Crisp air at 60 degrees, public transportation, cafés and a memorial here and there. I must have something wrong because I forgot America has these things… Oh yeah, we just have to get out of Florida. Stuck in Miami for too long, so we decided to jump on a plane to DC to check out something called ECAASU. Don’t worry about what that stands for because it’s a mouthful. It’s basically a community of East Coast Asian Americans getting together to make some big things happen. Enjoy the photos!

ECAASU had some pretty impressive opening performers bringing in Vine stars, Us the Duo amongst other comedians and singers.

Another favorite of mine was G. Yamazawa, spoken word artist. He really spoke to me (no pun intended) and I am sure the other one thousand in the crowd, talking about the moments of bullying growing up in America, the struggle and pressure of our parents, the unfortunately short lives our parents may have lived just to bring us happiness in this country. Check him out, maybe he’ll speak to you.

 

After many workshops, good and bad, it turned out pretty interesting to see more than 1,000 Asian Americans actively partake in making a community for the East Coast. In our down time, we were able to explore the National Mall and a few other sweet spots to get our munchies on.

The Natural History Museum had some great stairs and with some nice people it turned out to be a great photo. This is the future of Asian American Students Association at the University of Miami right here representing in DC.

Old bones

What is that? Oh, it’s just a Maureen in front of some antlers.

Emerging from the museum we were greeted with some beautiful daylight. Here I am basking in the Vitamin D.

I love shooting couples. They kill me with cuteness and catch the lighting just right. Here is Doug and Marian being all affectionate in public.

These two can’t forget to represent the []_[]!

A stroll through the public sculpture park made for some great moments. I enjoyed the industrial materials that paralleled the organic design of the park.

 

 

It was once a black sheet of metal, but add a person and it turns into the perfect backdrop to a beautiful photo.

Trees meet metal, dynamic machines meet the force of nature; a brilliant arrangement in the park.

Onto the attack of the cafés! However, I realized I have lost most of my photos from this trip. Here is one picture I salvaged that is a blueberry tart from a Paul café (not as good as Paris, but hey they tried). The cafés were great for an easy caffeine fix, power oatmeal (Pret A Manger) or buttery baked good on the go.

We couldn’t avoid the Asian craving, so we headed to Mandu, a Korean restaurant in the outskirts of Chinatown for lunch. Bibimbap always hits the spot on a cold day.

Great interior design I just wanted to note for myself.

In our second day, we discovered an American restaurant true to the food and drink, Founding Farmers. Its ingredients are local and seasonal, so no doubt were we trying the whole menu!

The butternut squash, mascarpone ravioli was fresh, not heavy, delicate in flavor and perfect in portion. Surrounded in sage brown butter, each bite was moist and balanced. Priced at $15 it is a great pasta-lover and vegetarian option!

New Brunswick Stew with rotisserie chicken, lima beans, chick peas, barley and bacon. Homemade, cooked low and slow is the next best thing from what mommy makes for when you’re sick. The portion isn’t too much if you’re really hungry though. Priced at $13, it hits the spot for when you’re nostalgic or just cold.

Last but not least, the classic but never old, chicken and waffles. I have a personal obsession with all things with chicken, waffles and maple syrup. I have to say this comes to a close stand still with Hard Knox Cafe in San Francisco and Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in L.A. The chicken was moist, seasoned perfectly, yet the natural chicken flavor was the main hit. The mac and cheese were homemade and unprocessed giving delightful creamy, el dente texture that balanced perfectly with the chicken. Most of all, the organic maple syrup topped the flavor rankings. The waffle was fluffy, but not crispy enough for my taste. And oh my goodness, when eaten altogether it was like a dance of sweet, salty and savory in my mouth. This is the BEST chicken and waffles I have ever eaten priced at just $16. All three fall in more or less the same price range, but this came organic and farm-raised. Can’t beat this deal!

A wonderful adventure through DC we had, but most photos from the last day were lost. We explored the Lincoln Memorial area and took a step back into history just to find out it was not far away. It was a sad flight back to only deal with a terrible Metro system to get back home in Miami, but it never puts me down to explore home! Next entry will be on some more foodie adventures in Miami. Enjoy your next adventure :)