Star Power

I walked over to the Smithsonian Portrait Museum to check out Star Power: Photographs from Hollywood’s Golden Age by George Hurrell (March 1, 2024 - January 4, 2026). I love photos and movies, so this exhibit felt tailor-made for me. The only downside is that the space is small, holding only 22 classic photographs you can browse using the link below (each with a remarkable story to tell), but it is worth visiting if you happen to be in the area.

Pictures of Belonging

I stopped by the Smithsonian Museum of American Art to spend time going through a new exhibit: Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo (November 15, 2024 – August 17, 2025). Their beautiful work reflected the turmoil of Executive Order 9066 that dislocated and interned anyone of Japanese descent during World War II, their journeys away from home, and their artistic successes.  

I was particularly drawn to Hisako Hibi. As I entered each new space, I gravitated to her artwork without even knowing who drew what when I entered the room. While imprisoned for three years at Topaz, she produced over 100 drawings of her observations, but I saw bright hope in her later works. Incredible resiliency and talent. 

Photo Album: Pictures of Belonging

2024 Smithsonian Folklife Festival

I attempt to visit the Smithsonian Folklife Festival every year. I am not always successful, but I enjoy the experience when I do. This annual event is held on the National Mall every year around Independence Day and always highlights different cultures, including food, music, dance, art, and industry. This year, the festival focused on the 20th anniversary of the National Museum of the American Indian with the program Indigenous Voices of the Americas (June 26–July 1).

I normally wander around to look through all the booths, but this year, I stayed planted at the Four Directions stage to hear great music and watch fantastic dancing. There is no way I will do justice to each act, so I will use the descriptions from the Smithsonian's website and add a few links for you to watch and listen to. I attempted to put them in the order that I enjoyed them, but none of them should be missed. Don't forget to check out the photo album.

5. Waikil and Ketrafe  (Music Video)

Jaime Cuyanao Venegas, who goes by Waikil, is a Mapuche rapper, musician, and singer-songwriter. He creates a musical blend that fuses rap in both Spanish and Mapuzungun. Through his music, he narrates the experiences of his people, capturing both the everyday life in rural areas and the urban Mapuche lifestyle. 

A Mapuche-Warriache singer-songwriter from Nueva Imperial, Wallmapu, Ketrafe creates and performs songs inspired by his experiences as a Mapuche in his homeland and the Futa Waria (Santiago). He incorporates Mapuzungun into his songs to reclaim his culture, knowledge, and language through his music. 

4. Hālau o Kekuhi (Folklife Video of Performance)

Founded in 1973, Hālau o Kekuhi is a matrilineal organization led today by Kumu Hula Nālani Kanakaʻole followed by Huihui Kanahele-Mossman. The esteemed hālau hula (classical dance school) is part of the Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation, which is dedicated to the elevation of Native Hawaiian knowledge and practice. Their presentation of hula exemplifies the integrity of Hawaiian cultural traditions, as hula requires knowledge of Hawaiian language, genealogy and history, environmental knowledge and protocol related to the collection of plants, and expertise in philosophy and spirituality.

3. The Gaudry Boys (Music Video)

The Gaudry Boys come from St. Laurent, Manitoba, Canada. Brothers Dylan, Zachary, and Ryan Gaudry have been playing music together for twenty years. Accompanying them on lead guitar is friend Kevin Cockle from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their Métis traditional fiddle music will get you off your chair, toe tapping, an even dancing.

 

2. Native Pride Dancers (Kennedy Center Video of Performance)

The Native Pride Dancers bring the excitement and artistry of Native American powwow dances to audiences around the world. An intertribal artistic and educational troupe, its members are citizens of many tribal nations including Chickasaw, Choctaw, Dakota, Meskwaki, Navajo, Ojibwe, and Pueblo. In performances and workshops, the Native Pride dancers demonstrate the innovative blending of traditional steps and contemporary expression that is a hallmark of powwow dance, and they share the meanings and cultural history of their vibrant traditions.

1. Doc Native and Spencer Battiest (Music Video)

Brothers Doc Native and Spencer Battiest (Seminole Tribe of Florida) are performing artists whose distinct trajectories and musical collaborations elevate Native stories and key issues. In 2017, Doc Native and Battiest released the politically charged collaboration with Taboo, “Stand Up/Stand N Rock #NoDAPL,” which was honored with a Video Music Award. Raised in Choctaw and Seminole communities of musicians and gospel singers, Native is a songwriter, producer, and actor, and Battiest is a singer/songwriter who also works in musical theater.

Imagined Neighbors

While I was in DC for the 2024 Fiesta Asia Street Fair, I figured it would be a good opportunity to visit the Freer Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art. I found a new exhibit: "Imagined Neighbors: Japanese Visions of China, 1680–1980." I think I always knew there was some Chinese influence on Japanese culture, but I never really thought about it. I was completely unaware of the scope -- especially during Japan's isolation. Reading through the fascinating stories behind 34 scrolls, 6 screens, and 4 objects, I learned about the literati movement. It was a fascinating collection. 

Photo Album: Imagined Neighbors

2024 Fiesta Asia Street Fair

After a disappointing time at the Cherry Blossom's Sakura Matsuri in April, I was reluctant to attend another DC street festival. Despite being at the same location (Pennsylvania Avenue NW between Third & Sixth Streets), I figured that the 2024 Fiesta Asia Street Fair couldn't be worse. Besides, it was free, and the day was beautiful. I am so glad that I did. My experience was so much better. 

I was looking forward to the street food, and Fiesta Asia delivered. There were so many that it was hard to choose, but I found exactly what I was looking for at The Sister House. I haven't had takoyaki since Japan, and it turns out that I like squid kanaage. For dessert, I tried Filipino Deep-Fried Watermelon. Their sign was on the money: Sounds disgusting, but tastes delicious. I wanted to eat more.

I wandered through the different tents and watched a few performances. The atmosphere was positive as people of different backgrounds proudly represented their cultures.

Photo Album: 2024 Fiesta Asia Street Fair

A Personal Guided Tour of Philadelphia

A friend made the mistake of offering me a personal tour of Philadelphia. It was a mistake because I most certainly took him up on it, and I am so glad I did. He is a Drexel University alumnus who clearly loves the City of Brotherly Love. 

I made things a little difficult for him (and me). There was absolutely no way I was going to visit Philadelphia without running up Rocky Steps, but they were in the exact opposite direction from the other more traditional tourist sites. As a result, we walked 9 miles during our 10-hour excursion. Both of us tried not to look too exhausted, but by the end, neither of us could hide it.

The day started and ended with Amtrak. It is a two-hour ride on a sleek, comfortable train. The only complaint I had with the experience: it was over 30 minutes late on our return trip. The William H. Gray III 30th Street Station is an imposing and impressive building along the Schuylkill River.

So did I run the "Rocky Steps"? Absolutely. Did I pose at the top? Absolutely. It is a tourist thing to do, and I was a tourist. How can a movie buff go to Philadelphia without doing it at least once? 

The Rocky Steps are actually part of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. My tour guide highly recommended we pay $25 to walk through some of the exhibits. He was right (again). As much as I enjoyed the art, I was really taken aback by the exhibit rooms that combined the art, statues, and artifacts with authentic architecture and facades. I wandered through a medieval church, a Chinese palace hall, a Japanese teahouse, and a 16th-century Indian temple hall. It felt more interactive to see it in a period realism. I will need to go back and spend more than a few hours.

It was a hike to the other end of the city to check out the Independence National Historical Park. I loved the opportunity to visit America's most historic square mile. There were no more tickets available to tour Independence Hall, but I got to see Liberty Bell and spend time in Congress Hall. IT WAS SO COOL!

I have no idea where to find the best Philly Cheese Steak, but I figured I better have a good one before I returned home. We stopped by Sonny's Famous Steaks. I am not a big fan of the sandwich, but I liked it enough to recommend it. 

I will be going back, so I didn't want to do all my deep exploration on the same day, but I did ask if we could walk past or through some areas so that I would be able to find them in the future. What did I see?

• Boathouse Row
• Love Statue
• City Hall
• Reading Terminal Market
• China Town
• Elfreth's Alley Museum

As you can see, it was a very busy day that would not have been possible without my personal tour guide. I can't thank him enough for taking the time to really show me around. He went above and beyond.  I have still so much more to see and do, but this was a solid introduction that I will never forget. 

Check out my Philadelphia Photo Album. 

A Small Vacation Through History

I went on a vacation! I realize that it is a normal thing people do, but I have not gone on too many through my life. Those that I have been on were fun and relaxing, so I decided to commit to at least one vacation a year. Time will, of course, tell how that well I do, but I started strong. Samantha and I took a few days to enjoy the historic Harpers Ferry. I didn't want to go too far away with the impending birth of our grandson, and I've always wanted to visit the infamous site of John Brown's Raid. It is only 60 miles away from our new home in Alexandria, but it felt like a world away.

Any description I try to provide will not do any justice to the experience. Harpers Ferry is a serene, picturesque little town in West Virginia where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet. It is a natural wonder that provides a beautiful view of neighboring Maryland and Virginia. There was plenty to do and see which we did -- at a leisurely pace.  

• Harpers Ferry is actually managed by the National Park Service. I didn't see a lot of negatives in the arrangement with the town. Traffic was really light, the streets were exceptionally clean, and all the historic areas were informative and clearly marked. We wandered around the extremely hilly hamlet and found cool thing after cool thing to check out: 
• St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church
• Jefferson's Rock
• Lockwood House
• John Brown's Fort
• The Point
• The John Brown Wax Museum is a great introduction to the town's primary claim to fame. I loved that it provided context to one of the most controversial figures in American history through key scenes in his life.  
• River Riders provide a Zipline and Canopy Tour that includes eight lines that range from 200 to 1,000 feet. I am not a thrill-seeker, but this was fun (in a life-threatening "why am I doing this" kind of way). The guides were good at making it look easy, kept it safe, and were exceptionally nice. (See Video)  
• Harpers Ferry is home to America's oldest ghost tour. I didn't find the Ghost Tours of Harpers Ferry particularly scary, but I did think it was one of the most informative two hours of the entire trip. Our guide told some incredible stories that encompassed the whole history of the area. I loved it and would recommend it without hesitation. 

There were plenty of good places to eat. 

• Coach House Grill n' Bar: (3/5) Great view, great atmosphere, great staff, but only OK food
• Almost Heaven: (2/5) Great view with OK atmosphere and food. The staff looked like we interrupting their afternoon. 
• White Horse Tavern: (4/5) No view compared to other restaurants inside Harpers Ferry,  but it had a great atmosphere, staff, and food. 
• Maggie Malick Wine Cave: (4/5) Great view and staff with a good atmosphere and food. I really enjoyed their self-guided flights that included some good wines.
• Rabbit Hole: (4/5) Great view and atmosphere with good food and staff. 
• Battle Grounds: (5/5) Great! This is how a coffee shop should be. What a way to end the trip.