Alarming reports of a bed bug infestation filled my social media feeds in the weeks before I flew to Paris for my birthday in mid-October. Images of these tiny blood suckers crawling on seats on public buses and trains horrified me. I’d been the victim of a bed bug attack…

Parisians are known for café life, but that doesn’t mean they serve great coffee. Paris café coffee is often bland and does not originate…

When we walked up to the ticket desk at the Picasso Museum in Paris, the attendant warned us that there were no paintings by Picasso on view in the museum at this time. She asked, “Do you still want a ticket?” HELL OUI!” I replied. I’d come to the museum…

“What is your job?” asked a new friend as we sipped wine in the Virginia countryside on a beautiful summer afternoon. My job used to be so much easier to explain when I could say, “Lawyer.” He didn’t mean the question in the typical DC way, often meant to size…

What stories remain untold on the National Mall? — [This story was written in response to an exhibit on the National Mall that asked, what stories remain untold on the National Mall?] Shortly after the 2016 election, I began inviting people who voted for Trump to my house for dinner. …

The last two plays I have seen were written by Asian American playwrights and starred Asian American actors. The cast for one of the plays was 100% Asian American. I have read six books this year written by Asian American authors. I binge watched two shows starring Asian American female…

“Do you feel transformed?” asked a friend after I returned from India. People envision India as a mystical land in which people make pilgrimages to ashrams and yogic retreats in scenic spots. My idea of a spiritual quest involves art…

I’ve purged my closets of unwanted clothing multiple times over the past ten years. I’ve donated many bags of clothing to charity and sold many items at a local consignment store and online. …

The Maldives is an archipelago composed of 26 coral atolls and over 1,000 islands stretching over 500 miles across the deep blue depths of the Indian Ocean. Each island is encircled by pristine white sandy beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters glistening under a tropical sun, and abundant marine life teeming just…