If I had to choose between living in the mountains or by the beach, I would choose the beach. Who can live without hearing the crashing of waves? Or seeing the never-ending view of the ocean stretching out to the sky? The scent of salt and the sound of water lapping up on shore never cease to calm and comfort me.

Left: Before the wedding | Right: After the wedding | Both pictures: Happy as can be!

More to come….

I threw my mom’s surprise birthday party at the beginning of May. Organizing this from afar was quite a task.

First, I had to lie to my Mom and tell her I couldn’t escape from DC for the weekend to celebrate a banner year birthday with her. In truth, I woke up early on a Saturday morning, drove down to Newport News and spent the morning of her party day picking up food from KFC, Domino’s and Mona Restaurant, a Korean restaurant that agreed to cater the bash even though they normally don’t serve such small parties. My sister and brother-in-law brought the cake and drinks.

Then, my Dad and I worked together to invite people to the party. Dad focused on church friends and I focused on Korean friends, many of whom don’t speak English. Ah, finally putting my hard-earned language skills to use for the first time in a while! I ended up leaving funny voicemails for almost everyone because no one picked up their phones. Luckily, enough people got the message and showed up.

Finally, I had to decide where to have the party. I haven’t lived in my hometown in a while and I’ve definitely never thrown a party there. I settled on the Virginia Living Museum, my niece’s favorite place to see her fishy friends Nemo and Dori (as well as furry and flying friend such as owls). Jennifer Turlington, the museum’s events coordinator, was wonderful in helping secure a party space and even coming up with the ruse for bringing my mom to the museum: why not have my Dad tell my Mom he was taking her to a flower show there? Not to knock my Dad too hard here, but I was suspicious my Mom would fall for this lie since flower shows aren’t exactly my Dad’s thing. Nevertheless, it worked. Jennifer posted a volunteer at the museum entrance. My Dad went up to the volunteer and said, “We’re here for the flower show,” which were the magic words for the volunteer to lead my parents through a side entrance, then down a path, then into a building, then down a hall into a classroom filled with all of us. Surprise!

The look on my Mom’s face was fantastic! She later said she wondered why she was being led to a “flower show” in a classroom in a building. She also said this was the best birthday she ever had.

August’s 8th birthday party in the beginning of June was a maelstrom of laughing, screaming, sugared-up kids exacerbated by a thunderstorm that led to much indoor horseplay and rowdiness. At the end, when everyone was gone and Eun and Marty were sweeping up and wiping down after their son’s celebration, they said, “See? No one ever tells you about THIS part of being a parent!” Haha! Those two crack me up.

Eun started out as my Asian American Journalists Association journalism mentor over 12 years ago. Over time we’ve become good friends to the point that I feel I’m a part of the Van Der Kim family: Eun, Marty, August and Reid (my godson). So I was thrilled to be at her 40th birthday party in mid July. The best part of the night? When Eun’s sisters-in-law appeared at the front door – they flew in from Arizona to surprise her!

Just over a week ago, Kelly and Mike pledged their love to each other during a gorgeous outdoor wedding at the Gramercy Mansion in Baltimore. They carried a little embroidered handkerchief during the ceremony – you know, just in case the tears flowed. While that didn’t happen, anyone can see how ridiculously happy these two are together. Congrats to Kelly and Mike!

My dear friend Abby at the Women Photojournalists of Washington exhibit opening at Honfleur Gallery in early November (I know – this post is way overdue!)

Miss Allison, photographer extraordinaire and super running buddy!

After the gallery opening, Jenna, Amanda and I took off to photograph as part of FOTOweek DC’s late-night photo contest. A few dozen Native Americans from across the United States set up teepees on the Mall to bring attention to their request for a Native American veterans day.

Crawling through the grass for a shot.

Amanda in “The Blair Witch Photo Project,” as Jenna said.

Warming up with jazz at Columbia Station in Adams Morgan.

Jenna’s happy with her late-night Jumbo Slice (which later fueled dancing at Madam’s Organ.)

From Laura Elizabeth Pohl on Vimeo. Song “Sweet Darlin’” by She & Him.

Me: “Ummm…would you mind standing a little closer to the edge of the dock? Yes….a little more….that’s better….”
Martina: “How about I pretend I’m pushing Ben into the river?”
Me: “Perfect!”

I kid, of course. But not by much! More pictures to come soon….

One of the first things you notice about Samantha and John is how much they make each other smile and laugh. We’re talking constant smiles and laughter! This, of course, made it an extra-special joy to photograph their wedding at the gorgeous Tabard Inn in Washington DC yesterday.

Samantha and John are the kind of confident, laid-back people who don’t let much get them down, which is why the rain on their wedding day didn’t bother them. They’re also the kind of people who are up for anything, which is how we ended up riding the carousel on the National Mall on a rainy Saturday afternoon. John walked up to the ticket guy, who looked up and around and said, “Brides always ride free”–as if he’d seen this hundreds of times before. But it was the first time for us and apparently the first time for a couple dozen amused tourists who snapped pictures of Samantha and John. The ride was so much fun! I admit I got dizzy, but it was worth it.

Thanks, Samantha and John, for allowing me to document the start of your marriage! I hope you two have an awesome honeymoon. See you when you return to DC!

Many years ago, my Mom and Sister Chrispina were postulants at a convent in Seoul. Now Sister Chrispina is studying English in Washington DC, not far from my house. “What was my Mom like when she was younger?” I asked her. “Your Mom always said she wanted to fly, like this, with her arms,” said Sister Chrispina. “She wanted to fly all around the world!” It seemed an impossible dream at the time, coming as my Mom did from a poor family in a country still recovering from war. But my Mom has been around the world many times over. So has Sister Chrispina. This past weekend, they met for the first time in seven years. I hope they have many more opportunities to strengthen their friendship while Sister Chrispina is in the United States.