Burning Man: The Five Ws Answered

Each year, 65,000 people spend a week frolicking around one of the most arid and unlivable climates on earth. The Black Rock Desert is a dried lakebed with a high concentration of alkali salts that irritate the skin. Storms kick up unpredictably throughout the days and nights creating clouds of dry sandlike dust that whirls around at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. Not a single insect has survived there and yet that doesn't deter people from pouring in every summer for the one and only Burning Man.

Google images of the event will bring up photos of people in the most elaborate costumes standing on a seven square mile stretch of desert expanding into the horizon. It's enough to spark some intrigue, but provides no real insight.

So, what is it exactly? It's not a music festival. It's not a crafts fair. It's not a yogi conference or a rave. It's certainly a gathering of all things new age, but for many it's also home; the only place on earth that they can be who they are without reservation. Everything is flipped upside down in this temporary city of unconditional openness, artistic expression and support. It breeds a society that's unfathomably compassionate and overflowing with a creativity that has impressed curators and collectors worldwide.

I'll be there next week to see it for myself. When I return, Backpacktress will take you there.

Fire Island: A Ferry, Fun Ritual

For many summer residents, a stop at Nicky's Clam Bar on the way in or out of town is a sentimental ritual. It's right across from the ferry on Bay Shore, Long Island and is the perfect way to start or end a trip to Fire Island.

This quaint, little restaurant seats about thirty people. Its nautical-themed decor and wood paneling make it feel like the intimate dining room on an old ship. 

They're famous for their steamed lobster right out of the tank, manhattan and new england chowders and, of course, their impressive variety of clams. You can get their little necks fresh from the bay baked with bread crumbs and bacon, sauteed in a white wine and garlic sauce or raw on the half shell if you're feeling brave. There's also large baked clams stuffed with a creamy, bread filling, deep fried whole belly top neck clams and a killer clam bisque. 

Their menu captures the nearby clam culture on Fire Island. It's common for locals to head out to the tidal flats in big rain boots and dig into the sand for these oceanic treats. Each year, there's also a clam shucking contest in the small town of Kismet. It's always packed as people from every corner of the island bike over for this spirited event. 

If you're looking for a taste of timeless, nostalgia before heading over on the ferry or back into the real world, make a stop at this neighborhood gem. You're sure to leave as happy as a Fire Island clam. 

Fire Island: The Giant Playground

Growing up in Los Angeles, there were few opportunities for me to explore freely without supervision. I have fond memories of the liberation I felt on those rare and special occasions when my parents took me to Disneyland. They didn't let me roam around the park, but there was one little area where my imagination and feet could run wild: Tom Sawyer's Island. It was a fantasyland of log cabins, tree houses and caves; the perfect place for tag.

For kids, Fire Island is like Tom Sawyer's Island, but real. It's a place where they can follow their playful intuitions without limitations. It's common to see children as young as five or six strolling down the sandy paths alone minding their own business. They're eating ice cream, humming to themselves, skipping or going to their friend's house to set up a lemonade stand. During the day, you'll see big groups of kids biking in single file lines. Their agendas reminiscent of Peter Pan and The Lost Boys as they march with comical intention to their games. Meanwhile, parents are summering somewhere else on the island trusting that worse case scenario their son or daughter will be escorted home by a neighbor with a scraped up knee.

Fire Island: A Timeless Toy

You're standing on a narrow wooden dock surrounded by light green brush and the smell of pine. Other than the occasional chirping of a bird and some friendly chatter in the distance, your ears are tickling with an unfamiliar, meditative silence. There's no machinery, cars or engines to disturb the tranquility. The only percussive sound is the occasional kunk-kunk-kunk of rockwellesque red and evergreen wagons as their wheels lunge over each plank of the creaky, old walkways. 

These timeless carriers are an integral token of the Fire Island aesthetic and lifestyle. In fact, they're so prevalent and memorable that the brewery on the neighboring Long Island decided to name their popular IPA "Fire Island Red Wagon." Using one to pull groceries, children, boogie boards to the beach or even a six pack out to the lighthouse is a sign that you're aware of the local ways. While you enjoy the convenience and nostalgia of these pragmatic toys, you'll also be perpetuating one of the traditions that gives this quaint, little island its personality. 

Fire Island: The Trademark Trinket

All around Fire Island you'll see people wearing tiny sterling silver pendants around their necks. They're detailed faces of all expressions; little molded characters smirking, grinning, pouting, grimacing, meditating and contemplating.

They're the pride and joy of the much loved local jewelry maker Kenny Goodman. Over the last forty five years, they've become a trademark of the island. They're much more than a fashion statement, the "Kennys," as people endearingly call them, are a symbol of affection for this idyllic getaway.

The pieces themselves display a high level of care and artisanship. Kenny makes everything from each link on the chains to the clasps.

It all began quite accidentally. As Kenny says, "I never thought about making things, I just liked playing with knives." He landed on Fire Island in 1967 when his long, silvery hair was as long in the back as it is now, but a little fuller on top. He was a young chap lookin' for a good time. One night he found himself out at the old lighthouse. He was spontaneously carving away at a tree when a surreal face began to appear in the coniferous trunk. It was kind of cool, he thought. Turns out, the locals agreed. Over seventy carvings and decades later, he's become a neighborhood celebrity. 

The hardest decision when passing through his shop is deciding which face will be yours. Is it "Baccus," the god of wine and celebration who dons a delicate crown of grapes? Is it the "Cat in the Hat," the jolly character with a comically tall top hat? Maybe your cynical tendencies will gravitate towards Mister "Sign of the Times," a much distressed looking face with an existential expression and a creased forehead. Regardless of which one you choose, wherever you go summertime locals will be sure to give you the nod of approval when they notice you're wearing the unspoken mascot of their home away from home. 

Fire Island: A New York City Getaway

Just off the coast of New York City rests a small island where the water is clear, the sand is a soft white and the soundtrack is a calming whisper of the wind as it brushes past tall green stalks of leaves. Small navy blue, easter egg yellow and white sailboats bob gently with the current; their backdrop a silvery gray canvas expanding into the horizon. On the shore, summer residents stroll barefoot down the wood dock pathways. They smile and greet one another as they breathe in the rejuvenating tranquility of their beloved haven: Fire Island. 

It's about a two hour journey from Manhattan. First, take the Long Island Railroad out of Penn Station for about an hour and a half. From there you can walk for fifteen minutes or take a taxi for about $5.00 to one of three ferries depending on which part of the island you're visiting. 

Ocean Beach is the most town-like area with a small stretch of bars, restaurants and shops. It's flooded with young locals and tourists on the weekends looking for a good time. 

Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove are known for their thriving LGBT community. There you'll find gay beaches, bars and a host of events each summer including: a dance festival in support of the fight against AIDS, a drag queen parade and extravagant pool parties. 

While the flashy gay community seems like a world away from the families who come here to read and play in the sand with their children, ultimately the love for this little paradise comes from the same place. No matter who you are, Fire Island provides a beauty, privacy and quiescence which often seems unachievable in the bustling city which is just a short cruise across the bay. 

Washington, D.C.: The Bar Under The Stage

The 9:30 Club is no secret, especially amongst D.C. locals. It hosts everyone from rock and roll legends like Bob Dylan to up-and-coming indie bands. Most nights there you'll catch groups of quality musicians that are right on the brink of becoming mainstream.

The Hold Steady gets the crowd amped up 

It's been recognized as one of the best venues in the country, because even though it accommodates a generous crowd of 1,200, it feels intimate. It's standing room only with a bar in the back so attendees often filter back and forth throughout the show leaving space to wiggle right up to the front. You can get close enough to the band that it's common for the musicians to engage individual members of the audience in flirtation.

If you feel confident that the wink you got wasn't a figment of your imagination you can always head down to the best kept secret of the club after the show; the underground bar. This is where the performers often grab a drink after their set. Most members of the audience don't know it's there, so it's got a low key vibe with locals, friends of the band and employees of the club just hangin out.

Washington, D.C.: 3,000 Shades of Pink

In the Springtime, Washington is blanketed in a canopy of light pink lace. These 3,000 cherry trees were gifted to the US by Japan as a sign of friendship in 1912. Now, each year millions of people flood into the nation's capital for a glimpse at this magnificent sight as they come into full bloom.

While there's a concentration of them around the National Mall, they're dispersed all over the city. If you're looking to get away from the crowds take a stroll through some residential neighborhoods in Northwest. You're bound to find a cherry blossom you can sit under all by yourself.

Washington, D.C.: An Inside Look

O Street between 19th and 20th looks like every other residential street in the Northwest quarter of Washington. It's a row of picturesque brick townhouses with pretty little stoops and often one big window peering into a beautifully-decorated home. Midway down this block is an inconspicuous black door with one small indicating sign: "the mansion." Behind it thrives one of the most elite private clubs in our nation's capital.

It was designed in 1892 by and for the architect of the US Capitol, Edward Clark. It's connected on the inside to the building to its right where Clark's brother and the Speaker of the House during Teddy Roosevelt's presidency, James "Champ" Clark, lived.

It's now a members-only boutique hotel, bar, restaurant, and museum frequented by heads of state, foreign dignitaries, business leaders, prominent artists, and celebrities. Not only is it hard to get in, it's hard to find the other guests once you are in. The mansion is designed with well-hidden secret doors. The bar is entered through a spinning book shelf, one of the bedrooms is behind a large mirror, and another suite is accessed by lifting up a painting. 

Walking through the narrow antique-filled hallways can be claustrophobic. There's art, tea sets, maps, records, statues, miniature tiffany stained glass windows, instruments, and flowers covering every surface and every inch of the walls. You can be walking down a stairwell when someone suddenly steps out of a seemingly fixed part of the building. It feels a bit like a home that's been left in disarray, but behind closed walls it's a lavish and bustling scene where drinks are poured and music is played until the wee hours.

If you're lucky enough to know a member you can BYOB any night of the week to their intimate bar for some live jazz. If you've recently lost contact with your pull in the Senate, the mansion takes reservations from non-members for their Sunday brunch, afternoon tea, and limited tour.

Their brunch and tea are both $30.00 and decadent with all you can eat pastries made in-house. The best part, of course, is getting a taste of the Washington most Americans only hear whispers of.

For more information on visiting The Mansion on O Street click here 

Washington, D.C.: Where It's At

The most up and coming neighborhood in Washington is undoubtedly the H Street Corridor in Northeast. It’s not an exaggeration to say that just over a decade ago this part of town was an unvisited slum. In 2002, 51 percent of the buildings were vacant.

Now, it’s slowly but surely going through the same gentrification process we’re seeing in cities nationwide. Hip restaurants, bars, and music venues are intermixed with worn down storefronts and plots of cracking sidewalk. 

Gettin down at H Fest

The diversity of the community is illuminated by the H Street Festival. This free day of food, dance, and music attracts families and young professionals from every part of the city. Rather than the Patriotic sentiment at most events in the capital, this festival is all about the soul of this vibrant neighborhood. World music bands tear up the stage with Latin beats, jazz, blues, R&B, and reggae. Food stands serve up hearty southern favorites like collard greens, baked beans, mac n cheese, fried chicken, and ribs; an authentic representation of the homogeneous hyperlocal cuisine that thrived here before some trendier eateries started moving in. You can still find some mean Creole and Cajun inspired hole in the walls if you’re willing to follow your instincts instead of Yelp.

Horace and Dickie's Jumbo Fish Sandwich

This neighborhood is a refreshing change of pace. In stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle of our nation’s political hub, the vibe on this block is as slow as maple syrup melting over the sides of a buttery biscuit. Make sure to explore it now. A street car is to set to open this year to encourage tourists and Northwestern residents to visit more frequently; who knows what this gem will look like ten years down the road. 

This year's H Street Festival is on Saturday, September 21 

For more information click here