"There are flowers," writes Michael Pollan, "and then there are flowers: flowers, I mean, around which whole cultures have sprung up, flowers, with an empire's worth of history behind them, flowers whose form and color and scent, whose very genes carry reflections of people's ideas and desires through time like great books."
Each year about this time, I think of this passage in Pollan's in The Botany of Desire, one of my favorite books, and his exploration of the explosion of the tulip onto the Dutch landscape, his careful tracing of the roots of the history of "tulipmania" in the 16th century and how the tulip today, so long domesticated, is inexplicably linked with one of the most fundamental of human desires - beauty.
Explosion is the perfect word for the burst of color that reaches me as I walk down S Street in Kalorama, along this stretch of ambassadors' residences, and the homes of former presidents. More than 15,000 tulips have filled the home of the Netherlands Ambassador and have spilled out onto the lawn, a thoroughly planned, although seemingly spontaneous, riot of beauty that will not, cannot, be contained, within its walls. Read Kalorama's Dutch Beauty Riot on Diplomatica.
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Passport DC returns
Cherry blossoms are for rookies.
The real action in DC is during May with the return of Passport DC, EU Open House, and Fiesta Asia. It's a madcap month of cultural events, embassy tours, and much, much more. Look for newcomers to the tradition, Embassy of Jordan and Embassy of Norway (which we're told will have waffles.) Don't try to drive; biking, walking, and using mass transport are the easiest ways to get around. Security levels will vary by embassy, so prepare for TSA-levels and you should fly through (once you can get through the lines.) Plan ahead - some of the most popular embassies fill up quickly, and crowds tend to start in Dupont early and walk west up Massachusetts, making International Circle and Sixteen Street good bets.
Impress your fellow line-waiters and rubberneckers with Diplomatica's hidden histories, including:
This is What Brings on Revolutions, the story of the last Hope Diamond owner and a Great Dane named Mike, at the Embassy of Indonesia.
A Home on the Nation's Avenue, about Canada's environmentally-friendly building with its famous view.
War Comes to Washington, the Embassy of Ukraine's home in one of the oldest and arguably most significant buildings in Washington.
The Inside-Out Residence explores The Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain's journey during the pandemic to turn every inch of its exterior into public diplomacy space.
The Monument to the Modern traces Uzbekistan's embassy's history from a man who died on the TItantic to the first Canadian legation.
Latvia's Wonder House was a former Smithsonian Museum belonging to the artist Alice Pike Barney.
And so much more.
All of our profiles on Diplomatica Global are mobile-friendly, perfect for scanning while you're waiting in line. For more information throughout May, including day-of information, be sure to follow on Twitter (@DiploGlobal) Facebook (DiplomaticaGlobal) and LinkedIn (Diplomatica Global). Tag us and say hello!
If Passport DC isn't enough to keep you busy, see our Embassy Calendar for a curated list of other events organized by, or hosted at, diplomatic properties. Be sure to bookmark the page, as it'll be updated regularly.
VIP events are returning in June, so stay tuned!