Passport D.C

Totally fatigued and sick while writing this post so I'm sorry if none of what I'm writing makes sense!

 

 Last Saturday I was bad and ditched work to go to Passport D.C.  Passport DC is a month long celebration of international cultural Awareness in Washington, DC where more than 70 embassies open their doors to allow visitors to come inside and learn about each country!  We've been dying to go inside these gorgeous old mansions and this was the perfect opportunity!! It's also an easy way to travel around the world without leaving the city!  Next weekend all the European embassies will open their doors but I have to work =(

You can pick up souvenir passports and get them stamped at every embassy

First stop, Indonesia!  The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia is the former Walsh mansion  Evalyn Walsh McLean is also the last private owner of the 44 ½ carat Hope Diamond!!

Definitely the most luxurious embassy we saw that day.

gorgeous main staircase

Off to the Bahamas!

Free tasting of a variety of rum cakes!

Embassy of Haiti

Dominican Republic--Food + free rum and coke!

 

mm..i have to look up these recipes and try it at home!

Lunch Break at out favorite french place in Dupont Circle for some Moules Bretonne!

and some sorbetto to cool off from the heat!

mmm..honey lime pineapple!

long lines for Japan.  Everyone wanted to meet the ambassador!

 

We celebrated Cinco De Mayo at La Sandia

http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-sandia-mclean

where i found the creamiest and cinnamony-iest horchata ..it was quite heavenly!  I could go for some right now!

and the same could be said about their guacamole!  Overpriced of course but oh so creamyyyy and simple!  Delicious!

and some overpriced street tacos!! Oh how I miss El Taurino in LA!!!! Where the hot sauce makes your face burn oh so good!

oh man..i'm getting hungry and thirsty again..

Gospel Choir

In high-school I  was a part of an amazing choir called the Touch of Class Choir of Philip and Sala Burton.  For four years we traveled, ate well, sang and danced our hearts out to jazz, classical, gospel, r&b and contemporary music.  To this day, I get nostalgic just thinking of all the amazing times we had together. 

 A trip down memory lane...

Can you spot me? (glasses and bangs) Performing at church in high school--even though I am not all religious.  The food afterwards was aahhhmazing

Our choir director made it a priority that as young people, we traveled!  Here we are in Shanghai, China.  A small group of us from the choir were selected to go and perform on an all expense paid trip by San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown to sing in China for an event to bridge the gap between the two sister cities, San Francisco and Shanghai. We sang on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship and vacationed in Florida and the Bahamas and even sang for President Bill Clinton, Hilary Clinton and Governor Gray Davis!

 

So I was super excited to find out that the The Hamilton Hotel in D.C was hosting a gospel brunch with the Howard University Gospel Choir!

Breakfast Buffet and good music? Yes please!



Waffle station!  Is anything better on sunday than freshly made fluffy waffles????

A sold out house!

 Fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, smoked salmon

 

Mac n cheese, bacon, gumbo, some egg and sausage in there..some hash...lol

 I love it when fruit tastes like fruit..sweet, ripe, juicy, delicious

Omelet Station!!
 
Briskettt!
 
Glazed ham! YESSS! YES!


Complimentary mimosas and bloody marys--I tried not to drink so much since we had dragon boat rowing practice later...Too much food + alcohol before going out on the water = disaster


The Howard Gospel Choir!

*sniffles*love*

I need to find me a choir to join..!.