Weekend in DC!

I just got back from a really great time in DC seeing my brother Asher and good friend Emily.

I took the train down from NY to DC late Thursday night. It would have been tedious but convenient, if only the train had reached its destination. Instead, it stopped just outside of the Baltimore station, and stayed there for roughly 40 minutes. Due to some trains coming off the track earlier that night, there was a huge holdup and no trains were going south. Luckily, I have the fantastic Emily at my call, and she drove up to take me back to her place. That night we did some quick catching up before falling fast asleep.

Friday Emily and I went to the United States Institute of Peace to hear a trilogue on a new book that was recently published by USIP called Generals in the Cabinet Room: How the Military Shapes Israeli Policy. The three speakers were the author and Tel Aviv University professor Yoram Peri, Martin Indyk the director of the Saban Center and former assistant to President Clinton, and former US ambassador to Israel Samuel Lewis. The book and talk centered around the militarization of Israeli politics and politicization of the Israeli military. The best parts were when each of the three men discussed anecdotes such as Golda Meir playing coy with Dayan.

I then met up with Asher to visit the National Museum of the American Indian. We started out with the best, and perhaps most educational, part of the museum, the cafeteria. It's set up with 7 food stations representing 7 regional menus. I had peanut soup and blue corn bread from one station while Asher had the venison, there was also Pacific dishes featuring salmon and buffalo burgers from the plains. After that cultural experience, we went to the exhibits. For such a large museum, little space is actually dedicated to the exhibition rooms. There were 4 rooms, each dealt with topics such as how American Indians self-identify and have been historically identified by the US government, the choices communities make to maintain their cultures, history from the natives' perspective, and one which focuses more on traditional artifacts. What Asher and I found really interesting was that the museum was non-linear, that the exhibits were curated by actual members of each community that it represented, and what those communities decided they wanted to show to the larger community. A few things that have stuck with me was a community exhibit from the "Acorn Eaters" who traditionally relied on acorns to survive and now run a casino called The Golden Acorn in order to provide for the tribe. Another was an photograph of an exhibit done by an American Indian man in which he lay on a table in a museum with cards explaining his featured and scars, his aim was to comment on museums' only displaying Native Americans as a dead culture, something this museum hopes to remedy.

After stopping back in the cafeteria to take a Mexican hot chocolate to go, Asher and I took a complete turn and went to an art museum on the Mall that was classical in structure and content. Then we walked through the Mall and on to the new World War II Memorial. It's gotten mixed reviews I've heard, and I can see why. President Bush's name is far too large, and I think somewhat taints the structure and its purpose. It's hard not to relate all the quotes that decorate the stone walls to the Iraq War. It brought up a lot of what I've been discussing at TC, especially with Brittany. It made a lot of the issues very clear, and Asher and I had a great talk about it. We walked on in the dark to the Lincoln Memorial, my favorite. After a long and uneventful dinner, Asher and I parted and I headed back to Emily's...

There the party was in full swing. Emily had invited a few friends from her grad program at American University and from her high school days, as well as Rachel and myself to represent WUJS. It was a house warming for Emily's new apartment. It was a great time, with lots of conversations about our shared love of the Middle East and conflict resolution, some hooka smoking, and quite a bit of wine.

The next day we slept in (well, sort of, Rachel left early) and then Emily and I had and Indian lunch. Evan joined us for some reminiscing/ exchange of WUJS gossip/ what are we doing with our futures conversation. Evan is looking very good and taking classes at Johns Hopkins. After he left, Emily and I explored Eastern Market on Capitol Hill and met up with her mom for coffee. The last time I saw Ms. Siegel was in Israel, when she took Emily and me on a great jeep tour of the Negev Desert. She is recently married to her boyfriend of 14 years! Emily then took me home for some pad thai (she makes it soooo good) and Ben & Jerry's. We watched "Walk the Line" to which I say "feh" and "The Troupe" and Israeli film I last saw on EIE when I was in highschool.

Sunday was very laidback. Emily took me on a tour of AU and her old schools and neighborhoods. We stopped by the FDR memorial, which I think is also pretty new, and really inspiring. All the quotes could be thrown into any peace ed class. It's structured very differently from the other memorials. Rather than a central figure or columned building, it's spread out and sprinkled with waterfalls. Really beautiful and natural. I then headed home to NY...

I have to say, I am so excited for Thanksgiving. The American Indian museum whetted my appetite for Thanksgiving foods, hanging out with Asher reminded me of how fun my family can be, and I got Shira the MOST perfect birthday card! Happy 26th Shira!