I’ve finally experienced the Wharf. (That’s fish market to us Midwesterners). I wanted to go there ever since I discovered it the day before while shooting a package about the nice weather. I took Patrick there as a surprise Sunday afternoon. It was packed. Unexpectedly, it did not smell even when we got close to the fish.

We walked around for about 30 minutes. This was the first time we had ever been to a fish market like this. We didn’t know exactly what to do. People were buying tons of snow crab legs, shrimp, and clams. There was also a bunch of regular fish like tilapia, flounder, and red snapper. There were also some unique sea creatures like octopus and shark. I wasn’t ready to try to cook any of that just yet.

The day before, I had seen a bunch of crab. I wanted to try to cook it, so I read up on it. It seemed easy to simply steam it and then cut it open. I had made up my mind. We also bought a pound of large tiger shrimp and two enormous lobster shrimp.

When it came time to get our crab, we had a bunch of choices. I wanted to try blue crab– I was hoping it would be Maryland blue crab. I only saw two vendors still selling it. One sold cooked crab, the other had live crabs. I decided to opt for ones that were still alive.

The line was sooooo long! It wrapped around another vendor’s booth. We waited in line for an hour, and several times an off-duty cop (directing traffic) came over to tell us the vendor didn’t have enough crab. No one listened. We all just waited. Finally, we were getting close and the crabs were getting scarce. But I was confident. After all, I just wanted two. One for me, and one for Patrick to try. But everyone else was buying them by the bushel.

Some guys behind us asked how many we were buying. When I said “two” they looked at me in disbelief. Really? Two? They asked. I told them it was my first time trying this and I just wanted two to keep it simple. They didn’t think the place would sell me just two, and prices started at $65 a dozen.

They offered to sell us two of their crabs if we let them in front of us. No problem. (They weren’t butting, they had waited in line an hour right behind us.) They got their crabs and they gave us three– no charge. That was super nice!

We got the crabs home and I suddenly realized I would have to touch them. It seemed natural to touch them in the fish market, but in my kitchen? No way! What was I thinking??? I could still hear them scuffling around the paper bag.

I asked Patrick to do it for me. He admitted that he was terrified of these live crabs. (He grew up on a farm and was pretty much never exposed to this kind of food. I used to travel to Florida all the time, so this shouldn’t have scared me.) I finally called my mom, and she gave me some encouragement. Patrick held up my camera to record the event.

I dumped them into the boiling water and then started involuntarily screaming when one stuck its claw up and tried to climb out. I couldn’t bare to look at them in the pot. I just tried to find the courage to grab the lid and keep them in there. I was wondering whether crab scream like lobster when boiled, but I didn’t hear anything. It could have been because I was being so loud.

It was a traumatic experience for me– and probably the crabs too. They died hearing me scream. That’s if they can hear. I don’t know.

I felt the same way I feel when I see a spider. Just gross! Finally, they were done. They had turned bright orange. Now, I had to get them out of the pot and pretty much dissect them. I had instructions about how to do it. It was very hard at first, especially when I had to dig out the guts. I felt like I was in science class.

The first crab I totally mutilated. Finally I figured out what I was doing and by the time I took a knife to the last crab, I felt like a pro. They were pretty tasty too. I just didn’t get a whole lot of meat from them. I’ll never be able to criticize the price of crab on a menu again. It’s a lot of hassle for a little crab meat and it sure is expensive.

Looking back, I’m glad I tried it. Now, it doesn’t seem so bad. I may even try it again some day.

Popularity: 48% [?]

We took a drive to Annapolis, Maryland, this afternoon. We went over the Bay Bridge twice (it’s $2.50 to go over), and then had dinner. Patrick and I were craving Barbeque, so we went to Red Hot and Blue. We had an onion loaf, a full rack of ribs, fried okra, hush puppies, cole slaw, and mashed potatoes. We even had dessert. It was a lot of fun!

Popularity: 30% [?]

The Smithsonian’s Museum of American History has been closed for renovations the past two years. It basically got an $85 million face lift. Well, it opened Friday with a lot of hype. There were some criticisms as well. For example, the New York Times reviewed the museum and concluded that it still lacks a clear focus. I would have to agree. I truly don’t understand the significance of having Dorothy’s ruby red slippers (from the Wizard of Oz ) on display next to Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves. I guess this is why the museum is sometimes referred to as “America’s Attic .”

There’s a lot to see, including the Star-Spangled Banner and the original lyrics to the National Anthem by Francis Scott Key . Kermit and Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street are also there, along with an entire section dedicated to transportation. There is a bus, an old street car, a locomotive, trolley, and even one of the first station wagons. It’s a young boy’s dream in there! From Disney , there’s part of the Dumbo ride . There’s still an entire section dedicated to Presidential memorabilia — including Lincoln’s hat and death mask. It’s nearly impossible to see everything in one day. But, there are still several areas not yet open to the public. A lot is still under construction.

The only major disappointment was the food area . Although I don’t drink coffee, I do think it’s a necessity for a lot of visitors. Well, there was none– and soda cost $3. There were chips, pretzels, and ready-made sandwiches. There were folding tables set up and coolers with food that you could buy. Much of the area was still under construction. One lady complained that her soda was warm. I wondered whether the food was being kept at the proper temperature. I would encourage people to eat elsewhere– at least until the restaurant is completely ready to go.

For $85 million and two years for completion, I would have expected the entire project to be completed– or at least the food area. And it looks like they completely forgot to renovate the downstairs bathrooms. (That’s all I have to say about that.)

Overall, it was a positive experience. I’m anxious to take some of my other friends with me. My friend Emily Stone went with me to the museum today, and afterward we visited some of the nearby monuments. It wasn’t as packed as I had expected, but there were still some lines. I put together this photo gallery.

I would also encourage you to see the Gettysburg Address . It’s usually off-limits to the public. (It’s on loan from the White House and they keep it in the Lincoln bedroom.) It’s a very rare look at a historic and monumental document. There’s a line, but it goes pretty fast. Definitely take the time catch a glimpse.

Popularity: 21% [?]

I got a sneak peek of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center today. It doesn’t open for another week, (December 2), but I was able to get passes from a friend. Since the tour, I can’t stop thinking about the statue of Freedom that sits on top of the Congressional Building. At the Visitor Center, you can see her mold up close. And she is truly inspiring.

It’s much easier to get through security at this new Visitor Center. A couple months ago I did the original tour. Here are some differences:

Getting inside…

OLD TOUR: Wait outside in the cold, get a timed pass, and then walk up a hill toward the Congressional building. Enter a security building where items are scanned and you walk through a metal detector. The move on to the Capitol building.
NEW TOUR: Go directly inside the Visitor Center, which is located underground. Items are quickly scanned and you walk through a metal detector. Go to the front desk to get a timed tour ticket or pick up reservations. See exhibits while you wait. (Even if you don’t have a pass, you can still tour the Visitor Center– just not the Congressional Building itself).

The tour…

OLD TOUR: Wait outside until you are handed headphones. Follow your tour guide through the building, starting at the Rotunda, and ending at the Crypt .
NEW TOUR: Line up inside in one of several lines where you are handed headphones. Tour begins with a film in one of the two theaters. Follow your tour guide through the Crypt and into the Rotunda. The tour ends back in the Visitor Center.

After the tour…
OLD TOUR: Hang out in the Crypt to read about Capitol Hill. Buy something at the small gift shop located in the Crypt.
NEW TOUR: Eat at the Visitor Center restaurant, go to a large gift shop (not yet completed), view the House and Senate staging areas (not yet open), tour Exhibition and Emancipation Halls. You can even walk through an underground tunnel to the Library of Congress (not yet open).

I spent about two hours at the Visitor Center and still didn’t have enough time. They recommend that you have about 90 minutes– I say give yourself three hours if you want to see everything.

The best part is Exhibition Hall (that’s if you’ve taken the tour before and have already seen the Rotunda and the Crypt, etc.). It includes the original catafalque , which supports a casket. It is made out of wood and was constructed in 1865 for Abe Lincoln . It catches your eye and seems pretty eerie. There are also original documents, including some of Thomas Jefferson’s books . There are also sections highlighting the issues and achievements by Congress throughout history. And there are House and Senate theaters.

The best part of Exhibition Hall are the interactive computers. You can take a quiz to test your knowledge and look at rooms in the Capitol Building off limits to the public. It even has records of every Congressman and Congresswoman who served. You could spend an hour on one of these interactive computers.

MY CONCERN: While I enjoyed the tour– (and am especially grateful for the helpful tour guides and coat check lady)– it still seems hard to justify. The cost was $621 MILLION! That’s WAY more than it was supposed to cost. For that price, it seems there should be more to do.

I took my time when going through Exhibition Hall because I could. But what will happen when the Visitor Center fills up with anxious tourists? I wonder whether there will be enough to keep them occupied while they wait for their tour, or if they will even get a chance to see some of the original documents when there are hundreds of people crowding around the display cases? For $621 Million, I would expect there to be several more exhibits. There is so much open space– the Center seems like it will only serve as a glorified waiting room.

And with seven days until the opening, I truly wonder whether things will be ready. After all, the gift shop isn’t even completely constructed.

Popularity: 13% [?]

I went to the Newseum today to see a program on the Apollo 8 mission. All three astronauts were there for the 40th anniversary of the mission: Frank Borman , James Lovell and William Anders . (Lovell was also on board the Apollo 13 mission.) The crew is best known for reading Genesis from the Bible , live from space.

They were the first to see the far side of the moon, and they did it– in their words– to “beat the Commies.” They have an interesting perspective on the future of NASA . Because the space program was fueled by the Cold War , it was popular and easy to fund. They agreed that this is not the cast today.

The three also had an interesting perspective about the media . Although they were too busy to notice the impact of the coverage before and during their mission, they agree it was a positive experience. When asked what the media can do today to bring about more interest in the space program, the three said not much. They don’t blame the media for a lack of interest– instead, they blame the audience. Anders even said hardly anyone watches the NASA channel, which got a lot of nervous laughs. The event was being broadcast from the Newseum’s Inside Media program, live on the NASA channel .

Then, they talked about aliens. Nope– no aliens on the moon. Not even the dark side of the moon. But they do believe there is intelligent life somewhere else, perhaps in another universe.

Where should the NASA go next? The three say it’s still premature to be going to Mars when it’s been so long since someone has been on the moon. And in their opinion , the moment the flag was stuck into the ground on the moon, the space program’s mission was complete and the journey was virtually over.

But I think most of us can say there is something intriguing about space and astronauts. I met an astronaut for the first time when I was in middle school, and ever since I’ve wanted to be an astronaut– but only if I can report live from space.

Popularity: 9% [?]

The Freedom Forum hosted a discussion featuring retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and New York Times Correspondent Linda Greenhouse . Both have written books, (“Becoming Justice Blackmun ” and “The Majesty of the Law “) and have different perspectives of the court. The entire discussion was played live on C-SPAN .

One of the main questions was whether television cameras should be allowed in the Court for oral arguments. I proposed another question (which was also read aloud): Should cameras and microphones be allowed in trial courts? While Justice O’Connor addressed the issues, she did so without making a clear statement about her beliefs. She said the court is slow to change and not ready for television cameras in the court. But she also said that she expects the court to allow cameras in the future.

The Columbia Journalism Review has a great article about some of the hesitation among the Justices. And C-SPAN has a great web page about what the sitting Justices think about cameras and microphones in the court.

Greenhouse has covered the Court since 1978 and recently retired. Seven of the nine sitting Justices attended her retirement party. During the discussion, Justice O’Connor was presented with a question about how journalists should cover the court. She responded: Like Linda Greenhouse.

One more note… Justice O’Connor is helping to create an online video game for high-schoolers featuring politics, government, and of course, the Court. It’s supposed to debut late next year, but Justice O’Connor says she wants journalists to try it out and write about it before its premiere.

Both Greenhouse and Justice O’Connor signed their books afterward. Thanks to Bruce Guthrie for taking these photos .

Popularity: 8% [?]