Eastern Market DC

When I went to DC's Eastern Market for the first time, it was exactly as I had imagined.

A colorful array of interesting wares were available in every direction. Locals walked dogs and babies alike. And the eclectic mix of vendors and buyers made for a fun afternoon of people-watching. Even the sun was shining, with a light breeze to cut through the District's notorious humidity. I can't promise good weather when you visit, but I can say you won't regret the trip.

If you can think of it, an artisan has made it. Jewelry made of out screws and purses made out of books, with everything in between. Half of the adventure is finding is searching through the dozens of vendors to find the perfect thing you didn't know you needed.

At the center of the market is the North Hall. The 19th century brick building is registered historic and reopened in 2009 following a three-alarm fire two years prior.

Inside, there's a community space that serves everyone from tango dancers to musical babies and a marketplace full of local vendors and grocers.

The North Hall is essentially a locally-sourced grocery store (take that, Whole Foods). Vendors sell everything from fish to flowers to fruit. At the far end, the bakery stand has fresh bread and, more importantly, pastries.

If you're not in the mood to buy ingredients and cook for yourself, there's a makeshift food court just outside. You can get southern comfort food with grits and okra or try something new, as many cooks bring their nationality to the market in in edible form. Either way, you'll have more variety the earlier in the day you go.

The market is closed on Mondays and is undoubtedly busiest on the weekends. I like going on Sundays, to get the full effect of a bustling marketplace. If you're interesting in buy, bring both cash and credit, as not everyone can process plastic payment.

Eastern Market
225 Seventh Street SE
Washington, DC 2000

Ai Weiwei: Trace at the Hirshhorn

The Hirshhorn Museum has reentered the public mindset of late, with a series of attention-grabbing pieces from well-known artists.

Following the retrospective of Yayoi Kusama's work, the gallery brought in the newest installation from noted contemporary artist Ai Weiwei.

Weiwei is considered to be one of the most influential conceptual artists in China and is known as a free speech advocate. This has made him very unpopular with his home country's government, as he is openly critical of China's stance on democracy and accused human rights violations. Weiwei often incorporates similar themes into his work.

"Trace" is no except. 

Using over 1 million legos, Weiwei created over 170 portraits depicting individuals from across the globe who advocate for free speech and are persecuted from

Faces American audiences will easily recognize include Nelson Mandala, Edward Snowden, and Martin Luther King Jr.

"Trace" originally displayed on Alcatraz Island, fitting since Weiwei was incarcerated in China for almost three months without charges. Its installation at the Hirshhorn is the first time Trace has visited the East Coast.

The Art Assignment, a PBS production, published a video in favor of the artist's work and I definitely recommend it as a lens through which to view this exhibit.

The installation itself offers context as well. In each room, interactive screens allow visitors to learn more about the advocates behind the portraits. The short biographies often include jail time served as many of the people represented were arrest, without or without official charges (like Weiwei himself).

It's interesting that this exhibit comes on the heels of Kusama's work. Her retrospective at the Hirshhorn, entitled "Infinity Mirrors", required tickets for admission, in part because of the timed nature of the internal exhibits, and often had hours-long waits.

Outside of being a complex, immersive art piece, Kusuma's work was noted for its extreme popularity on social media. The number of profile pictures and selfies taken in the exhibits seemed to become as much of a story as the art itself.

Weiwei's work has a similar alluring visual quality but with a much clearer message. He brings attention to activists who promote free speech and expression, as if he's reminding us that their work, in part, is why we can peruse free public galleries and Instagram to our heart's delight.

Trace will remain at the Hirschhorn through the end of 2017.

Hirshhorn Museum
Independence Ave at 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20024

Old Fox Bookstore & Coffee House

I don't use the word "magical" lightly. It is reserved for occasions like Harry Potter midnight movie premieres, seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time, and eating homemade chocolate chip cookies.

So when I say that Old Fox Bookstore & Coffee House is magical, I want my full meaning to be clear.

This place is fascinating. At first glance, it appears to be a cozy (if standard) storefront. However, if you focus in at any particular point, you'll begin to see the incredibly intricate details come out of the woodwork.

You can find a typewriter, a bust of Abraham Lincoln with sunglasses, a mortar and pestle, a tank of lifelike jelly fish and numerous Harry Potter references, among other eccentricities.

Even the front desk has intrigue. Look below eye level and you'll notice two small windows and a front door built into the far left of the checkout counter. Peek inside the framework and you'll find a incredible reading room, sized for the Borrowers.

All the way to the back of the store is the Brown Mustache coffee shop. Admittedly, it leans towards painfully hipster (case in point- they sell boxed water). Still, they have lots of seating and WIFI so it's worth buying a water bottle or a scone if you want to sit back and relax.

And yet still there is more.

The basement houses books on magic and anatomy side by side. Maps act as wallpaper on exposed brick and the door behind the spiral staircase is surreptitiously marked with a handmade sign reading "Harry's Room."

Even the bathroom, no bigger than my wingspan, has a dozen different details. The walls are papered with the yellowing pages of old books.

It's easy to see that the owners are big fans of Harry Potter (as well they should be). Yet another sign is the decal applied to the tank of the toilet. If you need directions to the Ministry of Magic, look no further.

All the way to the back of the store is the Brown Mustache coffee shop. Admittedly, it leans towards painfully hipster (case in point- they sell boxed water). Still, they have lots of seating and WIFI so it's worth buying a water bottle or a scone if you want to sit back and relax.

The small courtyard behind the shop has the overall appearance of a fairy garden. Similar to the store itself, you can't appreciate how detailed and cared for the space is until you get up close.

The children's clubhouse tucked away in the corner of the courtyard is not only filled with books, it's made of books. The roof replicates an upside-down tome and the walls are made of filled bookshelves. A few costume pieces are available for young readers to help them become their favorite characters.

Admittedly, Old Fox's can be a little low on in-house stock. When I think of used bookstores, I think of Bookhaven in Philadelphia, which has books stacked from floor to ceiling. Outside of the children's section, a lot of the inventory at Old Fox is vintage or secondhand If you're looking for a specific book, you likely will not walk away with it the same day. However, the staff is great about ordering specific titles upon request.

I wish I had known about this store growing up. It's exactly the kind of place I would have dragged a parent to so I could spent the day reading in a big armchair or finding hiding spots. Being 5'9" (and an adult) really doesn't lend itself to hiding places. Still, the magic of Old Fox is that it can help even the most cantankerous adult feel like a kid again. 

Old Fox Bookstore & Coffee House
35 Maryland Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401

The DC August Lineup

A new month means a whole new calendar of wining and dining in the District. Check out my August lineup below to see what you might have missed.

Through August 27: Game of Thrones Pop-up Bar

Whether you like daredevils, drinking or dragons (I'm a fan of all three), the Game of Thrones Pop-up Bar should definitely be on your list this month. Through August 27, the geek's dream pub has taken over almost 3000 square feet on 7th Street. Patrons under the age of 21 can come through before 11 p.m. but they have to be with a certified grown-up (the website says "parents" but a cool older brother would do). If you're old enough to have fun, the drink menu includes conceptions with names like "The North Remembers" and "The Imps Delight." You're encouraged to go all out and come in costume, if the spirit so moves you.

August 3: The Washington Pancakes & Booze Art Show

This 21+ events features over 100 artists and has everything the title implies- alcohol and free pancakes! Pancakes & Booze is being held at Penn Social, starting at 7pm. Performances are scheduled by local DJs and body painters. Tickets are $15 at the door but can be purchased cheaper in advance.

August 5: Full Moon Monuments Walk

The walk starts at the base of the Washington monument and ends at the World War II memorial. The meet-up begins at 6:30pm and it's consistently a huge group (last month's event had over 500 people). The walk departs at approximately 7pm. This is a great opportunity for photos and to see DC with fresh eyes. The event is free but organizers do ask that you RSVP.

August 8: Movie Night at Georgetown Waterfront Park

Bring a blanket and a case of root beer to enjoy date night at the final Sunset Cinema showing in Georgetown. "The Devil Wears Prada" is the audience-voted flick that will round-off the Women in Film summer theme and will start sometime between 8:45pm and 9pm. This event is open to the public, no chairs allowed.  The Georgetown Waterfront Park is part of the National Parks Service so alcohol is technically prohibited (I had to say it. You're welcome to go ahead and ignore me, but at your own peril).

August 12: World Elephant Day

Join the National Museum of African Art as it celebrates how elephants have influence artists for centuries while fighting against the illicit ivory trade. Listen to local storyteller Diane Macklin, touch your way through the museum's teaching collection and see PBS' Soul of an Elephant. Events are scheduled from 11am to 3pm, with everything free and open to the public.

August 19: Valentino Khan at 9:30 Club

Get weird with Valentino Khan and his fusion between house, dubstep and trap music. Khan has worked with EDM well-knowns, including Steve Aoki and Skrillex, and is now touring on his own. The concert starts at 10pm and is all-ages (though maybe don't bring your kid sibling). Tickets are general admission, standard for venue, and $20 a piece.

August 24: Hirshhorn Summer Evenings

Join the Hirshhorn Musuem's summer evenings series as pop-up talks revisit classic collections and visitor favorites. The evening leads into the final week of Masterworks from the Hirschhorn Collection. Free to the public, this event runs from 5pm to 8:30pm.

August 25: CreativeMornings/DC Morgan West

Head back to the Hirshhorn to join Creative DC founder Morgan West as he talks about the creative collective behind DC's artistic growth. Network with other freelancers and artists over breakfast. Part of the CreativeMornings/DC series, the event starts at 8:30am and runs to 10am.

August 26: The 17th Street Festival

Happening rain or shine, the 17th Street Festival is bringing together local vendors with performances from dance groups, DJs and drag performers (this is DC, after all).  A designated kids' zone will include a ball pit, moon bounce, and enough sugar to keep them tweaked for weeks. The festival also includes a pet zone (admittedly, kind of the same thing) to bring together local puppers and help find adoptable dogs forever homes. The festival runs from noon until 6pm and is free to the public. For $10, you can purchase a discount pass for local businesses and restaurants. The full entertainment line-up can be viewed here.

August 30: Broad Way Comedy Night

From witty to raunchy, come enjoy all that DC's ladies of comedy have to offer. Drafthouse Comedy hosts Broad Way Comedy, led by Franqi French. Starting at 8pm, this 18+ event promises to be wonderfully weird and I look forward to burning calories laughing. No tickets necessary and no minimums- Drafthouse just asks that you RSVP.

Kittens in Cups

Cat cafes, bistro-styled storefront where felines are encouraged to fraternize with customers and each other, seem to be popping up everywhere. 

The Taiwanese trend came over to the United States in 2014, when the first American cat cafe open in California. They've only grown in popularity since and Annapolis, MD now has a cat cafe of its very own.

Annapolis could hardly be considered rural. However, it doesn't have the same, wall-to-wall metropolis feel that many cities with cat cafes exude.

Because of this, Kittens in Cups was able to open in a bigger space than most new feline-based businesses. KiC allows a surprising amount of breathing room, for both its cats and guests. I believe the owners cap reservations to 15 at a time. It's not hard to see the capacity for more people, should a private event demand it.

In case this wasn't wholly apparent, this is not the place for those who don't identify as cat-people. Even if you're only partial to the domesticated assholes (she said with love), you'll be surrounded by people fawning over small furry creatures. If you don't get it, you don't get it.

Like most cafes, the feline residents are available for adoption. As of writing, KiC has facilitated 19 adoptions through the SPCA of Anne Arundel County.

Most health codes don't allow cat cafes to prepare food on-site, so each finds unique ways to sidestep this inconvenience. KiC offers drinks and snacks for sale in the lobby, away from the kitten cuddles (and associated fur tumbleweeds). In short- don't come here focusing on the "cafe" aspect.

For telecommuters, KiC can offer a nice change of pace from your home office or local Starbucks. You're almost guaranteed to have the place to yourself during the week and guests have free access to a secure wifi connection.

Admittedly, it's kind of like telling yourself you're going to get work done while hammocking. It sounds great in theory but you will undoubtedly be less productive than if you sat at a proper desk with no furry distractions. Still, coming to KiC with a laptop and a coffee is the "Treat Yo Self" you deserve.

My biggest piece of advice: guard your heart. Otherwise, you'll blink and find yourself taking home every cat that finds its way onto your lap.

Kittens in Cups
177 Defense Highway
Annapolis, MD 21403

Turning Pages Book Lounge

Less than three miles from the Delaware shoreline, there's the perfect store to find your newest beach read.

Turning Pages Book Lounge opened this summer and offers a wide range of used books. I've always preferred used books for traveling- there's no pressure to keep them pristine, so a little sand in the binding can be overlooked.

The owner, a chatty visual arts teacher from the DC suburbs, also operates a retro toy store a few miles away and that's reflected in the products. A dozen ukuleles are displayed for sale, next to a sign for group lessons, and vintage records are tucked away in the back.

Overall, this is an amazing place for new reading material. Almost all paperbacks are $2.50 so it's easy try genres you might have otherwise shied away from. A few titles have special pricing via a sticker on the back but nothing outrageous. We walked away with five books for under $20.

Overall, Turning Pages is a fun place to go when you're open to finding something new. The store has the vibe of a scavenger hunt and you're almost guaranteed to find the perfect thing you didn't know you needed.

The store typically opens at noon each day and closes at 10pm.

Turning Pages Book Lounge
119 Atlanta Avenue
Millville, DE 19968

The Annapolis Bookstore

I love buying books. The siren call of Amazon.com is hard to ignore- they have almost every book imaginable and will deliver them to your door for free. As someone who both enjoys reading and is incredibly lazy, this speaks to me.

However, I love supporting physical bookstores more. So recently, I've been making an effort to only purchase my books from independent bookstores.

In this quest, I found the Annapolis Bookstore in downtown Annapolis, Maryland.

As soon as you enter the store, you can sense a pleasant chaotic energy. The store shares a space with a yarn/ knitting shop, which only enhances that feeling.

This is not the place to go to if you're looking for something specific. Annapolis Bookstore sells a combination of new and used books, though the latter certainly makes up the majority of the inventory.

Theoretically, there's an organizational system. Fiction is sorted by author's last name and there's a small section dedicated to books for St. John's College students, a school less than a mile away. Outside of that, all bets are off.

Books are piled on top of each other and stacked on the floor. I doubt even the owner is totally aware of what she has in stock.

Personally, I love it. It's like a scavenger hunt for the well-read, whether you're looking for a favorite author or something you've never heard of before.

The back of the store houses the collection of children's book and acts as a tiny refuge for kids to read. There's a chess set, a teddy bear, an old carousel horse and several chairs for reading and playing.

After a cursory glance, it looks like there's only piles of books. Upon further investigation, it becomes clear that the store also functions as a scavenger hunt for curious minds.

A plush Edgar Allan Por sits besides the fairy tales and Shakespeare. An oversized lion presides over the store from the top of the bookcases.

The Annapolis Bookstore is a bibliophile's paradise but an OCD sufferer's nightmare. It mirrors what a great book can do, inspiring stories from kids and reigniting imagination in adults. 

The Annapolis Bookstore
53 Maryland Ave.
Annapolis, MD 21401
http://www.annapolisbookstore.com