Tag / nerdy stuff

by LG

7.18.20

We had to run an errand today but felt so stir-crazy from being stuck home and so happy to be out in the sunshine that after we finished, we just kept driving south on the GW Parkway. We had the soundtrack of Hamilton playing because that’s the only thing we’ve listened to since it got released on Disney+ (it’s a daily question in our home: “So what random song or line from Hamilton is stuck in your head today?”), and we happened upon this sign just as we passed Mount Vernon. We clearly stopped to take a picture, nerded out about it, skipped to “Yorktown” (1781!), and proceeded to drive home along the parkway. We pulled over at one of the scenic overlooks for a moment because it felt so nice to be close to the waters of the Potomac River when LO AND BEHOLD, a GD bald eagle soared by RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. Peak ‘Merica, I tell you.

by LG

LG and the Chocolate Factory

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It’s finally time to talk about my Valentine’s Day field trip!

I’m pretty sure Valentine’s Day should be spent with as many loves of our lives as possible. And in that spirit, we celebrated a couple of days early by touring a chocolate factory with friends. We live pretty close to craft chocolate company Harper Macaw, which made this whole endeavor so easy! Which is good, because my thirst for tours can never be quenched – and who doesn’t want to live conveniently adjacent to a chocolate factory?!

After we donned the outstanding hair/beard nets (shout out, hygiene!), we watched a short film about the company and how they source their cacao beans. There was a girl there who was maybe about 10 years old, but who was also definitely writing some sort of report on the experience. She had a little notebook and made sure to ask a lot of hard-hitting questions at every stop on the tour. Good job, kid.

The factory smelled so good while our guide walked us through and explained the chocolate making process to us while pointing at various things. It was hard to retain all the chocolate facts while my brain continued to flash CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE like a NYSE ticker. But we did get to finish the approximately 20-30 minutes tour with a chocolate tasting. I do remember some of that, because I got to learn while eating. Here is a thing I found out: good, high-quality chocolate has a significant snap to it when you break it apart! This is totally anecdotally true for me; I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like that snap when using a Hershey bar to make s’mores, so.

The operation is relatively small, but I like that about a tour and felt the same way about my experience at Nashville Distillery. We picked up some chocolate bars in the lobby on the way out and felt good it. Proceeds go toward helping the Brazilian Atlantic Forest where the cacao comes from (which is 90% gone), so I’ll feel just fine about eating more of their chocolate supporting their conservation efforts in the future.

by LG

Culture Club: Kara Walker at the Smithsonian

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While chatting with some friends a few weeks ago, we decided we wanted to get out and do/see/learn more stuff, especially things unique to DC. We toasted our newly founded Culture Club (I already have a category for blog posts with that same name, so it’s the most convenient thing). Not long after that, B came up with our first field trip: to see the Kara Walker exhibit at the Smithsonian!

Activity highlights:

  • We had the chance to walk by the new Michelle Obama portrait first thing after the building opened; people who want to take a picture of/with it have to wait in line because of the demand. I didn’t know we’d get a glimpse of it while we were there, and even seeing it as I walked by gave me the chills – the portrait has some serious presence. We later happened upon President Obama’s new portrait, and I have to say: I was not prepared for how choked up I felt. It’s a gorgeous painting up close, plus I just miss the guy. I can’t wait to go back when I can spend more time looking at the portraits.
  • We took in the Kara Walker exhibit, Kara Walker: Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated). I’m no art expert, but I felt that the intent of her concept for this exhibit at the Smithsonian shone through very clearly – her talent is undeniable. I felt very moved and humbled as I wandered through the rooms, soaking up her vision. I am still learning about Kara Walker. Her “Sugar Sphinx” was the first exposure I had to her work, and it was incredible to behold.
  • The Marlene Dietrich exhibit was FANTASTIC. I got a little taste for her personality and style – oh, her style. She wore suits and didn’t give a shit what people thought about it. This was my favorite tidbit about her:

In 1933, Dietrich was traveling across the Atlantic on a steamer bound for Paris, wearing a white pantsuit. When the Paris chief of police got word, he announced that if she wore trousers in Paris, she would be arrested. (Until 2013, it was technically illegal for women to wear trousers.)

Dietrich doubled down. For her arrival in Paris, after docking at Cherbourg, she she chose to wear a [TWEED! – my edit] suit, men’s coat, beret and sunglasses.

I still don’t know the difference between the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum – maybe they just share the same building?! – but hey! I still feel more cultured than I was before the day started, and soon we’ll have a Google doc full of places to go and things to learn.

by LG

1.17.18

Gins and barrel-aged Tennessee whiskeys and unaged Tennessee whiskeys and sorghum spirits and spiced honey liqueurs and a gorgeous winter sky as seen at the lovely Nashville Craft distillery after a wonderful tour.

Yes, we brought home a bottle of our own to add to our collection.