Play: “How To Be a Korean Woman"

 

I went in DC to usher at Theater J for the last show of “How To Be a Korean Woman,” which was about one adoptee’s reunion with her birth family. I didn’t have good experience with one-person play, yet this one flowed well and touching.

It was tricky traveling on METRO this weekend, since several metro stations on Silver Line are closed for maintenance. I ended up walking/jogging from DuPont Circle to Theater J, then to a private house to pick up my new hiking poles, then Fort Totten, about 5 miles in cold/30 f and windy day. As such, I completed my 20 hike/jog miles weekend goal. BTW, I saw farmer's market at DuPont Circle, and my brand new Black Diamond Z hiking poles were made in Taiwan!

most scary icy hike

I hiked with three friends this Saturday up via White oak canyon then submitted Hawksbill Mountain for 14.5 miles with 3500 feet elevation gain. It was too windy to have lunch at Hawksbill. Due to the heavy rain the day before, all the waterfalls were raging more powerfully than I have ever seen in the Shenandoah National Park. There was one stream crossing that I finally got to use booties that I carried 3 years in my backpack. We changed plan to take the White oak canyon trail down to avoid two bigger stream crossings on the cedar Run trail.

The Appalachian Trail on the backside of Hawksbill Mountain was totally frozen like an ice strip. This was the hardest one mile in my lifetime to pass. Without spikes, I was squatting low or sliding on my bottom most of the time to get via that icy one mile. You bet that I will bring my spikes to each hike this winter.

As usual, we stopped by a winery after hike.

18-mile MT Marshall loop hike

 

I joined 3 friends to hike MT Marshall loop in the national park for 18 miles with 3300 feet elevation gain. We started from 35°f (2°c) and finished around 45°f (7°c). We did the same hike in October 2022 for the foliage, and today just to get exercise before the new year. 

 

We stopped by Costco on the way back, and I finally got the famous $5 whole chicken. It was pretty heavy and delicious. What a great deal!

 

I ran 2 miles in the dark after shopping to complete my 20 hike/run miles weekend goal.

Friday hot pot party

 

Friday hot pot party at a friend’s house, and played with the family’s parrots. The hot pot had two soup bases: one hot and spicy 麻辣and the other tomato 番茄.

I prepared the Taiwanese snack soup package 淡水魚羮for tasting, but it was a little too fishy for my friends from mainland China. Two of them are not into ginger in the soup.

Chrismas eve dinner

 I visited my high school classmate in Bethesda Maryland for Christmas Eve dinner. Her family and other guests were photo shy, so I only posted food photos. BTW, my first time prepared Taiwanese rice noodles 台式米粉were a success.

Bear Church Rock 13.8 mile hike

 

I joined a meetup hike of 13.8 miles and about 3,100 feet of elevation gain with spectacular view from Bear Church Rock along the beautiful Staunton River trail. The leaves covered trail was slippery downhill and scary for me, especially after I broke one hiking pole.

Some of us stopped by the winery after hike. The hike was far out so I got back to Reston too late to run. I ran 6.2 miles on Monday to complete my 20 hike/run miles weekend goal.

K-pot hot pot buffet

Six of us tried K-pot hot pot buffet at falls church for lunch today. I even ran into the friend (who told me about this place) by accident. The Szechuan spicy soup base was very hot, that I coughed bad at the beginning. I will take only half the soup to mix with water the next time. $20 is a great value for the quality and quantity of the food.

I was swamped with work then finally ran 6.25 miles in the dark. I ran 13.75 miles on Saturday to complete my 20 hike/run miles weekend goal. My car is still in the repair shop, so no hiking for me this weekend.

14 miles with 4100 feet hike in SNP

 

I took a meetup hike for 14 miles with 4100 feet elevation gain over Pine Hill Gap, Catlett Mountain, Pinnacles Overlook today. Another pleasant cool dry hiking day! The only issue was the slippery leaves on the trail that caused people fell but nobody injured.

As usual, some of us stopped by the winery after hike. It was dark after grocery shopping, but I still ran 5 miles to almost complete my weekend 20 hike/run miles goal, because I was too hungry. Since it will rain on Sunday, I will run that one mile on Monday.

12.5 miles Dickey Ridge - Fox Hollow

 

I took a meetup hike Dickey Ridge - Fox Hollow to Snead Farm Road for 12.5 miles with 2200 feet elevation gain. It was an easy hike in spring like weather. I tested my new 32 degrees brand ultra light down jacket, and it worked very well. It was on sale for only $24. Go check it out!

We stopped by the winery after hike. I tasted the sweetest wine they have: 2022 late harvest Petit Manseng with 8% residual sugar, and I loved it. Almost like the famous ice wine but cheaper 

It was dark after my grocery shopping, and I exhausted my will power just to run 6 miles, since I was too hungry. I will make up 1.5 miles run later to meet my 20 hike/run mile weekend goal.