Feb 06 2008
Happy New Year!
This image is taken from here. I order gads of adorable Japanese goodies from this young lady.
Today is the official beginning of the new year on the lunar calendar. A Chinese co-worker has brought in very tasty cookies with black sesame seeds in them. I will have to stop myself from eating more than one, but they are crispy and just a little bit sweet – delightful.
For those of us in the Washington, DC area – there will be a parade in Chinatown on Sunday to help open the year of the Rat. The focal point of the parade is the arch right outside the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro station (Take the exit for Chinatown, not for the Verizon Center). While it’s difficult to find information about it online, the start-time is supposed to be 2:00pm, but you will want to go early to get a good view. According to the going-out gurus at Washington Post, there is a starbucks on the corner that people often stake out to get a good view. There are fireworks, martial arts exhibitions as part of the parade, as well.
Chinatown is pretty small, but there are a couple of very good markets that Michael and I frequent for bee and honey soap, ceramics, ginseng and remedies for assorted health problems. I recommend a visit if you’re in the area, but Chinatown is not usually a full-day in the city, so in honor of the new year, I recommend you visit the Freer and Sackler galleries of the Smithsonian, as well. There is no cost to visit, and the museums are right off the Smithsonian metro station. These museums are usually deserted and quiet, and the exhibits cover a range of cultures, time periods, and arts.