Peace & Solo Amor!

A school bus with encouraging messages. Varadero, Cuba, 2010.

Peace and love are two things everyone searches for. No matter your religion, race, or where you come from. I took this picture in Varadero, Cuba, this summer. I liked how locals painted a school bus with encouraging messages "solo amor", "friendship caravan", and "peace". It shows that there is always place for love and peace in our hearts, even in a place where people struggle to survive.

Cultivate love and peace in your hearts every day! You'll see what a better place this world could be!

Human beings who look like machines...

"Modern Head" by Roy Lichtenstein, outside the American Art Museum

We stumbled upon this giant blue statue when passing by the American Art Museum in Washington D.C.  The first thing I thought of when I saw it was a head. And indeed, this statue is called “Modern Head.” It belongs to Roy Lichtenstein, a renowned American pop artist, famous for his bright comic-book stylings. “Modern Head” is part of the artist's series of human figures resembling machines. The sculpture is 31 foot tall and weights 13,000 pound. It was seen at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Fl, and was previously installed in Battery Park City, one block from the World Trade Center in New York. "Modern Head" survived the 9/11 attacks and was acquired by the American Art Museum in 2008. It is a major figure in the pop art movement, experts say. The idea of creating images of human beings that look like machines pervaded Lichtenstein’s work throughout his career (he died in 1997).

In fact, the National Galley of Art in D.C. has the largest repository of Lichtenstein's work. So, if you liked the “Modern Head,” you should definitely check out Lichtenstein’s exhibits there when in D.C.

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Best lunch/dining experience in D.C. Part Two.

The best of the best dining place in D.C. for me was Open City, a small coffehouse/diner/bar on 2331 Calvet Street. You can tell it is a very popular community gathering place once you're in there. It is always crowded! We had to wait about an hour to get a table. But all the waiting time was worth the friendly service we received and the yummy food we enjoyed.

Open City positions itself as a "third place." Indeed, you'll feel its welcoming home atmosphere once you're in there. Open City is famous for serving traditional breakfast all day long. So, if you are in D.C. and want eggs at midnight, you know the place to go. Open City has a great selection of main dishes, appetizers, house-made pastries and desserts. It also has a great selection of cocktails, wine, and beers, right girls? Gluten-free menu is also available. Below we are pictured at Open City waiting for our so needed dinner to be served. I can't recall exactly what everyone ordered, but everything was delicious! Thank you Alexa for this photo!

Enjoying some wine/beer before dinner at Open City 

Two other places I need to mention when talking about the best of the best places to have dinner at in D.C. are: Bertucci's on Pennsylvania Av. and Moby Dick's in Georgetown. If Open City is famous for its all day long breakfast, Bertucci's is famous for its brick oven. Yes, in the center of every Bertucci's you'll see a huge brick oven where many of its dishes are cooked. It keeps the dishes fresh and enhances their natural flavors. Make sure to ask for their home-made bread and olive oil for dunking! It is great!

Moby Dick's offers a great variety of healthy and fresh fast food. Enjoy dishes with lamb, chicken, tenderloin, fish, vegetables, and rice with their special house seasoning (that is kept in secret). They serve big portions, so go there when you are hungry! Make sure to try their house-made baklava. It is delicious!

Unfortunately, I didn't make any pictures in neither of those places. But I enjoyed their food a lot and just couldn't help but making a notice about them.


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Best lunch/dining experience in D.C. Part One.

You've already learned about the amazingly beautiful Washington D.C. at night, the explosively funny sake bombing, and even some paranormal activity we witnessed in the nation's capital (lol). Now time has come to share with you the best of the best lunch and dining places we discovered during our stay in D.C.

First comes first. Taste of India.

That day we couldn't make up our minds about where to have lunch at. The only thing we knew for sure was that it had to be a warm place, because the fall wind of D.C. was becoming chillier with every minute. After wandering for about 20 min. and looking into different places' menus, we finally decided to go to Taste of India. We were greeted in a very Hindu way - by multiple bows. Thrilled by such a traditional greeting, we headed toward our table. The menu sounded very tasty - lots of boneless chicken and spices! I think, we all ended up ordering chicken in different sauces. We didn't have to wait long for our food to be served, and the chicken was yummy! Prices are moderate, taken into consideration that the nation's capital IS expensive. So, if you are in Washington D.C., staying close to the Woodley Park Metro Station, and want to try good authentic Indian food, visit Taste of India.

P.S. Make sure to try their bread. Although, the waiter will remind you many, many times about their bread, for only $1.95...

Having our first yummy lunch at Taste of India in D.C.

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Paranormal Activity in D.C.

This just goes beyond my understanding...but still ENJOY:)

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Get a taste of China...without leaving U.S.

您好 (hi).  I love this interconnected world! I love the fact we can no longer view countries in isolation. They are slowly but surely all becoming part of one community– the global community. As an international studies major student who adores traveling and learning about cultures, I was fascinated to encounter the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington D.C.

Pictured above is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen - the Friendship Arch, a traditional Chinese gate that marks the H and 7th Street (the Chinese neighborhood of D.C.). This colorful $1 million work, designed by the local architect Alfred H. Liu, includes "7 roofs up to 60 feet high, 7000 tiles, and 272 painted dragons in the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties." The Arch was erected in 1986 to celebrate friendship with Washington's sister city of Beijing and was hoped to reinforce the neighborhood's Chinese character. The idea definately came through. By the way, the Chinatown area used to be populated by German immigrants, and only in the 1930s was it inhabited by Chinese immigrants.

Make sure to visit the Chinatown neighborhood when in Washington D.C. Get a taste of China without leaving the States. The area has all its signs in both English and Chinese. A good practice for those currently learning Chinese or those just considering it. 再见 (bye-bye).

Starbucks in Chinatown, D.C.

Subway in Chinatown, D.C.

Local restaurant in Chinatown, D.C.



Another view of the colorful Friendship Arch in Chinatown, D.C.

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One, two, three...bomb it!

Every day you learn something new. Wandering around Washington D.C. the past weekend, we visited Chinatown and my friends decided to get some “sake bombs.” Sake bombs? I had no idea what that was, but it turned out to be very funny. For those who don’t know what “sake bombing” is, here comes a short summary with pictures about this socially inclusive drinking activity.

The origins of "sake bombs" are not clear. Some say that American sailors practiced it when stationed in Japan. Others say that it occured "one evening in Manhattan when some Japanese businessmen watched several locals drinking "boiler makers" and tried it with sake." So, how you do it.

First, order hot sake. The hotter, the better.

Second, get some beer. Sapporro is excellent for "bombing" purposes.

Third, set up the bomb. For that, place two chopsticks parallel on top of the glass of beer and balance the shot glass with sake between them.

Alexis and Aileen setting up their "bombs."

Count one, two, three. Then, BOMB IT! Slam the table with your fists and the sake will fall into the beer.

Aileen and Alexis getting ready to bomb it.



Everyone should drink the shots at once. Below are members of the A team (Alexa, Ana, Aileen, Alexis) taking their "sake bombs." When taken in moderation, "sake bombing" is very funny and everyone will enjoy it! Be ready to clean the table, because it will become very messy and wet. And yes, don't drink and drive.

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Washington D.C. at night

This weekend I visited Washington D.C. with my amazing PR buddies Alexa, Alexis and Aileen for the Public Relations Student Society (PRSSA) National Conference. It is an unforgettable experience of networking with students and professionals who are making a difference in the PR field worldwide. As during the day we were all busy attending different workshops and learning from the PROs, the only time I could go out and take pictures was at night. All I can say is - Washington D.C. is an amazingly beautiful city at night with all its monuments lightened up. See for yourself...




American Art Museum



Fountain by the World War II Monument

Fountain by the World War II Monument

Lincoln Memorial

Bike parking somewhere in Washington D.C.



Chinatown in D.C.



Cuban restaurant in D.C.

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Long drive paid off

We drove six hours, six long hours in a can-size car with no AC. What for, you would ask. To see this beauty –Iglesia Parroquial de la Santisima Trinidad, or better known by locals as La Parroquial Mayor. This is the largest cathedral in Cuba, built between 1817 and 1892. It is located in Trinidad, the Cuban pearl nestled between high mountains of Escambray Range and the lovely cost of the Caribbean Sea. Trinidad is a magical place that is one of the few reminders of the colonial past of Cuba. Simply beautiful!


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Unnamed Cuban Beauty

This is a gorgeous white flower I found one day in Cuba. Wish I knew its name to share it with you, but I don't. Just enjoy its beauty and if your day for some reason is gloomy than paint it a little bit bright white and green!

Best Adaptable Parents

Sorry ibis! But this bright pink birdie is my favorite. I took the picture of this gorgeous flamingo during our last year trip to the Lion Country Safari in West Palm Beach. It was so lonely standing apart from the rest of the group that I thought it just deserved being depicted by my camera. And I did the right the thing. The picture came out very bright, colorful and joyful. In addition to being super gracious and elegant, flamingos are pretty impressive birds. Did you know, for example, that they are so adaptable that can live in hot volcanic lakes and icy lakes in the Andean mountains? Another pretty impressive characteristic is sharing equal responsibility in parenting. Both the male and female pile up mud to build a nest, in which the female lays one egg. Both parent regurgitate food and provide their baby with proper nourishment. Ehhh, I wish humans could have that as well.


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Up In the Air

What can be better than a wonderful photo to beat stress and relax a little bit? Nothing, at least for me. These two past weeks have been full of researching and collecting data for a school project, numerous meetings and voluteering for the Gandhi Service day. There was no time to just sit and enjoy my favorite hobby - photography. But better late than never. Here comes another picture from my summer trip to Russia. What are these kids doing with their legs up in the air, you might ask. Fair question. They are picking up coins from the bottom of a fountain. Why? Well, some do it for fun, some to actually get money. Hard to say which category  these two folks belong to, but they were very much into the business of collecting coins. They did not even notice me taking pictures of them.

If you look at the photo attentively, you will probably recognize the light blue lower level of the Trinity Lavra Bell Tower in the back. Recall? I took you there during our first travel through photography tour where I told you about the biggest functioning bell in Russia, which is...Right, the Tsar Bell in the Trinity Lavra! Well, this  cross-shaped fountain (with a colourful tent-like canopy which is partially pictured) is another piece of architecture built in 1872. It is famous for caring spring miracle-working water! Legends say, many pilgrims were cured by this water. Traditionally, tourists throw coins into this fountain. Thereby not only securing their return to this place one day but also providing some entertainment (or income) for kids like these two, and sometimes even adults!



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