Kaifa Anderson-Hall has an inspiring story to tell. She is the director for the Washington Youth Garden, a fifty-year old education program at the US National Arboretum. The Washington Youth Garden is a living breathing classroom for several of Washington’s urban children.

Anderson-Hall was in 6^th grade at a DC charter school when she was first introduced to the Washington Youth Garden. Raised by a single mom in the low-income Carver Terrace apartments nearby, she says. “The Arboretum was my childhood playground. I remember harvesting the plants at the Youth Garden, and bringing home greens to cook for my aunts.”

Anderson-Hall received her college degree in social work, but in 2005 decided to enroll in a master gardener program at the University of District of Columbia. During that time, she began volunteering as an instructor at the Washington Youth Garden. She says, “That was when I fell back in love with the Arboretum.” When the Youth Garden’s program director, the same one who mentored her as a student, retired, the Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) asked Anderson-Hall to take over the reins. Since there is no federal funding for the Youth Garden, the non-profit FONA organization raises money to keep it operational.

Throughout the school year, Anderson-Hall oversees classes of 3^rd and 4^th graders from neighborhood schools. Teresa Harris, a teacher from Center City Public Charter on the Trinidad campus in DC, talks about her experiences teaching at Washington Youth Garden: “My students are a hands-on group. They’re not pen and paper children. This type of educational environment is critical for the lessons that come from it.” Harris laughs, “Like being able to identify veggies or learning to eat all the colors of the rainbow! Every moment here is a ‘teachable moment.’ Just when you think they aren’t learning what you’ve taught, they show up here with that knowledge.”

 The curricula incorporates understanding soil science, plant identification, developing edible crops from seedlings, deterring pests, and attracting pollinators, like bees or butterflies. The kids also learn food preparation and nutrition from beekeepers and health practitioners. DC celebrity chef Carla Hall is a staunch supporter of the Washington Youth Garden and gives cooking demonstrations. One of the highlights for the students is the day they prepare veggie pizzas with homemade tomato sauce – all hand-picked from their garden at the Arboretum.

This month, students, teachers and instructors are in the throes of harvesting the garden and preparing it for the winter.

climbing the seats of the amphitheatre

Visiting Ephesus is not unlike touring the sidewalks of Hollywood. In both places, guides point out where bygone superstars lived, worked and played. Picking through the ruins of Ephesus in Northern Turkey, a guide informs me that Cleopatra’s chariot is responsible for the ridges in the stones under my feet; an image that causes me to wobble in my sensible shoes.  Walking past various structures, like the ancient library and operating theatre, I shiver despite the searing heat. Imagining the presence of others who walked here before isn’t difficult, especially when there are actors dressed in period garb happily posing for photos all around me. Roman conquerors of Ephesus may have built these buildings thousands of years ago, but their uses were quite contemporary; innovations that persist in the modern world.

Ephesus citizens once famously welcomed Apostle John, a person who at the time created the same excitement that Brad Pitt commands when he drops by the Kodak Theatre  in LA. John visited Ephesus to spread the word of his Messiah Jesus in the enormous Ephesus amphitheatre. Thousands came to hear the Apostle speak, and the guide relays that there was great concern for his safety. According to legend, authorities kept his location shrouded in secrecy before he sprang to the stage. Today, wild grass grows in between the seats of the  amphitheatre, an architectural feat made of perfectly-cut limestone boulders.

It is believed that John brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus to live out her final days. Her tiny home has been turned into a chapel where church masses have been delivered by two Popes. Visitors dip their hands into the stream on the property because it is rumored to have healing powers. They leave with miniature statues of the Virgin made in everything from stone to gold.

Ghosts continue to whisper their memories in this ephemeral land, not unlike the way a walk through an old movie set feels. The eras may be different, but for some, the reverence is the same.

I got engaged at Longwood Gardens. It’s no surprise to anyone who knows my husband that he would pick a garden to choke out the words, “Will you marry me?” He needed all the strength of those blooms, majestic trees and buzzing insects to carry him through such a challenging ordeal. So, we got engaged on a cold day in February, which inside the greenhouses of Longwood Gardens, felt like a sunny day in May. 

Longwood consists of palatial indoor conservatories and acres of paths. If you actually happen to visit in May, you’ll gulp in astonishment over the soaring Japanese Pauwlina trees with their delicate lavender petals hanging like bayou vines. There are 1050 acres of woodlands and meadows in what was originally an arboretum. It was purchased by Henry du Pont to save plots full of rare tree specimens.

Close by lush and soothing Longwood Gardens is the Winterthur Country Estate. This museum-style property sits in the middle of its extraordinary grounds like a dowager inspecting her audience. Surrounded by acres of grand gardens, gazebos and benches, I can’t help but wonder what it was like to be this wealthy. Lucky for us, du Pont put his money into beautifying and preserving his environment. The man loved his gardens and old growth forest so much that he instructed local firefighters to save the trees first before the house. Fortunately, there was never a fire.

A tour of his home and surrounding grounds offers a peek into the lives of one the American “captains of industry.” I know my kids would love the fairy tale garden, part of the 60 acres of naturalistic magic.

Both Longwood Gardens and Winthurtur are located in Brandywine Valley, Delaware, close to the border of New Jersey. Rustic, ruby red barns speckle the countryside, and towering oaks shade the roads. Gnarly magnolia and ancient birch trees, their branches resembling curling witches fingers, festoon the lawns of many houses.  

Brandywine Valley is halfway between New York and Washington and boasts numerous quaint bed and breakfasts and country inns dotting the rolling hills. There are dozens of antique shops and boutiques, along with upscale dining in the village. Before you leave Brandywine Valley, take one more tour. This one is less highbrow and certainly more decadent: Herr’s Potato Chip factory offers tours and tastes of their snack products. Bon Appetit!

Have you dreamed of taking your kids to a magical place for real family adventure? Not the plastic adventures of Disney World, but real mountains, real rapids and real trains. Put Durango, Colorado on your must-list, because this town has that, and much more to keep a family actively entertained. 

Durango is a medium-sized town nestled in sky high mountains; it’s a casual place where the locals are happy to have you. Durango is home base for the Durango/Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad operating continuously for 126 years. The Railroad runs vintage steam locomotives, rising up 11,000 feet in the San Juan Mountains. You can ride in an open-air gondola or fully-enclosed coach for the three hour trip to the tiny mining town of Silverton.  This trip offers jaw-dropping cliffs and a spectacle of nature certain to impress. Although the tracks were constructed to haul gold and silver, visitors soon realized the views are what made this railroad so special. The train has starred in dozens of famous Westerns.

The Durango/Silverton Railroad

After a day riding the rails, dinner awaits the hungriest varmints at the Real Texas Barbeque restaurant overlooking the Animas River.   While parents relax and watch, the kids can play miniature golf or drive go-carts.  The next morning, stop in the friendly Durango Coffee Company for some gourmet smoothies before you try whitewater rafting. We signed up with Outlaw Rivers/Jeep Tour Company.They offer a rafting through class-one to class-four rapids, that is secure enough for small children. Expert guides insure that everyone will go home safe, but wet.  You can spend the day picnicking on the river, but bring a wet suit if you plan to swim. Even in August, the Animas is freezing. After the tour, you return by bus to downtown Durango, where Outlaw Tours offers photos of your group riding through the most thrilling rapids. The photos capture the exhilaration and fear on every face, so although overpriced, they are hard to resist. We bought a CD of all four pictures and still laugh when we look at them.

Waiting for the Ducky in Pittsburgh with my family

Or See the World on a Ducky Tour

After wiping saucy eggplant parmesan off my face and simultaneously marveling at the bargain price of the enormous sandwich I bought on “the Strip,” I decide to hop a ride on a Just Ducky Tour. When the metal tank heaves itself into the water, the kids onboard hold their breath. But it makes no splash. The Ducky creeps silently and slowly below the junior skyscrapers of Pittsburgh, their rows of windows reflecting a bright July sky. It’s humid in Pittsburgh, but much cooler on the water, and the Ducky’s steady progress conjures up a breeze. Ducky vehicles were manufactured by women, during World War II, which explains why they still work perfectly 68 years later. A fat mother goose squawks angrily seeing the Ducky re-emerge from the Allegheny River onto the sidewalk. Pedestrians wave when Ducky riders yell, “Honk Honk” as instructed by their guide. Cheering from Pirate Stadium adds to the lyrics of the city. Next, our Ducky cruises underneath one of the 446 bridges spanning Pittsburgh’s three rivers, the sound of cars bumping along above sends riders into nervous giggles. In the distance, the 140-year-old incline cars pass each other at the same leisurely pace as our Ducky. Comparing Pittsburgh to other cities reminds me of the turtle and the hare story. It may not be the fastest or the most flashy city in America, but its visitors still come out a winner with some dough left in their pocket and spice on their tongue.

The Delmarva Peninsula is an optimal place to spend your days on the road, and I don’t mean traveling: staying close to home and grounded…on a bike.  The roads and trails of the Eastern Shore are ideal for active travel. The sparse traffic, the flat streets and the pedestrian friendly towns cry out for you to visit them on two wheels.

Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.  ~John F. Kennedy

Whether you’re a visitor to the Shore, or you’re a full time resident, pedaling in our villages and parks offers opportunities to interact with whatever catches your fancy.  Farmer’s Markets, a beautiful butterfly in a well planned garden, stunning architecture, an afternoon sunset, are all a full sensory experience when perched atop a bicycle seat.

Gerald Johnston, 70, a Rehoboth Beach resident and retired professor, is an avid cyclist. He joins two cycling tours per year.  The tours start out a local inn or B&B, and then each morning after a rousing breakfast, the group receives a map with riding directions.  Participants go at their own pace, stopping to enjoy a packed picnic lunch until they reach their next stop: usually another quaint inn with a hearty dinner planned for the riders. “It’s a real getaway, with no TV and no computer. We go on back roads, and you rarely see a car.” Johnston rides with Carolina Tailwinds, a successful tour operator that sponsors trips on the Eastern Shore and in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Johnston says, “I use the trips to motivate myself to keep in shape year-round.”

There are several tour operators that offer organized cycling tours. Innkeeper Larry Kanudsen, of the Riverhouse Inn in Snow Hill, Maryland, sponsors “Inn Tours” – bike excursions between lodges.  Retirees, couples and families take Inn Tour vacations to explore secluded trails of Chincoteague, Assateague and the surrounding environs.  Kanudsen describes the trip, “When you’re riding along you see lots of farms and water, golf courses, stands of timber, and wildlife.” 

Insert:  When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.  ~H.G. Wells

If you want to try biking for a good cause, sign up for The “Between the Waters Bike Tour,” in October, a fundraiser for the Nature Conservancy. The tour is an ecotourism event that gives riders the opportunity to see the beauty of the Eastern Shore. Routes are loops, winding along back roads, with scenic rest stops and views of barrier islands.  The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without shocking the entire community.  ~Ann Strong

Before I dated my husband, the closest I came to fireworks was viewing them on the Washington Mall with strangers.  My husband is a devoted family man and works long hours as a surgeon saving lives. But when it comes to fireworks, he’s really charged.  This man drives to every show in town and some far away. We have seen fireworks in several cities across the country. The best was Seattle, where Independence Day festivities began with a military helicopter flying a giant US flag over the crowd while piping “America the Beautiful.”It was an unforgettable sight, not to mention the strange sensation of wearing a coat and hat on that July night in the chilly Pacific Northwest.

Fireworks from Georgetown

I don’t need to tell you that watching fireworks in the DC Area involves sweating, crowds and mosquitoes, not necessarily in that order. Someone should warn the Obama’s about that. Like many families in the region, we pack blankets and bug spray, then dash out early for the best view.  One year, we smugly waited on the rooftop of a fancy downtown hotel, and were thoroughly disappointed when  smoke in the sky hid the actual fireworks.  To my surprise, it is better to be on the ground. 

Lying under the darkening sky, that first explosion signals the excitement to come. While some hate the blistering blasts, whistles and thuds, my kids, who inherited their father’s appreciation for all things deafening, are delighted.  Even as babies, they would sleep through a rock concert, or clap with glee at a thundering storm.  When my daughter Danielle was a toddler, her favorite part was “the grand tamale.”  Now, as their sophistication grows, they’ve learned the names of “aerial repeaters” and studied the chemical properties of pyrotechnics.  Me, I like the colors.

Whenever we see official fireworks stores, often inside the border of a state that doesn’t actually allow fireworks, we stop and shop.  So, why are these stores in states where it’s illegal to shoot them off?  Anyway, the shopkeepers make you sign an affidavit swearing on your first born that you won’t ignite them inside illegal borders like Maryland and DC. Virginia consents to some small fireworks without a permit – sparklers, fountains, crackle and strobes – but they come with vigorous warnings from the State Fire Marshall.

One state with almost no restrictions is West Virginia, so our family and some equally-crazed friends (yes, that’s you - Favali’s and Neville’s)  make a regular summer pilgrimage for an undisturbed performance that reverberates through the mountains.  My husband shoots off his mini-rockets, and after watching from a safe distance, the kids are released to gallop through the meadow seeking the plastic parachute men that fell from the sky.  True bliss for all.

When the fireworks show comes to your town, remember to pack the essentials and bring someone to cheer with you.  No matter where you were born or what language you speak, this American tradition is for everyone to enjoy.

Daddy and his girls celebrating Independence Day

Attention all Washington Area residents: Go Do Something Fun! Surprise yourself with a moonlight stroll among the Presidents. I love taking the Metro downtown to the Smithsonian stop or L’Enfant Plaza. Both drop you close to Constitution Avenue. Point yourself in the direction of Abe or perhaps Thomas.  Wander among Franklin and his companions, Eleanor, Fala and the guys in the Bread Line. All lit up against a black sky, the stone statues are nobler and even more imposing, beckoning you to reflect on their words spoken long ago. Fewer tourists venture out at night, so it’s a much more intimate experience.

On a warm night, head over to the World War II Memorial. There’s nothing like the spray of the fountains to cool off a hot summer night. Find a marble bench and relax as the lights move among the great white structure. Find your state (Does DC have one too? I need to check next time) and take a moment to appreciate those brave soldiers who triumphed in that brutal crusade. Imagine our world had the war ended differently. Then contemplate the loneliness our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan experience so far away from home, facing the unknown. 

The Washington Monument from the World War II Memorial

Walk the festive streets of this must-see destination, and you will step back and forth in American history. Wander the streets unhurried, and you will be treated to conversations with pleasant, informative street vendors selling handmade art.  This is a pedestrian friendly city with beautiful parks scattered throughout. Santa Fe has the more outdoor sculptures than any other city in the United States.  Visit the Oldest House in America, for a picture of the earliest American architecture and its Native American influence. 

Santa Fe is the Land of Blue Doors, where houses are surrounded by low walls, sage and juniper bushes.  The stately, colorful holly hock flowers rise above the brush and wave gracefully in the wind.  Children will love interacting with the numerous pieces of outdoor art which are easily accessible to the pedestrian. Touch the rough and smooth structures, each with a story of the American West to tell.

Santa Fe is a noisy city of outdoor music, protestors, Vespas and honking horns.  Nestled in  the Sante de Cristo Mountains, St. John’s College hosts escapees from the Washington Area. Lucky students can learn the classics, while soaking up the culture and art scene thriving in Santa Fe. 

One sight missed by most, is the top of the Basilica which has the Hebrew letter “Shin” on its soaring entryway.  When the Catholic community ran out of funds to finish the building located in the heart of the town, Jewish merchants bailed them out with donations of money and craftsmen to finish the Church.

Santa Fe is famous for its art and jewelry, for good reason.  Every store and gallery beckons the visitor to imagine her life bedecked in precious stones and metals. He dreams of an art etching worthy of bragging rights.  It is hard to walk the streets without spying some unusual treasured:  a key chain made of New Mexican license plates, giant painted gourds and hand stitched wall hangings.  It’s waiting there for you among the gourmet restaurants and cowboy bars.       

A short drive leads to native American outposts with bargains on beads, pottery and leather goods.  Santa Fe’s 400^th anniversary is in the year 2010.

 Heather Stouffer is living the life made famous in Diane Keaton’s movie “Baby Boom.” When entrepreneur Stouffer, 32, was pregnant, she said the most pressing issue on her mind was feeding her baby.  Stouffer comes from a family of foodies; her brother started the gourmet grocery store, Balducci’s, and her mother was a chef.

At first Stouffer sought out healthy, organic food for her son Emory.   After coming up empty handed, she began to make her own.  Stouffer used family recipes and ground up organic fruits and veggies.  Friends asked her to make extra, and soon she realized there was a huge void in baby food market.  She and her husband took out loans and began her company called Mom Made.

The food is prepared and then fresh frozen into scoops to heat and serve.  Her products were only available in the Washington DC Area at first. By the end of 2007, Mom Made was introduced in health food grocery stores up and down the Eastern seaboard.  She is busier than she has ever been and loving it. Emory is still her tester, and she has expanded into products for older children now.

Stouffer says, “Babies develop their palate between the ages of zero and two.” She believes using spices and variety at an early stage will help build up a baby’s acceptance to different tastes. Nutrition experts such as Julie Leopold, R.D. of Inova Fairfax Hospital, concur.

Stouffer is articulate and passionate about her company. She represents the mission most of us share, doing work that we love and providing a healthy lifestyle for our kids.

Making pasta from scratch at Chef Bryans Kitchen in Rockville