cherry Blossom Festival.

The bike ride was 4 miles from Arlington to the Tidal Basin. Using the W&OD Trail, Custis Trail and the Mt. Vernon Trail, I pieced my way along the Potomac quite easily to my destination. On the way back, I went along the Mall and Constitution Ave, through Georgetown, went on the C&O Canal path and then back over the river via the Key Bridge. DC is super easy to bike to from Northern Virginia. Check out the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) site for great information and trail maps.

Some background on Washington, DC's famed cherry trees: In 1912, Japan sent 3,020 cherry trees to the United States as a gesture of friendship. First Lady Taft and the wife of the Japanese ambassador planted the first two trees on the Northern end of the Tidal Basin. Each year the National Cherry Blossom Festival is held around peak bloom which can vary from early March to early April. Predictions from the Chief Horticulturist often help determine when the festival will be held.

The Mt. Vernon Trail along the Potomac

'Low Tree Limbs Ahead'

Jefferson Memorial in the background

FDR Memorial

The Washington Monument

C&O Canal in Georgetown

Doing Philly in a Day

The other week I was contemplating a destination for a road trip since it was President's Day and I was long overdue for an adventure. My roomie (who was at home for the holiday weekend) and I started Gchatting and ultimately I wound up with an invite to Philadelphia. The last time I was in Philly was in 6th grade on a field trip to Valley Forge, Independence Hall, and Betsy Ross's house. It was time for some new perspective on the place.

I left Arlington around 7:15am after hitting up my favorite Dunkin Donuts for a cup of road trip French vanilla coffee. After plugging my roomie's address into the GPS, I decided to take I- 95 so as to keep time on my side and allow a full day for any spontaneous deviations. This proved to be a fantastic idea. I got up there in no time, though I was $11 poorer from all the tolls!

On the exit ramp, I saw a sign for Villanova. I knew Villanova University was somewhere in PA, but I had no idea it was near Philly, let alone 5 miles away from my roomie's place! It was part curiosity, part wanting to size up another CAA school, and part knowing some alums that made me reposition my car and follow the signs to the university. The place was teeming with prospective students and their parents- luckily parking wasn't an issue. I grabbed my DSLR and hit the campus!

It was nice to stretch after a few hours in the car. The first building I saw was the chapel, which was beautiful inside. I then did a long lap around the main part of campus, saw the football field (JMU's is wayyyyy better!), went into the student union, and even got mistaken for a student by a family visiting the school! Not to keep my roomie waiting too long, I jumped back in my car and hit the road.

We drove into the city and lucked out finding a reeeealllly tight parking spot. The Franklin Institute was the first stop of the day! Everyone and there mom was there because it was a holiday aka. tons of kids, strollers, and loud parents. The lines were ridiculous. Fortunately, we called ahead and the roomie had a family membership which got us a shorter line and entrance into the Leonardo DaVinci exhibit for free. The exhibit was very interesting and it explored Leonardo's folios (Codex) in depth with life-size recreations of his inventions. The thing that bugged me the most were the grammatical errors on the displays. To save my sanity, I refrained from counting the number of punctuation marks outside of quotation marks.

We went around the rest of the museum, walked through the giant heart, saw an IMAX movie, and had some chili at the cafeteria. Note: I was taken aback at how cheap the food was. I'm used to Smithsonian prices that jack up the price of food threefold. At this point it was close to 4 pm so we hopped in the car and went to the Philadelphia Art Museum to do the obligatory Rocky poses at the top of the steps. Parking was a cinch near the water, behind the building. The thing was, it was freezing cold out and walking all the way to the front of the building was not such an appealing option. So we decided to walk through the museum.

Yes, you have to pay to get into the museum, but we were well aware of the fact that if you act like you own the place and go about your business, no one will question you. We were so right. We walked right in and found a hallway that led us to an elevator which eventually led us to the main entrance. If we wanted to game the system, in theory, we could have seen all that art for free. Anyway, we went outside and took pics a la Rocky (along with all the other tourists)- it was kind of epic!

We left the museum and headed to Jim's on South St for my first real Philly cheese steak. Oh man, was it good! I got mine with whiz and onions. I loved looking around the place and seeing all the pictures and autographs of the famous people who visited. Denzel Washington's was in the corner (you know a place is good if Denzel endorses it). Since I had work the next day, I headed home after Jim's. The drive back took an hour longer because I took a non- toll route west through Lancaster County, and York, and it started snowing heavily around Baltimore. All in all, it was an easy and doable road trip only a few hours from DC!

As if I Needed Another Reason to Love Iceland

As everyone knows, I went to Iceland last June to sing and I instantly fell in love with the place. Being stateside in DC has made it challenging to find anything Icelandic, though. Google helped a bit. I found an Icelandic bar on 14th St (Cafe St. Ex) and whenever I need a Skyr fix, I go to WholeFoods. Imagine my delight when I found out that Icelandair was sponsoring Taste of Iceland in DC to celebrate their new nonstop flights from Dulles this summer! An email was instantly sent to all my choir members who went to Iceland with me for a Taste of Iceland/mini choir reunion. Iceland in DC? Done and done.

Taste of Iceland is all this weekend (check out the press release for all the details) but I decided to hit up DC Coast tonight (Thursday) because I'm going to the Capitals game at the Verizon Center tomorrow. Plus, it was great being the first group to try Chef Hakon's creation! For $48 we were served a 4 course meal from heaven. I took pics of the meal, but did so on my not-so-high-resolution Blackberry (thought it'd be slightly sketch if I whipped out my DSLR and started taking pictures).

Behold:

The Blue Lagoon

This drink made me so happy!

1. It was wispy just like the surface of the Blue Lagoon.

2. Instead of olives, there were 3 blueberries on a stick- genius!

3. It's blue and tasted really good. Definitely something I would order at a bar.

Amouse bouche of smoked arctic char

This dish came wrapped with plastic. After the server pulled away the plastic, the smoked char aroma filled the air. It was like sitting at a campfire. And of course, it was delicious.

Roasted rack of lamb, served with a rosemary-garlic lamb jus alongside root vegetables and a carrot puree

There are no words. The lamb was tender and oh so good!

Langoustine tails sprinkled with Icelandic seaweed, served over mousseline potatoes

As a general rule, I don't like seafood. However, the langoustine tails make me want to branch out and try more! And the potatoes? Absolute perfection.

Skyr served over an oat crust and with a strawberry rhubarb compote

It tasted like skyr on strawberry rhubarb pie. Who doesn't like pie?! Favorite course of the meal, hands down. Mad profs to the chef for a fantastic dining experience!

Happy 260th birthday, Mr. President!

Celebrating my favorite university's name sake with some trivia for the second year in a row!

Which Founding Father was James Madison's distant relative? George Washington (First cousin, twice removed). Ironically, neither fathered any children.

James Madison's wife was the first private citizen to try out what new technology? Dolley was chosen by Samuel F. B. Morse to be the first private citizen to send a telegraph with his new telegraph machine.

What was the name of James Madison's horse? Liberty.

In addition to James Madison University, what other American University was named after James Madison? Colgate University. From 1846- 1890 Colgate University was named Madison University. A large endowment from the Colgate family prompted the change to the current university name.

Dolley Madison knew a thing or two about throwing parties (JMU has done well to follow in her footsteps). When James became President, she started hosting weekly parties, often attracting up to 400 people. What were these weekly parties called? "Wednesday drawing rooms" or "Mrs. Madison's crush or squeeze."

Additional Fact: Dolley Madison held the first inaugural ball.

James Madison is the shortest President at 5' 4"- how much did he weigh? 100 pounds.

After his presidency, Madison devoted much of his time to fighting the expansion of slavery. What was the name of the organization he created to end slavery in America? American Colonization Society.

Follow up question: Founded in 1819, what African country was founded by this organization? Liberia.

James Madison wrote a book, not a memoir like most other presidents. What was the name of the book? Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787. Madison refused to allow this to be published until after he and everyone else at the convention had died.

Madison was known for being soft-spoken as well as a wit. What were his dying words? "I always talk better lying down."

As always, Happy James Madison day! Go Dukes!

Traveling Solo

It has been months since I've really traveled (Indiana for Thanksgiving and Christmas don't count). Needless to say, I've got the bug and I'm ready for my next adventure! Plans for a trip to Greece in September 2011 are already underway, but my lovable idiosyncratic to-do lists, maps, and bucket lists have got me thinking ahead to my next destination.

Some obstacles:
1. Money. I've got rent, bills, taxes- you know the drill- on top of my semi- jet setting lifestyle. Not to mention siphoning part of my paycheck to my savings account. All of the above is making me depressed. Moving on...
2. Time. There is never a good time to take a vacation. Work gets in the way of life; there's always something important to get done. Boooo.
3. Finding a travel buddy. See points 1 and 2. It is very difficult to find a person who is on the same page as you monetarily and time-wise. Do you have a similar budget for the trip? How many days vacation do they get? Do the vacation times coincide? Also, said person has to have a similar travel temperament. It's all about the proper mesh- if you don't have it, the trip is going to suck.

So all that being said... why not travel alone? I came across an article in the Travel section of the Washington Post about flying solo and I must say I've always been intrigued with making the bold move to travel abroad on my own. Set a budget and go. Put in vacay and go. Pack a suitcase and go.

I've gotten push back from people I've run the idea by- mainly the it's-not-safe-for-a-woman-to-travel-abroad-alone one. Gross. Are we not already an entire decade into the 21st century? I truly understand their concerns (I saw the movie Taken, after all). But why deny the opportunity to branch out on your own and do something incredible for yourself? You know, get a chance to take everything in at your own pace. Sit, read, write, draw. Experience the world on your terms.

"Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone." -The Dhammapada

Road Trip Virginia in the Fall

Fall is definitely my favorite time of year and I can’t help but eat up the bold golds, reds and oranges that dot the landscape around DC. But even for this city gal, I need a break from the traffic downtown and around the beltway. One of my favorite ways to escape is grabbing my girlfriends and taking a road trip!

If you want to keep thing on the cheap, pack a picnic lunch and have each girl bring a dish. Spice up the occasion by having themed dishes or keep it classy with a baguette and some cheese. Preparing a mix is a must for any road trip. Designate someone to make a playlist that will have you rockin’ out on the highway. Remember: Because thought and time goes into creating the perfect mix, the DJ gets to sit shotgun.

Now that you have the basics nailed, it’s time to choose a destination. If you want Georgetown flair outside DC, I recommend visiting Middleburg, VA off I-66. This cute town has been around since 1787 and lies in the heart of Virginia’s hunt country. Known for great dining, boutiques, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and a love for anything equestrian, Middleburg is a great place to spend a day walking around.

For the nature lover, I recommend traveling further West on 1-66 to Skyline Drive. People travel from all over to see Virginia’s famed fall foliage. Drive along the Blue Ridge Mountains and stop at scenic overlooks. The sight is breathtaking.

Travel south on I-81 to reach the history lover’s destination (about three hours from DC). Lexington, VA is a picture-perfect civil war town full of antique shops and local historic areas of interest. Stop at the coffee shop in the main part of town and shuffle through the fallen leaves to the Virginia Military Institute. Here, you can take free tours and even see Stonewall Jackson’s preserved horse in the campus museum.

I’ve done all three trips before and they’re perfect for this time of year. Plus they only take a few hours so your entire weekend isn’t tied up. Check out http://www.virginia.org/ for more ideas. Safe travels!

The Golden Circle is Anything But Square

The Golden Circle is probably the most tourist-y thing you can do in Iceland minus visiting the Blue Lagoon. Sometimes, you've just gotta embrace the inner tourist and do as other visitors do! My choir arranged for a bus to take us around Þingvellir National Park (Þ is pronounced as a 'th' so many English tanslations are spelled Thingvellir), Iceland's first national park and the location of the Mid Atlantic Ridge. This excursion did not disappoint!


Our first stop was the geysers. Around each of the geysers were colorful pools of bubbling thermal water cordoned off by rope and a small boardwalk. I found that the geysers in Yellowstone were much more impressive than the ones I saw in Iceland. The only one that erupts on the regular is Strokkur which goes off about every 5 minutes for only a few seconds. The other geyser, Geysir (the geyser whose namesake was applied internationally), hasn't erupted in a long time.


I climbed to the top of a nearby hill to get a better view of the action. On the other side of the hill was a small valley with a river and a few houses sporadically placed in the landscape. It was quite beautiful. If you get a chance, climb the hill and sit on the peak and absorb the park- you can see for miles on a clear day :) After lunch at a nearby restaurant with an epic wedgie statue, our bus took us to Gullfoss (Golden Falls), the most powerful waterfall in Europe! It was HUGE. The water cascaded over a triangular cliff into a picturesque river valley. On good days, you can spot a rainbow in the vapor mist (I managed to catch a faint color spectrum on my DSLR). We walked down to the rocks closest to the falls and further down near the rock face to the left, I waded my feet in the freezing,rushing current.


Our next stop was the AlÞingi parliament site. As we walked, we came upon a fairy tale blueish green water by a bridge which was known as the wishing well (or 'wissing well' according to our hilarious tour guide who accidentally mispronounced s's on occasion ie. volcanic ash--> volcanic ass). If you throw a coin, make a wish, and see it land your wish will come true. I threw in a penny and forgot to make a wish. Fail.


We continued along the boardwalk up to a site with the ceremonial Icelandic flag waving in the breeze. This is where the Viking parliament, AlÞing, met 10 centuries ago, making it the oldest parliament in the world! Behind the flag and between the enormous lava rock formation was a path that serves as a visual of the rift between the American and European tectonic plates. Also, the small valley where the AlÞing is located has been sinking every year due to plate movement, and looking out over the field, it's noticeable.


The rock walls were really impressive, easily reaching 50 feet in height. It looked as if someone took a knife and cut it like a birthday cake- that's how noticeable the geological rift was. At one point, the choir gathered in the middle and sang a song as the acoustics were surprisingly quite good (we even drew a small crowd from afar). Afterward, our guide led us down to a pond where the Vikings used to drown women. A man would stand on one side with a rope to pull her in and another man would stand opposite with a long stick to push and hold her under since the water was relatively shallow. Why does it seem that drowning women was a popular past time for so many cultures?!


We continued up the path to the top of the rocks and could see the entire park as well as a beautiful lake to our right, a memorable sight to by which to remember Þingvellir. What an amazing place to experience! After returning to the states, I found out that you can go scuba diving and literally be in between 2 continents. Next trip?!