Ben's Chili Bowl's 65th Anniversary at Reagan National

August 22, 2023 marked a milestone for one of DC’s most loved institutions: Ben’s Chili Bowl.  Three days later, the Ali family joined everyone at Ronald Reagan National Airport to celebrate Ben's Chili Bowl's 65th anniversary.  After words by the airport and Ali family, the party started with the soulful beat of "The Real DC: Go-Go & Ben's" by DJ Mello T, and the rhythmic vibes of Sirius Company.  While passengers and airport employees alike jammed out to the concert with some half-smokes, the Ali family met fans for pictures in front of their airport location.

Ben’s Chili Bowl also used the occasion to announce their partnership with Giant Foods, where patrons can now buy the famous half-smokes and chili to enjoy at home, and their newest upcoming airport location at Washington Dulles International Airport.  The legacy of Ben's Chili Bowl at Ronald Reagan National Airport is not merely about gastronomic delights; it's a living testament to the blend of community, culture, and the indomitable spirit that continues to define the heart of our nation's capital.

Kaiser Permanente’s Caton Hill Medical Center: September, 2022

On September 19th, 2022, the Kaiser Permanente Caton Hill Medical Center opened, replacing the Woodbridge Medical Center with a new 245,000-square foot medical center in Prince William County.  Four days before the first day of service, Kaiser Permanente held a ribbon cutting ceremony with addresses from Kaiser Permanente directors and Prince William County leadership.

The new Kaiser Permanente hub includes 24/7 advanced urgent care, an outpatient surgical facility, a full featured radioimagery center, and 30 specialties including family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics & gynecology, neurology, oncology, behavioral health, cardiology, pain management, ophthalmology, and optometry.  The complex is LEED Silver certified, and is expected to serve ~40,000 patients and ~320,000 visits each year.

I’m sharing some highlights from covering the event and new facility here.

After the ribbon cutting events, groups of guests were taken on guided tours and allowed the opportunity to explore the new medical campus.

2024 DC Auto Show

It’s been tradition amongst my friends ever since college to visit the DC Auto Show every year - the only years I’ve not attended were the year it was cancelled due to COVID, and the one year I happened to be buying a car the same day of the show.

This year was no different; we made a day of it and explored the show as usual.  This year I did something a bit different, and took some video clips in addition to my usual photographs of whatever caught my eye - I treated this as an exercise to sharpen my skills with a new video editing suite, and perfect my HDR and high framerate workflows.

After the auto show, we all met up with some friends at our favorite cozy spot in the district.

BMW XM Launch Cocktail Party

If you’re a regular follower, you know I frequently attend various car events.  Some of my favorites are those sponsored by automakers showcasing their latest performance and technology offerings, which often has a driving or interactive component.  I have to say, of all the manufacturer events I’ve been to thus far, this cocktail party absolutely wowed me the most.

BMW definitely knows how to run events, I can confidently say from experience after last Summer’s BMW Ultimate Driving Experience featuring an autocross component of their i4 M50.  Likewise, BMW definitely knows how to throw a party.

This wasn’t my first time at the Long View Gallery; in 2015 I attended McLaren’s unveiling of their new 570S, so I expected something like that; I was pleasantly proven wrong before I even got inside the gallery.  The music could be heard from out front, and the mood lighting was a spectacle capturing the attention of passers by.  Inside, guests were welcomed and invited to enjoy signature cocktails at one of the multiple open bars, sample the numerous hors d'oeuvre, (including sushi and ceviche served on a BMW branded ice sculpture), and mingle around the cloaked BMW XM.

Also, any event with a cigar roller is going to automatically win points from me.  This is exactly the second time I have seen this; the first was a wedding I photographed over a decade ago.  This cigar roller had cigars for every taste and experience level, with mild, medium, strong, and amaretto; I’m admittedly not knowledgeable about cigars, but I know enough to know I enjoy the extremely occasional one with an Old Fashioned or glass of single malt.  I grabbed a few for myself for a special occasion, and a few for some friends; although there were matches and cutter available, nobody in attendance indulged at the event.

There’s a bit of a joke that I can’t go anywhere without being recognized, and while that’s not entirely true, chance would have it that I got spotted by a fellow commercial photographer also attending the party, and we enjoyed chatting off and on throughout the evening.

Soon it was time for the big reveal.  A brand VP and engineer gave an introduction of the vehicle, and discussed the XM’s vision and performance as the performance crossover was unveiled.  A notable design point of the XM is that it is the first M series SUV to have its own fame design, not sharing its platform with any other model in the BMW lineup; the XM’s platform is entirely BMW M.

Inside, the XM is all performance, with large flappy-paddles, and dedicated M Performance buttons on the wheel.  Passengers are pampered with ventilated leather, and treated to moodlighting and geometric design cues.  In the boot is a custom leather BMW XM travel bag, with dedicated strap and hook to ensure it stays put during spirited drives.

In the alley behind the Long View Gallery sat the original BMW M1, which served as inspiration for the XM.  The mid-engined coupe sports a more traditionally enjoyable 5 speed manual transmission, and propelled 277HP to the rear wheels; only 453 examples exist.

Inside, artist David Garibaldi began live-painting a BMW-inspired piece combining the DC skyline with the BMW XM’s headlight design.  The canvas was also live-silent-auctioned while he was painting.  The entire process took around 30min, but seemed much faster.  It was fascinating seeing his mixed tool process, switching between brushes, blades, and his fingers between strokes.  By the end of his painting, his glasses were smeared, his suit was speckled, and his hands were completely covered in various colors of paint.

Although the main events were finished, the party was still going, with many still lingering to enjoy drinks and get their chance to explore the XM.  With the playlist spinning, I’m surprised an impromptu dance floor never broke out.

On my way out I captured a few photos of the gallery front since I didn’t get any on my way in; besides, it looked better at night with the lights from the party still bumping inside.  BMW had fed us well, but I knew I’d be hungry again a little later after getting home, so I grabbed a go bag from nearby Ghostburger to enjoy as a midnight snack later in the evening.  It’s a spot I’d like to go back to when they’re not about to close - it definitely rounded out the theme of the evening, which was pretty colored lights.

The BMW Ultimate Driving Experience: 2022

Note: This entry is being posted in late 2024, well after the event concluded.

Enjoy some highlights of BMW’s Ultimate Driving Experience in 2022.  This would mark my second time at BMW’s annual driving event which showcases some of their latest models.  This year we’d be getting spirited wheel time in the all-new BMW i4 M50: BMW’s latest all-electric sedan sporting 536 horsepower and a 0-60 in just 3.7sec.

I’ve driven many electric vehicles, including a Tesla P85D.  And while the Tesla certainly had a more explosive launch with its nearly ~700HP motors, this and its “full-self-drive” are mostly just party tricks packaged in a poorly assembled, low material quality body that simply feels cheap and unintuitive.   For two cars supposedly in the same class, there is simply no comparison - BMW has Tesla beat at its own game hands down.  Aside from the i40 possessing the quality in materials and build that one expects from the German maker, but it also comes with BMW’s famed handling; driving the i40, one wouldn’t know it isn’t a beefy V8 aside from the fake engine noise piped in through the sound system - while convincing, knowing the sound is a lie is the only thing that makes the driving experience less genuine.