It was a perfect morning for a bike ride in DC. My friends – Jen, Hernan, and little Gabby – participated in Bike DC. They closed off streets and created a 11-mile route which took us by the US Capitol, White House, Iwo Jima memorial, and the Air Force Memorial.

The Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden has a really cool exhibit going on right now through May 20, 2012. It is a 360 degree projection of images around the entire building while different versions of the 1934 pop song I Only Have Eyes For You plays on large outdoor speakers. It plays in 30 minute loops – starting around sunset (8pm-ish) and continuing till midnight every night.

I love this quote about the exhibit in the Washington Post.

As an urban intervention, it is brilliant, animating one of the city’s monumentally grim dead zones: the Independence Avenue corridor just south of the mall. It makes the march of government office buildings on the south side of the street seem even more forlorn, almost alive in their sadness, like the inhabitants of a badly run zoo looking out at freedom.

It’s definitely one of the most unique art exhibits I’ve seen in DC. It reminds me a lot of the lasershow at Stone Mountain in Atlanta. I have very fond memories of my family packing a cooler of drinks, food, blankets and lawn chairs to go to the lasershow at least once every summer when I was a child. My favorite songs during that show were (as you can imagine) Georgia On My Mind and Devil Went Down to Georgia.

Check out Song 1 at the Hirshhorn (on the Mall at 7th and Independence Ave) if you’re in DC … it’s worth a visit!

I was waiting at the bus stop at 14th and Q Str when a metro bus flew by without stopping. I was so annoyed. Didn’t the driver see me standing there waiting? Why didn’t he stop? And that’s when I spotted this 1/2 block from where I was standing. I went over to investigate and was less annoyed (perhaps even a little happy that bus drove past me).

This got me to thinking about my own bucket list. My list is long but here are three things.

1) Read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
2) Visit every state in the USA and Antarctica.
3) Learn how to salsa dance.

What’s on your list? I want to know. Comment on this blog post below with ONE thing (or more if you like) on your bucket list and virtually write on the wall.

Here are a few of my favorites on the wall …

Update: This is a global participatory art project which began in New Orleans in February 2011. You can find more information on other Before I Die walls in cities around the world … here.

Across the street from Ford’s Theatre (where President Lincoln was shot) at 504 10th St. NW, Washington DC is this little breakfast spot. Surrounded by souvenir shops and outdoor vendors selling DC swag (ie. FBI hats, Bald Eagle statues, US Capitol magnets and I Heart DC t-shirts), you’ll typically find bus loads of tourists in the area. This waffle shop is far from being a tourist joint, though, as it’s popular most among locals.

The place has a rich history (I think). My most recent visit yesterday included a brief history lesson from the Chinese owner, but he spoke really fast with a strong accent. What I caught is that it was a barber shop 50-60 years ago and became Lincoln’s Waffle Shop (what it is today) about 5 years ago. I got lost in between.

Only negative … they don’t offer draft diet coke. That is my drug of choice in the mornings.

I taught some of my Ghanaian friends about different types of music. They called classical music midnight music because it put them to sleep. They preferred country music.

Watching this story reminds me of the power of music. How it truly can take you to another place.

To celebrate Earth Day, Mom and I went to the United States Botanic Garden which was hosting the annual Orchid Mystique exhibit taking place till April 29th. I’ve never seen so many types of orchids and honestly didn’t know this many even existed. It’s well worth the visit if you can make it before next weekend.

We have protesters advocating for the release of the Cuban Five …

… and protesters against dictators …

… and of course the 24-hour anti-nuclear peace protest which has been here since 1981.

A friend of mine received two tickets to the White House Garden Tour yesterday and graciously invited me to go. It was a beautiful spring day … perfect for catching up with a dear friend. It is these days that I miss the most when I’m working/traveling. I plan on taking full advantage of all this city has to offer while I’m home.

I’d like to mention the Truman Balcony (added to the White House in 1948) pictured below. I particularly love the capital at the top of the Greek ionic columns. This is the first time I’ve seen this part of the house up close. They are pretty cool, right?

“…the failure of one thing repaired by the success of another; and instead of one harvest, a continued one throughout the year.”
(Thomas Jefferson)

I lived in Southwest DC for a year and never knew that this memorial was 2 blocks from my house. Who knew?!?!

The Women’s Titanic Memorial was erected in Washington DC in 1930. Every year at midnight on the anniversary of the Titanic disaster (April 15th), a group of men dress up in tuxedos and hold a ceremony at the memorial. Flutes of champagne are passed around and toasts are given to remember the tragic disaster that took place exactly 100 years ago on April 15, 1912.

1) PSI = Population Services International

2) PSI is where I have been employed the last 3+ years.

3) PSI is a social health marketing organization. That’s great … what does that mean?

In general, social marketing applies traditional marketing concepts (think 4 P’s) to sell ideas or behaviors. It seeks to influence social behaviors to benefit the consumer or society, not to benefit the marketer. We also sell products at a subsidized price to compliment the behavior change we are marketing, but not for financial gain.

PSI does social marketing in over 65 developing countries to address health challenges such as family planning, HIV, malaria, lack of clean water, and tuberculosis. We are funded by donors like USAID, CDC, Global Fund, UN agencies, and several European governments.

Check out this 2 minute video (narrated by Mandy Moore) about Sara, an example of who (and how) we are serving.