It has been said that one must enjoy life because it is very short. After my whirl wind tour of the East Coast for the past seven days, I could not agree more. I had a great time in Washington DC and met alot of interesting people. Last Thursday evening I decided to do a monument tour on the mall which consisted of the Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, and the Vietnam Wall. The weather was very brisk and foggy, my preferred weather conditions.
After the monument tour I went back to my hotel in Annapolis, MD and went to Ramshead Tavern, one of my favorite pubs. The crowd was thin in the downstairs bar, which was nice because it felt as if I had the entire place to myself. Before last call the guy behind the counter told me about the alleged haunting that takes place their. Apparently at one time there was a brothel upstairs. There was a girl named Amy who was killed and her ghost still roams around the tavern. The bartender mentioned that in the three years he's been there, he has not encountered anything abnormal, but he did say that other co-workers have experienced something.
As the week progressed I eventually made my way to Winchester, Virginia. Historic Winchester is rich with history, folklore, and friendly people. I was shocked when people actually said hello to me on the streets. Clearly that is a far cry from the cold streets of Los Angeles, where pedestrians are scorned with disdain for even making eye contact while walking. I met the owners of a local eatery called The Snow White Grill. The house specialty seems to be small hamburgers, shakes, and stories since its opening in 1949. The owner indicated to me that there is a small passageway under the building where both Confiderate and Union troops were moved during the Civil War.
Interestingly Winchester changed hands over seventy three times throughout the duration of the Civil War. With so much history, you would suspect hunting's right? Sure enough I found myself in Cork Street tavern, a local watering hole that has seen much in its rich one hundred year plus history. While sitting in the new section of the bar and watching the locals attempt karaoke, I felt the sensation of being watched by someone or something. I decided to turn around and take a photo. To my surprise there appears to be a large spirit orb in the upper right hand side of the photo. This orb that I captured was less than eight feet away from me!
As I departed Winchester on Sunday a feeling of yearning and wanting to suddenly live there came over me. I have decided that I will return by early next year with the intention of purchasing a house. I really enjoyed the "southern hospitality" and felt welcomed, as if I was local who had been there forever. The melancholy mood lasted briefly as I made my way to Baltimore and the excitement of the Inner Harbor.
My time spent in Baltimore was fun and I certainly will look back at it with fondness. I cruised by the Hard Rock Cafe and picked up a souvenir for a freind. After which I made my way to Howl at the Moon, a duel piano bar, but sadly it was closed on Sunday. Not wanting to be outdone, I made the short drive to Federal Hill. The small region of Baltimore that is Federal Hill was first revealed to me by a close friend who took me there almost three years ago. I retraced my steps on Sunday and got some beer at another one of my favorite bars, The Thirsty Dog Cafe. The Thirsty Dog is the only place I've been to where they encourage you to bring your dog. They believe in serving all two and four legged animals equally, and take pride in being a place that makes it possible. The famous two beers for four dollars is a huge appeal, and I enjoyed relaxing in the upstairs section.
Before returning to So. California I went to the National Arboretum and donated some sketches that John Naka, the modern day master of Bonsai had drawn of my grandmothers bonsai plants. The John Naka Bonsai Pavilion is world renowned and over 350,00 people visit the National Arboretum just to see his plants, as well as countless others on display. Knowing that my grandmother donated a bench to the National Arboretum, I contacted the main curator and made arrangements to meet with them. The curator called the Director of the Arboretum and they gladly accepted the sketches. I was so thrilled when I left, because I know that thousands of people will get to enjoy the sketches that had been laying in a box in my garage for the past four years.
In conclusion I had the time of my life. The weather was cold, the leaves were colorful, the people were friendly, and my pictures turned out well. I love my nation's capital and the non-stop action it provides. While I may not have gotten to see everything, I did get the vacation I had wanted all along. The change of scenery recharged my battery and I take pride in knowing that I am in the process of moving back and seeing all the sights very soon.
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