North America

There are more spies, per capita, in Washington, DC, than any other city in the world. – Them/What They Said I’ve heard this unverifiable statement countless times since I moved to the Washington, DC area that I’m convinced, it must be true.  And as the spy capital of the world, no trip to Washington, DC would be complete without a trip to the International Spy Museum, which houses the largest collection of spy artifacts on…

Miami is known for its warm temperatures, beautiful beaches, and lively nightlife. But a few short miles away from the world-famous South Beach there’s a little-known historic gem ­— the Hampton House Motel. Once dubbed, the “first luxury hotel for Negros in the South,” this Green Book Motel was the epitome of black excellence in Miami, FL in the 1960s. As a native Miamian, Black History buff (earned a BA in African American Studies), and…

Baltimore, Maryland is a city replete with charm and grit. When I think of this seaport city, I can almost smell frying crab cakes in the air, see visitors walking down the picturesque cobblestone streets of Fells Point, and hear the waves crashing along the Inner Harbor.  Baltimore can boast of a very long list of top-rated, must-see attractions…one of my top kid-friendly activities is the Maryland Zoo!  This Zoo is beloved by locals and…

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is a three-week celebration in Washington, DC that commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 Japanese cherry trees from the Mayor of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC. The trees were presented as a gift to enhance the friendship between America and Japan.  The dates for this year’s Festival were March 20-April 14th. Each year, more than 1.5 million people enjoy the National Cherry Blossom festivities. One of the most…

I have lived in the Washington, DC area for the last 15 years and I’ve wanted to attend the Blossom Kite Festival for nearly as long.  Unfortunately, each year I would miss the event because I’d find out about it after the fact.  Well, NOT THIS YEAR!!! The Blossom Kite Festival is one of many events planned during the National Cherry Blossom Festival, in Washington, DC.  This year I used the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s…

Washington, DC is a great family vacation destination.  There are tons of activities that will entertain you and your children as you explore this great Metropolis. Unfortunately, some government agencies have had to close their doors due to a lapse in Federal funding.  The Smithsonian Museum and the National Zoo have been impacted but even though those two agencies are temporarily closed, there’s still plenty to do in the Nation’s Capital.     I have…