Blues Alley: Mike Stern Band (feat. Dave Weckl)

Blues Alley was founded in 1965 and is a jazz dinner-and-nightclub in an alley off Wisconsin Avenue in Washington, D.C.'s Georgetown neighborhood. This was my first visit to the venue.

 
Mike Stern is an American jazz guitarist and multiple Grammy nominee. Me and my friend arrived Blues Alley early to get very front seats and saw Mike Stern before the show. Mike was very friendly and nice, and I took photos with him and the saxophone player after the performance. This was a good starter for a jazz newbie like me.

Dumbarton Oaks Garden & Museum in Winter

This was the second visit I had with the same friend who introduced me to the garden two years ago. Time flies. We both grow into better selves and appreciate our life deeper.

Dumbarton Oaks Garden & Museum is located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.. The 50 Years of Pre-Columbian Art and Byzantine Collection currently at Dumbarton Oaks Museum were pretty impressive in terms of the collections as well as the exhibit facilities and lightings, even though they were just a small portion of the total 80,000 collections. You can browse the collections online: http://museum.doaks.org/IT_0

The gardens were beautiful in Winter and should be even more beautiful in spring. You can enjoy a virtual tour: http://www.doaks.org/gardens/virtual-tour

To Mary's Rock the long way, 21 miles, 5850 feet elevation gain

There were only three of us taking this hike. Thanks for their motivation to push me finishing this hikes in 7 hours, a break through of my personal record in terms of speed over 20 miles.

I know one day I will move to different countries and wish I can take my friends with me.

GWNF! Duncan Knob and Strickler Knob

It was one of the hikes I asked myself why I was doing this to myself at 20 F on Sunday morning walking in the snow?!I thought I could test my new spikes but the road conditions did not require them at all. Me and one other hiker decided to skip the rock scrambles yet we were shivering in the freezing air while waiting.

My new best friend came from west Africa was just 32 yrs old and has a 17 yrs old daughter studying at the US. She just finished her MBA in London and ready for working for the US State Dept. She traveled to a lot of countries and will give me suggestions for my 2014 trip to Africa. According to her, Africa is cleaner than India.

George Washington National Forest (Lee Ranger District)

Duncan Knob and Strickler Knob with Rock Scrambles On Massanutten Mountain!

15 Strenuous Miles

Took a 17 mile hike on Tuesday to break away from work

I was pretty stressed out by one patent application at work on Monday, so I decided to escape at the last minute and signed up this hike.I was luck to pick this 64F sunny day to hike. Most of the Tuesday hikers are retirees who enjoy a healthy life style.

Doubletop - Camp Hoover - Big Meadows (PACT Map 10), the Doubletop Mtn. trail over Doubletop was steep and down the 4WD Trail to the Rapidan Fire Road. Going through Camp Hoover for lunch.

We returned to the cars using Dark Hollow Falls Trail, Rose River Fire Rd., Stony Mtn. Trail, Rapidan Fire Road, and Upper Dark Hollow Trail. (17.1 mi, 3560 ft gain)

DC weekend farmer's market

My impression of DC was all about museums, bars, theaters, concerts, and parking tickets. This was my first time walking around Adams Morgan to shop at the farmers market after a Church's Sunday service, and enjoyed soups under the warm sun at a circle.






The sermon was about dealing daily challenge with welcoming attitude regardless of setbacks and feeling of powerless. "Want what you have, Be who you are, and Do what you can" can lead to a happy and productive life.