Independence Day weekend gave me another excuse to tour through my own city again. Saturday we went and saw the fireworks downtown with our good friend D. Viewing the fireworks show they put on over the National Mall is one of those things I've always meant to do: what could be more patriotic than explosions over the Washington Monument? But it's also one of those events that looks a bit less inviting up close. Who wants to spend the entire day staking out a place at the Mall to get a good view for a twenty minute show? In the end, we compromised a bit and found a park with a good view next to the Potomac which only required a three-hour stakeout and a half-hour walk to the car. And it was plenty enjoyable. I wasn't that wowed by the fireworks themselves (must be the recession) but it was still a great way to celebrate.
My brother and his family were in town for a brief visit, which gave us an excuse to head downtown the next day too. We began with lunch at the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian, which boasts a food court featuring cuisine from up and down both Americas. The ingredients are always traditional - corn, cactus, grains, etc., but they put it away together in modern ways. Highlights of my lunch included a hibiscus-guava fresca, which tasted pleasantly (and strongly) of flowers, and Indian pudding, a corn and molasses pudding.
We made a brief appearance in a few Smithsonians, but the highlight for Andrew and I was the Smithsonian Folklife festival. This is an annual festival on the Mall spotlighting music, food, and history of featured countries. In the "Music of the Americas" pavilion we caught a concert by a mariachi band. They were excellent - every one of the sixteen performers could play a traditional instrument and sing solos. At the end we found out that they were a high school mariachi group from San Diego and that blew me away. I can't imagine being that talented at anything when I was seventeen.
6 comments:
Now THAT would have been funny: we could have run into you on the Mall because we were in town on our blast from NC up to Maine. We barely spent time there, but did see the elephant at Natural History, listen to some of the Latino dance music, and walk as far as the Washington Monument. The kids wanted to see where Obama lived, so we took them to the view of the Jefferson and White House. From there, it was on to shopping at Ikea (new garlic press, a few other things), and dinner at Udupi. Tasty!
that sounds like an awesome 4th! Was it a holiday in the US yesterday I wonder, or did everyone finally recover from their celebrations enough to to post yesterday? :)
Oh that sounds like a fun fourth! i wish I had thought to do anything so patriotic when I lived there. Of course, I was a jaded teen at the time so that is my excuse.
Michael, that would have been a funny coincidence. I heartily endorse your decision to have dinner at Udupi - it's my comfort food of choice in College Park.
I really like fireworks but just can't justify all the time a discomfort necessary as you put it for the 20 minute show.
Sounds like a great 4th! Glad to hear things are going well for you both..
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