Rashmi Pappu Photography

What has the world come to when people think that sidewalk chalk is defacement of public property? That it is ugly? What does it mean for our children that collaborating on some chalk drawings with their friends is looked at as something that brings down property value? That something they take great pride in is seen as destruction of common areas?

Sometimes I honestly think the world has gone mad. It makes me sad.

xo, Rashmi

Sometimes when we drive out west, to the country (as my kids call it), outside the beltway (as I call it) , I find myself wishing we lived there…the mountains, the farms and orchards, the horses, the houses with acres of land surrounding them. Idyllic.

But we live here. Inside the beltway. Where the cost of living is sky high, the houses are crowded together, and the only large animals we see are the donkeys and elephants that work in DC. (hehe).

There are advantages of living here. We can get sushi delivered to our house when I don’t want to cook dinner. The commute is not wretched. We don’t have to mow grass or shovel streets. And we can avail of all the things the city has to offer, like the museums and galleries, and zoo and dimsum.

When the kids were younger, their Dad used to take them to the Zoo every weekend. Unlike many other cities, the zoo and most museums in DC are absolutely free. If you are a FONZ (friend of the national zoo) member, you don’t even pay parking. If they were not at the zoo, they were at the Museum of Natural History. And a spin on the carousel was always a must. As they have become older, one of their favourite museums is the National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum.  The kids especially love the contemporary art on the 3rd floor. They can literally sit for 20 minutes staring at the Electronic Superhighway by Nam Paik, Snail’s Space by David Hockney and For SAAM by Jenny Holzer. At their age, I am not sure how much they ‘get’, but I think art appreciation does not have to necessarily include understanding. My little one loves to peek over the shoulder of people who are sketching various pieces. And she loves to sit down and sketch too.

Living near the city has its perks. What things do your kids like to do in the city? Any favourite museums on our family’s list?

But you people out in the country, I am sure you feel the same way about living out there. Maybe we should just trade houses when we feel the urge to move.

xo, Rashmi