To celebrate the wonderful Christmas holiday, we share with you our favorite Christmas song of our youth…Run DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis.” Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

When those unexpected little pleasant surprises come around, it is important that we reflect for a moment to appreciate the little blessing we received. Well, one of the greatest museums and collections of art in the world is free for all to see, for at least four hours every week. Generally regarded a the most influential modern art collection in the world, New York’s Museum of Modern Art is worth every penny of the $25 admission fee. But thanks to Target, it can be experienced for free every Friday between 4pm and 8pm. If you happen to be in the City on a Friday, take advantage!

Enjoy the images below of some recent Free Friday attendees…

Washington, D.C. is famous around the world, and it is known for anything but culture. People come here to see “the most powerful city in the world,” the White House, and monuments upon monuments—usually constructed in honor of political figures. The city is synonymous with politics, with the museums of The Smithsonian being the only exposure to anything that can be considered “cultural” that most visitors are exposed to.

But away from the steps of the United States Capitol building and the National Mall, Washington, D.C. has a unique culture all its own, with a history as rich as any other city in America. With a predominantly African-American population, Chocolate City (as it is known to some locals) has been a hub of musical creativity, Civil Rights activism, and culinary prowess for well over 100 years. To experience this first-hand, get away from the Tourmobile and check out some of these sights and sounds that you may not know as much about:

•  U Street Corridor:  Once the rival to New York City’s Harlem in terms of cultural influence and significance, U Street was a hub of Civil Rights activism in the mid-1900s and today hosts a thriving social scene full of bars and restaurants.

Night life along U Street

Mural of Barack Obama and Bill Cosby

• Adams-Morgan:  By night a popular nightlife spot, particularly among younger crowds, by day Adams-Morgan plays host to an eclectic collection of restaurants offering just about any kind of cuisine that can be found on earth.

Cafe patrons at Adams-Morgan’s Tryst

Enjoying a cuppa…

• Eastern Market:  A bustling market since 1873, Eastern Market today still plays host to a variety of food and crafts vendors, artists and the occasional musician—weekends only.

An Eastside DC landmark

Inside the marketplace

Farmers Market

Eastern Market blues

• Dupont Circle:  The hub of Washington’s thriving gay community, the neighborhood surrounding this large traffic circle hosts a diverse variety of cafes, restaurants and night spots despite being adjacent to the city’s primary business district.

Dupont Circle on a nice afternoon

• Georgetown:  Like nearby Dupont, this neighborhood is home to cafes, restaurants, but also hosts a major university, lots of shopping, and charming cobblestone streets and majestic homes.

Georgetown’s main drag: M Street

Old streetcar line

Georgetown’s colorful row houses

Merry Christmas everyone! In honor of the special day, I thought I’d share a clip from my favorite band (The Roots) and one of my favorite shows (Late Night With Jimmy Fallon). Enjoy!