Encounters: Caleen J. & Kenyatta R.

As I'm leaving the theatre mentioned in my last entry, I run into two fellow artists in the area, who are also role models for me.

The first is Caleen Jennings, co-chair of the Department of Performing Arts at AU. The second is KenYatta Rogers, an assistant professor in the Theatre department at Montgomery College, and a wonderful actor/director/person as well. Last time I saw him on stage was actually at Woolly Mammoth, less than a year ago, in their production of Fever/Dream.

Anyway, it was nice seeing them out and about from the normal academic setting. I believe it's just as important, if not more so, when you're teaching in higher education, that you are still active in and aware of what's going on outside of your institution. It keeps you grounded, gives you perspective, and (I believe) ultimately makes you a well-rounded teacher and mentor.

Events: Clybourne Park at Woolly Mammoth

Tonight I caught Woolly Mammoth's production of Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris.

And I thought for sure we'd be on time...if only the show started at 7:30pm like I thought, and not 7pm.

Although we missed some, we still caught enough to make sense of the whole piece.

In a nutshell, it looked at a suburb of Chicago deals with...integration (also known as gentrification or revitalization depending on your point of view), and what was BRILLIANT about the play was that it managed to deal with it from multiple points of view (i.e. cultural, class, racial, generational, etc.) without being heavy handed about it.

It was well written, designed, directed, and acted. I'm thinking next year I'll buy season tickets to Woolly Mammoth. It's not that I'm never disappointed...I'm rarely that critical and hardheaded about experiencing a piece. But I usually leave Woolly Mammoth thrilled to experience something that I feel is relevant to me and the world I live in.

Events: Adams Morgan Farmers Market

I really couldn't find much about this online, but after getting our bubble tea fix from Kogibow, our meandering path took us through the Adams Morgan Farmers Market (despite some of the controversy/drama about Yelp, I still think it's a fairly trustworthy and objective resource, so I linked it).

If we hadn't just eaten and weren't currently carrying a drink in our hand, we probably would've bought something else to eat.

Establishments: Kogibow

After patronizing L'enfant Cafe, Sam and I walked up to visit one of his friends (and pick up his bike), and on the way there, stopped by Kogibo for some bubble[boba] tea. But they're actually known for their cakes.

Mr. Manh opened his business back in 1993...wow, I was just finishing up my first year at STA.

So I got a pina colada flavored bubble tea...and it wasn't some premade/powder mix. There were genuine pineapple chunks and coconut flakes blended in.

Can't wait to try their cake

Encounters: Becca G. and a student

As I'm sitting at L'enfant Cafe, from my previous entry, I run into two people.

The first is Becca G. whom I actually know from AU's Arts Management program we both started the same year, and are both...taking our time finishing. She's also involved with a really neat...well, from lack of a better description, cultural entity, the Pink Line Project.

It's a neat...presence in DC, headed by Philippa P.B. Hughes. You can check out more about her in this Washington Post article from the past couple of years, Remaking the Scene. I've had the pleasure of meeting her, and subsequently running into her. Always cordial, with a great energy, she's another person who is living proof that DC is much more than the rest of the country give it credit for.

Anyway, Becca's cool too!! Also one of the few other majors in the program with a dance background.

So she passed by on the sidewalk. And not too much after that I hear someone yelling from across the street. Well, actually the person was yelling from the middle of the street, from a taxi that was stopped, and she was in the back seat leaning forward and screaming in front of her mom.

It was one of my students from NCS. A phenomenal dancer, with great energy, she had just moved and was only a freshman. She's already became a pillar in the dance program, and I hope she stays just as involved if not more so in future years.

Anyway, that was it...this time

Establishments: L'enfant Cafe

In looking for places to eat in that intersection of U St, Adams Morgan, and Dupont Circle, it was decided to check out L'enfant Cafe.

This is just another example of how, despite being in this city my whole life, I 'm still getting to know it all over again.

I had a wonderful breakfast crêpe accompanied by a mimosa. The weather was beautiful, and the price reasonable. Definitely looking forward to checking it out again!!

Explorations: Hains Point

So, Hains Point (as I mentioned in my most recent encounter) is in my neck of the woods of DC...that being SW.

It's actually where my mom took me to learn how to drive (her minivan).

And they used to have a really neat statue at the southern tip called The Awakening. It was actually 5 pieces which (assembled in the right relation to each other) made it look as if a giant were caught in the earth.

It was interesting because some people (without knowing the title) imagined he had fallen from the skies. Others, that he was rising from the ground.

This statue was here for 27 years (almost as long as I've been alive), and was relocated to the National Harbor as of a couple of years ago. This had been the first time I'd been to that area of the island since it was removed. I didn't even bother to go to the tip this time...