What I do in my free time

Exploring Cities

I love spending my weekends exploring the cities and seeing live music shows. Some of my favorites include Montclair, NJ (they have really fun film and jazz festivals), lower Manhattan (there’s always a fun show going on at Smallz ). Since moving to the DMV, I’ve discovered some local gems.

• Check out the breathtaking art at the Glenstone in Potomac.
• Catch some live music at Quarry House Tavern in Silver Spring.
• Try amazing Ethiopian food at Abyssinia Restaurant in Silver Spring.
• Browse through book at Bridge Street Books in Georgetown
• Jazz events from the DC Jazz Calendar.

Travel

One of my most memorable trips is when I spent time in China as a teenager. I was able to stay in Beijing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, and a few smaller cities in between. I was able to:

• Attend classes at Wangxiang Polytech and live in the student dorms.
• Tour several palaces including the Forbidden City, the old Summer Palace, the “new” Summer Palace, and the Jade Spring Hill.
• Climb the Great Wall of China.
• Visit several gardens in [Hangzhou]((http://mmayako.github.io/files/leifeng.PNG) and a few ancient [Buddhist temples]((http://mmayako.github.io/files/monk.PNG).

I hope to revisit Hangzhou again, as well as Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

Creative Pursuits & Hobbies

I developed a small obsession with ceramics after taking an art class at UD. My magnum opus so far has been a 25 pound, two foot tall garden frog. When I’m at home, I like playing Animal Crossing and fiber arts. I’m learning to make my own clothes!