Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival

As we enter our sixth week in D.C., I think it’s safe to say we are all settling into the routine of the forty hour work week. This has definitely taken some adjustment, and one change I have noticed in myself is that I genuinely cherish the weekends now, especially Saturdays. Fridays are fun, but I still have to put in (almost) a full work day before I can celebrate. Sundays are nice, too, but I inevitably spend most of the day fighting my ever-growing to-do list. Saturdays are the best.

Saturdays mean waking up to the sounds of the city instead of the screech of my alarm clock. Saturdays mean baguettes, brie, and brunch at the Eastern Market. And most importantly, Saturdays mean adventure.

On Saturday, April 10, after a wonderfully lazy morning, a group of us decided to explore a new corner of the city. With no real plans to speak of, Liz, Elise, Scott, Mike and I hopped on the metro and headed downtown. We found ourselves at the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival, a huge block party on Pennsylvania Avenue that celebrates the end of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Scott seems to disagree, but I found the festival incredibly interesting: we saw Godzilla, tried on kimonos, grooved to Japanese music, and even met President James Buchanan (…or maybe just a wax figure). I’d call that a fulfilling afternoon.

- Kristen