National Great Black in Wax Museum- great cultural experience!

Wow! Its been awhile since I written in my blog! I had been so busy finishing up my summer semester and working, that I barely had time to sleep, much less write.  I did very well this semester which I am proud of. It feels weird not having any school work to do after work. However, I am back and at it! So, excited to share with you, some of my latest DMV adventures, I have experienced within the last month. 

The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum is a wax museum in Baltimore, Maryland  featuring prominent African American historical figures. It was established in 1983. The National Great Blacks in Wax museum is Baltimore's first wax museum and the first wax museum of African American history in the United States. The Blacks in Wax Museum was recognized by the U.S. Congress and became The National Blacks in Wax Museum allowing it to receive federal funding on the same status as The Smithsonian.(www.wikipedia.com).  This will ensure that many generations to come are able to experience African American history throughout the centuries.

Slave Trade Route from Africa

I first went to the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, in the fifth grade with my classmates. It was a very educational experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Most "field trips" to museums were boring, but this one was eye opening. If you know me, you know I am into history, so I made a promise to go again when I became older. It's funny I hadn't been to the museum since I was a child before this summer, because I spent my first two years of college right down the street from it. One thing I always remembered the slave ship the museum displays immediately when you walk in. Finally, I was able to take a trip there once again, this summer.  I brought two of my buddies with me, what a wonderful learning experience we had. I can't fit all the pictures on to my blog, so you'll just have to take a trip there to get the full experience.

New Slave getting Branded...ouch!!

Boys Chained Together on Slave Boat..terrible conditions

Slave who was whipped..scars from the lashes

Jim Crow laws, Segregation keeping whites and blacks from drinking from the same fountain

Mt. Vernon- George Washington's Beloved Estate

Hey Guys!!!

It's been awhile, but I'm back! One of the interesting attributes about myself, is that I am very much into history. Not just one specific genre of history, but I enjoy reading about all types of things that happened in the past history of the world. One of my best friends from college recently visited Mt. Vernon, George Washington's beloved estate which sits on the banks of the beautiful Potomac River in Virginia. Mt. Vernon was special to George Washington. It was his place of peace and solitude. He inherited Mt. Vernon from his half brother Lawrence Washington. George Washington and his wife Martha, entertained many people at Mt. Vernon. In 1798, The Washington family welcomed an endless stream of visitors to Mount Vernon.  In this one year alone, they entertained more than 600 guests for dinner! WOW! This place is a host to much of the history of George Washington and his lifestyle; great for history buffs like myself.

Mt. Vernon was a plantation. George Washington owned approximately ten slaves which he inherited from his father when he died. His wife Martha brought great wealth to their family, for she had 40 slaves inherited from her first husband. Although, back then having slaves was socially acceptable and was the norm, George Washington believed it was morally wrong. Before he died he freed his slaves, but was unable to free the slaves that were brought to the marriage by his wife Martha. This action proved to be bittersweet since Martha's slaves and his slaves had inter-married.

Mt. Vernon was a beautiful place while George Washington inhabited it. The scenery was breathtaking. However, Mt. Vernon's appearance started to deteriorate after George Washington died in 1799. No one cared for Mt. Vernon like he did. In 1860 The Mount Vernon's Ladies Association bought the estate and tirelessly worked to restore back to its original luster. Now over 1 million people visit Mt. Vernon every year, making Mt. Vernon the most popular estate in America. (www.mountvernon.org)

Here are some pictures from my friend's trip to Mt. Vernon.

View of Mt. Vernon

Statues in Mt. Vernon of G.W, his wife, and step-daughter.

 

 

George Washington the fearless military leader

 

Side View of Mt. Vernon

 

Very fuel efficient way to get around....George Washington style lol

 

 

 

Fun at the Maryland Half Marathon

Hello All,

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending my first marathon! I am starting to get more into running, it is a great outlet to reduce stress, get your blood pumping, and to stay healthy. Running isn't for everyone, and I am definately not a professional, it is just something I enjoy doing. So, I have been thinking about running in a marathon, and then I thought to myself, "who am I kidding, 26 miles of running...YIKES!" It can be done, obviously millions of people run in marathons every year. However, I want to start small, but still feel accomplished, so I have been considering running a half marathon which is 13.1 miles. This brings me to my next adventure...The Maryland Half Marathon.

The Maryland Half Marathon is associated with the University of Maryland and benefits the Marlene and Stewart Greenbaum Cancer Center. The money that is raised for the marathon is used to fund cancer research at this center. I lost my mother to breast cancer in 2004, so legit organizations such as the Univ of MD, that aid in cancer research, has my support. This year the their goal was to raise $500,000, however, they raised $177, 648.99 which is still great. (www.mdhalfmarathon.com)

The half marathon took place in beautiful Howard County, MD. It ended in the Maple Lawn Community in Fulton, MD. It was raining on and of on Saturday, May 11, 2013, but that did not damper the spirits of the runners. It was amazing to see young and old, and many different ethnicities running together in support of cancer research. It warmed my heart, and I definately want to be a part of it next year. If I can run 13.1 miles, I'll definately knock my running portion of the Army Physical Fitness Test out the water! We run two miles which is timed for that.

There was a festival that took place during and after the run. They had a host of vendors and things for the children to do as well. The kids had face painting, a jumping castle, and a Kids Fun Run as well. With plenty to do, this is a great way to spend time with the family, while staying healthy. The DJ was great, playing line dance songs such as "Wobble", "Cupid Shuffle", and more to keep the crowd interactive and entertained. Although, it was rainy, you could never tell because everyone was smiling and seemed to be in good spirits. I definately enjoyed myself, and would encourage anyone who wants to, to join it next year.


Running for a Good Cause

Took place in Howard County, MD



Benefits the Univ. of MD Marlene and Stewart Breenbaum Cancer Center

 

 

 

 



Maryland Half Marathon 13.1 miles

   THANKS FOR READING!!!

-Tek

Busboy and Poets- DC

Hello To Everyone,


Thanks for coming to my blog! Last month, April, was my month long celebration of my birthday. I turned...20something..*eckem*. Anyway, this year for my birthday, I went to a very nice restaurant called Busboy and Poets in Washington, DC. Every Wednesday night at the BB&P on 5th and K, they have open mic night which the event I attended for my birthday.

Busboy and Poets is a very wonderful restaurant chain. They have four locations in the DMV area...

1. 5th and K- Washington DC
2. 14th and V- Washington DC
3. Hyattsville
4. Shirlington ( a community in Arlington near the Shirley highway)

The name Busboy and Poets comes from the poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy at the Wardman Park Hotel in the 1920s, prior to gaining recognition as a poet (www.busboysandpoets.com). We all know how great of a poet Langston Hughes was, and so this restaurant pays tribute to his legacy. Busboy and poets caters to all types of artists no matter their color, religion, ethnicity or creed. This restuarant is unique in that it is a "community resource for artists, activists, writers, thinkers and dreamers".
The atmosphere of the restaurant was pleasant. I walked in and observed bright, smiling faces, of the people who were eating there, so it made me feel relaxed. In every Busboy and Poets restaurant, you can books to read while there or for purchase. They also, have hosts of information about community events in the arts such as poetry slams, spoken word, musical gigs, and the like. The night I went, they had a featured guest Poet from St. Louis, Missouri. He was very talented and great at interacting with the crowd. While I was there enjoying the sounds of poetry, spoken word, comedy, and even singing, I order some food off of their fabulous menu. OMG!!! I had the best blackened fish sandwich ever! It was like fish on a bun of heaven...Oh it was sooo good! I also, ordered a Malibu Bay Breeze as a drink, and it was tasty as well.

The entertainment was interesting but good, the food was wonderful, the venue was appealing, so I'd definately go again. I have also, visited the BB&P in Hyattsville, and I enjoyed that one as well. The one in Hyattsville, has a larger event room than the one on 5th and K, and is always packed when I visit. I enjoyed both restaurants and plan on patronizing them again!

Here are some pics of my trip to Busboy and Poets at 5th and K in DC!

 Front view of Busboy and Poets

Some of the art work and books you can view/read while at the restaurant



Interesting piece of art that sits outside of the restaurant

 

Uncorkd't Art in Georgetown, DC

Hello All,


Carpe diem! According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary this is the enjoyment of the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future. While I don't always follow this philosophy sometimes, I just get the urge to. I am a very spontaneous person, I like trying out new places and doing different things. This leads me into my another DMV adventure.
 One of my best friends came down to MD to visit me for her birthday. Before coming, she asked me what we could do to celebrate her birthday, and so I began thinking. I am an avid user of Groupons, and had recently seen a deal to go to an art class that served a complimentary glass of wine. I thought, that was a great idea, and a great place to hangout, do something different and fun for her birthday. So, we got the Groupon and hoped for the best. The place that we took our little venture too was called Uncorkd't Art.

 

Uncorkd't Art is an art venue where you can come and have a 2 hour paint session with friends, family, or people that you may just meet there. It has been voted Best Art Class by the Washington City Paper. It is located right in the heart of Georgetown not to far from the waterfront. I drove there which was a terrible, terrible, horrible mistake! I will never a day in my life ever drive down to Georgetown ever again. I'm still traumatized just thinking about how long it took me to get out of Georgetown that weekend. With that said, I would advise you to  take the nearest metro to Georgetown and just walk to the class from there.

 

 

The class was nice, we were provided with our canvas, our paints, and paintbrushes. The staff as well as the teacher were very nice, friendly and willing to help when needed. I felt like a kindergartener because my painting skills are HORRIBLE, but the instructor found it in her heart to help me. She actually made my painting look like something instead of a murder scene of blues, greens, and yellow paint. OH!!! Did I mention how good the WINE was?!!! It was amazing, I had the moscato and it was the best I've ever tasted...no seriously! I would advise anyone to check out this amazing art class, another hidden DMV treasure. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some pictures from my trip!

Me, my wine, and my finished product!

The beginning!



Supposed to be a peacock, looks more like an angry bird lol



Me and my horrible painting skills!

My trip to Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington, DC

Hello All,


Welcome to my first post! Yaaa! I'm so excited to finally be blogging. Anyway, so my name is Tek, and I'm an extraordinary girl from the great state of Maryland! I enjoy getting out on the weekends, and going to some new and exciting places around the DMV and beyond. One weekend, I thought to myself, I am going to get up and go too Ben's Chili Bowl. I had heard so much about their award winning chili, and never experienced it myself. I love history, and the history of this long standing restaurant was amazing. According to the Bens Chili Bowl official website,

"In 1958, newlyweds Ben and Virginia Ali used $5,000 to begin renovating a building at 1213 U Street.  Built in 1910, it first housed a silent movie house called the Minnehaha Theater.  Later, Harry Beckley, one of D.C.’s first Black police detectives, converted it into a pool hall. From the tumult of the late 60’s race riots to the tough times in the 70’s and 80’s and finally to the revitalization of the U Street Corridor beginning in the 90’s, Ben’s has seen it all.  Bill Cosby and thousands of others attended our 45th anniversary in August 2003. A just ten days before his inauguration on January 10, 2009, President-Elect Barack Obama visited and ate lunch here ". www.benschilibowl.com

Pres. Obama, has eaten here as well as a host of other celebrities so, I just had, to eat here and experience the food! So, I did! It is easily accessible via the DC metro system. The place was packed, I mean club packed! The food was awesome! Not very healthy, but a wonderful guilty pleasure. They also ship there famous chili worldwide! So, if you craving some wonderful chili, you can get your fix, by ordering online at their website. The only downfall is that they only accept cash, but not to worry, they have graciously provided an ATM. All in all, I had a great experience. Here are some pictures of the restaurant.

My View of Bens Chili Bowl!

Some of the tasty "smokes" at Bens Chili Bowl

 

Bill Cosby At Bens Chili Bowl. Photo Source: Bens Chili Bowl

President Obama being served at Bens Chili Bowl. Photo Source: Washington Post