Category Archives: Fun

One of the many things I love about living in NYC are the free movie screenings. I’ve been to three in the past few weeks: The Vow, Wanderlust and Act of Valor.

I thought I would be head over heels over The Vow. It is after all my favorite type of film- Romance, and starring one of my favorite actors, Channing Tatum. For me, he made the film. His acting, his conviction, his good looks kept me interested. Rachel McAdams played her part well, but to me she was not a likeable character (which may have been the point).

However, if I woke up with amnesia only remembering my college days and found out that I was married to this handsome, incredibly understanding and kind stranger who loved me so fiercely, I would only want to love him the same way back. His unconditional love is the kind of love I dream of having… But she had to find her own way again which is fair.

The journey was frustrating and a bit stilted, but at least it made you root for the couple. It made you think. And in the end, it was beautiful especially when you remember it was based on a true story.

A friend invited me to see Wanderlust and the plus was we got to sit in the press section. When my friend first mentioned the movie, I hadn’t even heard of it! When I found out that Jennifer Aniston was in it, whom I love, I was instantly excited to see it. Then I remembered that Aniston is not the best at picking films that portray her as a serious actress, and this movie was no different from her other happy-fun-mediocre choices.

Wanderlust is a quirky weird movie about a couple who cannot stay in their new apartment in the West Village on Christopher St(!) due to unforeseen circumstances.  They travel out of the city and happen upon a commune with a memorable set of characters that welcome them with open arms. The commune inhabitants have strange out-there rituals but there’s a certain charm to living there and it’s an interesting journey full of laughs.

Now, Act of Valor was a force to be reckoned with. If you know me, you know that one of my deepest loves is servicemen in the military, especially Navy, Marine and Air Force. I know and have met many in my lifetime and always find I have a special connection with them.

Act of Valor stars actual and active US Navy Seals. High energy, lots of action- a bit too much but that’s to be expected in this type of movie. The emotion and operations were real which made it all the more heart wrenching to watch. It was an intense and emotional tearjerker of special operations units performing courageous missions and acts.

To imagine that this is what US Navy Seals go through day in and day out, and that they routinely put down their lives for each other and their country without a second thought – It made me love these men even more, if that’s at all possible.

A friend from church invited me to see her short film, Harriet Returns, at the Athena Film Festival- A celebration of Women and Leadership at Barnard College. We all got to sit in the Reserved section, which was pretty exciting. We were shown the Shorts Collection, a total of 7 different short films.

Harriet Returns was a powerful tale about Harriet Tubman who comes back to life and tries to free young black men from their own slavery of using the N-word. However she meets her match with NYC two rappers, Master E and Raz who don’t believe they need saving. The movie was set in contemporary times in Central Park and was fast paced, interesting and taught about history without preaching. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see more- My friend plans to turn it into a feature length film.

The other shorts were engaging and wide-ranging in themes. I found I am a Girl! a Norwegian film about a 13-year old named Joppe. She seems like any normal teenage girl, except that she was born a boy. The film shows how Joppe lives her life,  and how she grapples with asking another boy out but ultimately shows how she is unafraid to be who she truly believes she was meant to be.

Another one of my favorites was Nurses for Africa where a group of nurses travel to Zambia, Africa to provide free medical treatment, but quickly find that they give much more than just medical treatment. They are amazed that despite the destitute living conditions, people (kids even) are still able to live with joy and love in their hearts. The nurses’ lives are forever changed by the act of helping others. This movie made me tear up quite a bit, especially when one of the nurses found a young child with an infection in his eye that had already blinded his right eye when all that was needed was $5 worth of medicine. It broke my heart and made me see how much I have and how much I, too would like to help others.

One more film that I liked was Junko’s Shamisen which was about a young girl who lived in the woods with her blind grandfather. She befriends a mystical fox and that fox helps her avenge the death of her grandfather. We triumph in this tale of innocence, evil and bloodshed after her success.

The Athena Film Festival truly captures what it sets out to do: A celebration of women and leadership. It was an eye-opening, inspiring and fun event.

I visited with two of my friends from my undergraduate school, UC Santa Cruz over the weekend. We were able to fit a lot into a couple of days. It was such a beautiful weekend, both in weather and company.

Supreme Court: The building is majestically made with marble columns with the words “Equal Justice Under Law” carved above; rich in ornamentation, and more than a little intimidating in stature and through knowing it is the “highest tribunal in the Nation for all cases and controversies arising under the Constitution or the laws of the United States of America.” We were actually able to go inside and explore a little bit.

When we first walked in, we saw a Supreme Court mockup, images depicting 75 Years of History and a chair surrounded by wood paneling with “Supreme Court Bar” etched on. There was also a statue of John Marshall at the end of the Lower Great Hall, and statues on the sides of the front stairway with one female figure (the Contemplation of Justice) and one male figure (the Authority of Law). Further inside we found the Great hall, which was a grand corridor leading to the Courtroom. Busts of former Chief Justices graced our presence on pedestals along the walls. Also beautiful were 2 marble and bronze spiral staircases.

The U.S. Capitol: Another magnificent building of great meaning and importance.

A fine example of 19th-century neoclassical architecture, the U.S. Capitol combines function with aesthetics. Its designs derived from ancient Greece and Rome evoke the ideals that guided the nation’s founders as they framed their new republic.

It looks even more decorated than the Supreme Court Building. The front of the building has a raised large section of glass that sparkles in the sun and resembles water. The Capitol Building has a gorgeous dome, marble terraces, columns, and though we weren’t able to go inside, just to see it and to stand on the steps was worth it.

Library of Congress: It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States and the largest library in the world in terms of number of books. This building is amazing and the interior is full of columns; white marble; staircases; colorful classical Renaissance-style paintings on ceilings and many other places; quotes about wisdom, philosophy & words; light from windows, stain glass windows and graceful statues.

National Gallery of Art: Lovely French paintings, fountains with flowers surrounding them, domes, white sculptures. The best part was chancing across a free concert in honor of the reopening of the 19th Century French Galleries. The concert featured a men’s choir and was so exquisitely beautiful. Another favorite part was this gold depiction of horse and men in war.

World War II Memorial: This was gorgeously laid out – All white and green with 56 granite pillars with names of U.S. states on them, arranged in a semicircle around a plaza and fountain with two arches- Atlantic and Pacific. The plaza is below the level of the rest of the site and contains a pool. It was a beautiful, moving, and emotional experience to see it.

The World War II Memorial commemorates the sacrifice and celebrates the victory of “the greatest generation.” Friedrich St.Florian’s winning design balances classical and modernist styles of architecture, harmonizes with its natural and cultural surroundings, and connects the legacy of the American Revolution and the American Civil War.

Kennedy Center: As we walked in, entering the Hall of Nations, I was struck by all the flags from different countries hanging up above… It was almost overwhelming. There is also a red drawing of a dragon– fitting as 2012 is the year of the dragon thought to be the most lucky and prosperous of all the Chinese Zodiac animals. We made it just in time for the free performance and this night it was the Children of Uganda Tour of Light 2012- Music and dance celebrating Uganda’s multiple and rich heritages. It was wonderful, vibrant, full of color, life and joy. The only drawback was that it was tough to see as it was so crowded.

Smithsonian American Art Museum/National Portrait Gallery: This museum, which we went to right after the Lunar New Year Festival parade, is huge with so much art to be seen! It seemed like there was room upon room, floors upon floors, walls upon walls of amazing different styles and displays of creative artistry. There was such an abundance of Paintings, sculptures, photographs, exhibitions and more. Some of the best artistic collections: Colonial, 19th and 20th Century, Multimedia, Crafts and Decorative, Works on Paper, and Contemporary. The collections captures the aspirations, character and imagination of the American people throughout the centuries.

One of my favorite parts of the museum, however, was not an actual artistic piece but a vast, open room/cafe area tucked inside that had the appearance of a quaint outdoor village, complete with high ceilings, outdoor light, trees, and pools of water.

What a wonderful adventure to visit DC, the capital of the United States: So rich with history, beauty and an unparalleled record of the American experience. Next time, I plan to tour the White House during DC’s National Cherry Blossom Festival!