What a ride it has been! Since leaving Portland on the 9th very moment has been is full of stories to tell you, with few moments left at the end of the day to actually write them down!

I left Alex and Dan in D.C. yesterday, cozy friends and a cozy apartment in Columbia Heights, just a block from Meridian Park. Alex is a dear friend from college who I haven’t seen in three years. I realized it had been even longer since I visited the East coast, about a decade, and how nice it was to arrive to old friends and open arms.

D.C. was a fascinating city full of a sense of importance and smartly-dressed young professionals. It was striking to see the seat of the American government in person again. THIS is where things happen. THIS is where decisions get made. As I traveled around town on foot, bus, or bike, I came across dozens of embassies. Each one was slightly different, varying in size, decor, and grandeur, but all had a similar sense of importance and secrecy. Blinds were drawn, windows darkened, and doors closed to the outside. The government buildings were the same. I couldn’t get close to anything without a guard eying me. In the subway the well-dressed young people, interns or rookie politicians perhaps, looked one-another over, sizing each other up. Everyone was spying on everyone and jockeying for position in some ornate game. But there was also a juxtaposing openness to the city. All the museums are free and I enjoyed wandering around in-and-out of them, as well as the historical places and monuments. It is a diverse city. Between diplomats, immigrants, and the fact that D.C. has historically been a predominantly African American town, D.C. has a wide range of languages, creeds and colors represented. We had some amazing vegetarian Ethiopian food at Meskerem, chicken kebabs at Moby Dick’s, and avocado tacos from a place just down the street from us. There was a kind of charm in that duality, the seriousness of the place and it’s pride in being the center of the universe, and the way it wants to open to show you it’s splendor.

And then there is New York. Honestly, I’ve been a little anxious about my trip here. Maybe it’s that I’ve been on the West coast for so long, or that I planned to stay here for a whole month, or that I am traveling on a budget, or that I’m intending to play music here, but I’ve been feeling intimidated by the City. I hear that she eats your dreams for breakfast and tosses you to the gutter at night. I hear she never sleeps. I hear people fall in love with her and get lost forever. I hear she is a fickle mistress and her love is as harsh as it is intoxicating. I have heard all the warnings and yet when I first saw her as we crossed the river from Jersey I couldn’t help but become instantly enamored.

There is so much more to tell you about first 24 hours in this city but it will have to wait. In a few hours Edna and I are making our New York debut playing at the Mexican consulate in the Bronx for the Mexican Independence Day festivities. It is supposed to be a huge crowd and I am both nervous and excited to play in the Big City. Wish us luck! I will be back with more as soon as I have another moment to breathe.