Musings on Dance, Food, Geek Stuff
Okay I am WAY late to this, but I felt compelled to throw something together tonight. Here’s my 2017 year in review. Quick 2017 Stats Freestyle Dance Videos Shot: 7 Number of Marches and Protests: 3 Number of Pies Baked: 5 New Hobbies Acquired: 1 (rock climbing) Dance Competitions Entered: 5 Countries Visited: 1 (South…
I spent the last week in Asheville, North Carolina at one of my favorite dance events in the world, Lindy Focus. Focus is a seven day celebration of swing jazz and lindy hop held in a hotel just outside of downtown Asheville. Some of the best swing musicians and dancers in the world gather with…
Dapper Day at Disneyland is an event I have been hearing about for years, looking enviously at pictures of people in their finest vintage duds at the theme park. It’s really a very simple idea: let’s all show up at Disneyland on the same day, all wearing 1940s-1950s-esque clothing and enjoy the park together. That…
Earlier this summer, my friend and awesome photographer Auey organized an impromptu photo shoot in an old abandoned train station in Oakland. We had a blast running around this beautiful, run-down space, in our vintage duds, shooting pics all over. Auey even shot a little video of Hanah and I dancing. Here are some of my…
I just got home from a long weekend at the Camp Hollywood lindy hop camp in Los Angeles. To be perfectly honest, I have not been a fan of Camp Hollywood. In the past, I found the vibe superficial, clique-ish, and borderline sexist. I felt isolated and inadequate as a dancer at the event. I remember…
Photo Credit : Maren Marien Henes Finally home after a fantastic trip to DC for the 10th annual International Lindy Hop Championships. I've been coming to ILHC for many, many years, and it never gets old for me. ILHC brings together lots of things I cherish — being around some of the most talented dancers…
I run, dance, and eat healthy for a lot of reasons. One of the most important is that all those activities help me feel strong and capable. I have a good understanding of what my body can do, what my strengths and limitations are. I have pushed my body to be as close to its peak potential…
Going on an African safari is something that has long been on my bucket list. Finally getting to South Africa to see animals in their native habitat was beyond amazing! Here's some of the highlights. Penguins We saw African penguins on the beach! (In case you didn’t know, African penguins are a thing.) Just a…
As part of the benefits of a fancy new credit card I got recently, I now have access to hundreds of lounges at airports throughout the world. When I got my airport lounge access card in the mail, I thought to myself, "now I've arrived!" I've been flying for most of my life, always the…
I knew a little about South African politics and Apartheid before coming there. But being there in person brought home the brutality of Apartheid and the continuing challenges South Africans face as a multi-racial society. Historic Sites On our second day in Johannesburg, we visited the Apartheid Museum. The museum presents in rich and compelling detail…