Moon Hike

Last night I went on a "moon hike" at the National Arboretum. First of all, how have I lived in DC for so long and never visited the Arboretum before? It's a beautiful sanctuary - sprawling meadows, lovingly maintained gardens, forests... I will definitely be going back - that is, if they're able to stay open for visitors after the recently announced 60% reduction in their annual budget. That's right: if you haven't been, don't waste any time scheduling your visit.

The hike was timed to coincide with the full moon, which we never quite saw, due to clouds, but it was still a wonderful experience. As our guide warned us at the beginning of the night, "this is no walk in the park," and he was true to his word, as he led us drill-sergeant-style on what can fairly be described as a forced march over hill and dale. Yet somehow the challenging pace and sternly imposed silence worked - forcing me to be fully present in the experience, the way a challenging yoga practice might. I noticed every scent, every sound - honeysuckle, the minty aroma of pine needles, birds warbling and crowing, and, well, traffic on route 50, and the Pepco plant churning in the distance. I never forgot I was in the city, but most of the time, nature's stimuli were dominant.

From one vantage point, at the top of Mount Hamilton (a 200+ foot mound on the Arboretum's grounds), I was able to see the Capitol and Washington Monument. Our guide (in a moment of softness) shared that the view is particularly striking in winter, when the tree branches are bare. I imagine the entire grounds must just look like a winter wonderland when blanketed in snow.

Towards the end of the hike, under the 150-foot-long branches of a centuries-old oak tree, I understood what our guide meant when he described the Arboretum as a "zoo for plants" - the plants are that loved, and their individual traits and personalities are honored and showcased.

At the end of the night, I hobbled to the car (we walked for 2 hours solid), but was exhilirated, as if I'd just journeyed to a faraway place.

Lost and Found

"A man with a clear head looks at life directly, realizes that everything is problematic, and feels himself lost. And this is the simple truth, that to be alive is to feel oneself lost. And he who accepts this has already begun to find himself, to be on solid ground."

-Ortega y Gassett, Spanish essayist and philosopher

Tranquil Space: Grand Opening Soiree

Long-time readers know I'm a big fan of Tranquil Space - its programs and community have done so much to enrich my life here in DC. The studio recently moved from its long-time home on P Street to a wonderful new space on 17th, between Corcoran and R. Check it out at the "grand opening soiree" on May 17 - a great way to meet the creative individuals who comprise the TS community.

[Fellow bloggers: help promote this event!]

And where have you been, young lady?

I have been a busy bee for the past few weeks (hence the lack of posts), living life at a pace I generally tend to avoid. A big project for work is the biggest culprit; it's something I took on knowing it would be demanding, but knowing, too, that it would make me feel better about spending money on a vacation in June. Yes, it's true: a vacation! Hooray.

I've also been busy with a solo performance workshop I'm taking from Laura Zam - yes, that one-woman show I've been talking about for what seems like forever is finally coming to fruition. I get to perform a portion of it as part of the Capital Fringe Fest - May 14 at DCAC, 7:00pm (the Fringe Fest website is lean at this point, but check it for updates in the coming week). This workshop has been an absolute balm for my soul - just what the artist inside of me needed to feel like she was breathing again.

And just this weekend, I participated in the 48 Hour Film Project. You may remember that last year, hubby and I were actors in our friend's film, Leon!; it was a lot of fun, but I felt very much on the periphery of the effort. This year, I was part of the core team, which was comprised entirely of fellow improvisers, aside from the Director of Photography and his assistant. I loved getting to help conceptualize our approach, and it was so satisfying to use our improv skillz - mapping out a story arc, and broadly sketching out scenes, then leaving the exact dialogue to the moment. It allowed us to discover new layers and patterns that would have taken much longer to materialize in a script. Come see the results for yourself this Friday at the AFI Silver; our film, The Dinner Party, is part of the 7pm screening (buy tickets in advance - these screenings tend to sell out). I'll post the video here as soon as it's available, along with links to friends' films.

Last but not least, I wanted to put in a plug for Artomatic, which begins this Friday and continues through June 15. Check it out!