I met Wirut just outside the Irish Channel a year ago when he was opening up a noodle and sushi bar next door. “sah-wah-dee.” “Have you been to Thailand, the ‘Land of Smiles’?” “Yes, Phuket, twice, both times by boat — when I was 5, living on a sailboat and at 17 on a frigate …
Category Archives: Event
Lumen8
As I walked Georgia towards the park on Meridian Hill, we could hear the sound of the drums reverberating louder and louder embracing body and soul. We passed a 13-basin cascade fountain at the bottom of the park, then climbed up the staircase. Once we arrived at the upper garden, we were mesmerized by an …
GOP Clown Show
Spring 2015 The political pulse of Washington, D.C. beat strong and steady, with politics woven into the fabric of daily life. It was against this backdrop that I received a call from Jim McBride, president and founder of the grassroots organization, Network for Progress, Jim, a hope monger and change-maker deeply involved in Generation Obama, …
Taste of Ireland
After the summer doldrums and fall foliage blanketed the National Mall, things began to pick up at the old neighborhood pub that flew Irish colors over by the Chinatown arch. The Oregon Ducks were ranked in the Top 10 in the AP Poll and District Karaoke debuted with weekly sing-a-longs every Monday night (that was …
Iron Chef
One sunny weekend during the fall of 2013. The restaurant scene in G-Town was abuzz with tourist activity. I passed Georgetown Piano Bar and then Jinx Tattoo parlor, soothing sounds of reggae music emanated from the brown brick establishment. Bandolero was next and this is where I hoped I would cut my first big deal. …
Raqs Baladi
On November 11, 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan slammed into the Philippines causing massive loss of life and a trail of destruction in its wake. Battering the archipelago with wind gusts of up to 168 mph, it was the deadliest cyclone on record. I, along with my expanding network of Fil-Am friends watched in horror as …
President’s Bar Comics
Nicole Foster was the wet behind the ears Marketing Manager trying to drum up new clientele for the President’s Sports Bar at the Renaissance Hotel in the Penn Quarter. So when I got a call from the Marriott, requesting our services, I wasn’t about to turn it down. As I walked around the expansive lobby, …
Five Qualities of the Diaspora
There were two milestones I needed to achieve in order to complete my MBA — a new venture capstone project and a study abroad trip to compare and contrast cultures, business practices, and management styles. In the spring semester of 2012, I enrolled in a six-week course entitled Engaging Diaspora Communities for International Business and …
Pedicabber
The following weekend, Zach and I were in my Subaru Baja, driving at full speed on the N.J. Turnpike to NYC. “Why are we driving up to the Big Apple just to pick up a damn rickshaw?” Zach asked incredulously. “Segways are all the rage on the Mall.” “So we can hang signage promoting …
Prayers for Nepal
May 12, 2015 The views at the Georgetown waterfront were busy with paddle boarders launching from the Key Bridge Boathouse and lunchers enjoying the open patio seating at Sequoia and Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place. Bikers were crisscrossing the Capital Crescent trail on their way to Bethesda or Cabin John. Runners and strollers were enjoying …