During the long starry winter nights of February, I plowed through author Steven Naifeh’s 1,514-page biography of Vincent van Gogh: The Life. I began to feel as crazy as the tortured painter as he argued with his parents, lost…
Activities
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Although my mom died in 1977, her love of roses compels me to visit gardens whenever and wherever I travel. (Favorites include Biltmore Estate, Selby Botanical Gardens, and Winterthur Gardens. Leaning in to sniff a red…
If you missed Del Ray’s Art on the Avenue festival, don’t worry. Year-round, visitors as well as locals can enjoy the vibrant murals documenting this Virginia neighborhood’s history. I mapped out a self-guided Del Ray’s street art tour that…
DC cherry blossoms fever hits me each year during the last cold weeks of March in Washington DC. Paint my city pink! Frail white Yoshino petals rain down in flower showers on the bumpy path along the Tidal Basin…
Each spring before the cherry blossoms peak, Washingtonians race to see the giant cup-shaped pink blooming saucer magnolia trees at the Smithsonian. There are two rows of pink blooming saucer magnolia trees (also known as tulip magnolia trees) that…
If you’re looking for a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, look no further than Cleveland Park. This historic DC neighborhood in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. is a true gem, offering a mix…
Embassy Row astounds visitors and residents alike when they first see the palatial mansions that line several blocks on Massachusetts Avenue NW in Washington DC. It is one of the most exclusive DC neighborhoods. You’ll see both residences where…
Trinity College, located in the heart of Dublin, is Ireland’s oldest university. It was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. The monarch wanted to create an institution in Ireland modeled after Oxford and Cambridge. The iconic university campus…