I am working with the Castleton Festival which is in the northern part of Virginia (not far from Vienna, Virginia where I started my summer season) and the beautiful landscape of the countryside makes me want to carry my camera around all the time. I can’t help but take a picture every time I see something beautiful and unlike anything I’ve seen before. Even when I am driving, I stop the car to pull over and take a picture. While it is impossible to do that on the busy highway, it is easy on the peaceful back-roads around Castleton.

When I arrived in Castleton, I heard people talking about a zonkey. I have never seen one before and I didn’t even know what a zonkey was. As soon as I did see him, I smiled – he is funny and certainly unique. I have never seen such striped legs in my life. And now I’ve seen a cross between a zebra and a donkey!

Well, I’ve learned there really isn’t that big a difference between the countryside of the States and Korea. But, never disappointed because I am always glad to find areas where nature has been less disturbed than in big cities. I am a lucky person to have these new experiences around every corner and I am glad to have my camera with me to help save these beautiful pictures and memories!

This summer, I’m working with Wolf Trap Opera Company in the rolling hills of Northern Virginia, just outside of our nation’s capital. After a long morning of studying scores and Shakespeare, I decided to put culture on hold for an hour or so to experience the illustrious Vienna Inn. The food is simultaneously unremarkable and astounding, and I am both amused and intrigued by the place in history that this establishment holds in the lives of many colleagues and predecessors. I would be willing to bet the Vienna Inn is oblivious to the countless number of world-class musicians that have sat in these rickety booths to enjoy chili dogs and beers over the years. And, from the vibe in the place, I doubt they care.

But still, a coupla chili cheese dogs represented a rite of passage for me at lunch today, and it will add to the list of great destinations and warm memories that I feel fortunate to have collected thus far.

Oh, and trust me… the dogs tasted MUCH better than they look.