Events/Causes
March 27, 2015
Cherry Blossoms in Washington, photographed by Ritz-Carlton
By Nancy Buckley
The annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington celebrates a gift from Japan to the United States more than 100 years ago and serves as the unofficial start of spring in the region.
{"ct":"hHVE\/9LJy0AKxrbj1MNB9h4snOCt3BZo9OIULqipfjIttZY\/8il8q5y+bS6mD29wSk3s9Neqo6dGYIc8bmfo7V6sfQZcFDcl4NEPzxuTYqAhFFPV7aaEWEoOXLUW+SSQ9iFLbaMU5shgNgQybbXlsXi3tFg6SlWjJZqtpJe8vGiiU\/UvXaV3Z50AAlD3rmvIntbPW31tf5FBpPX2DaLxEXgirub4g7XliXkbrrOMVNllKMcWUsiw3U50dgC4cEV96CjcZGtaej7N8O9h2C8XiZv2DIahs3k+Rhyh6dh50\/WsjwOSQ3YUO3XqXXffQgk6s\/6yvF1kpkIBeklYqzB7maqPrq+Rqw53zqChOsDpbRItaHHn\/2P5\/zwkVe5Twv8\/jF3jlhcPk4JTGM2y2pTGXefBpkKD0JPk5JpsmKLSiKdPIPkFnD9OFQhAwNuv+GItabYVfrOUDyGMiP9\/Y59C4Q6JOFiJYa58gf8rj2gzoIZTQMLi6k5BMCqKWeguHOUsmoUi4HT\/EZM15y\/OBnls\/lS8FFOltB5hJ\/j4CN92DRTZipLbwieVGaMRiBeF+mO+bAp4Fg2KdSjudPw1fbQnDizQ1k8qvikaOw0UbLtVilrfKEkmvSOzUc4js\/zZBIfGPCQiLDcliZFMr00ZiQJoLy9WCsGb\/JolHI92dHzTJXgVsCRv\/k\/1GGMC+iSyDwEHYay\/42RIXHn+e2ftmucMVb5Jlw0FkrYgjfXRN2u090wPURXdDGDbKLWhyTtnd9VsjJBdaf\/W4Gg2OQ0vf0uuMpHyATnyyX32UmqDOLaJLGvBtJjX7QgDa\/EdpfmGgw68LmgUbx6Z7ia6fdPVSIpVdilC0U5nSQww6SxUwu\/TuwH7Fw5EUvNeObN1Pmu8PBP9qmFQYLN2BGneAJ3j229rVKvXX7pzQH5vdrROPEmDnfD5VnQxIU6uguBMOjJfiGw6V6ATGfqpMG6DWpP\/MTKsJRgGJ0jZ2lup7PH2J2Butg7a1vtKZ8CBC57\/SJE795HliVDTDF1vjRm6cIoMWVXWVuD2ggQvQbN6xDoeGqMSTBRzAqyQj\/yPprhr+i6js9f1c+\/+681yLc8Ex2PkCrbuTO0q8l27ZS7pEexhNlDX4VAWELQQRBtbsUbd+BV+932eJNCG\/7sdc\/ZBARIbs\/+rwumb+oAzK3oRL2G8UM2EbrmZSWviuqJVurZXwTBy6S4yNsb696jlHBgNf+VZ\/nmKa4y5X7dIzFpRbMLqf6wzSqeUNLxKDor52d3Zuv2CfuJJ3FOdlReZsdLSmEQwRCFjI1YOY7lhYmN+FfsoEu2hcFIQuyJihqjflQ45eULJALYM6hJzORNgUi74bryQ2M8G4E2Sq10Y1BcCp3LkBoFhnuPxIMkDExYo3F0wFiUSXG4f0TZeBVznT9oO1DYTMHSE6LFYZy5GO+0AIOjf++EVg9fZQ7uJLIZiQqnmetghcuc17xSYlDPaAsNrH0DHkgtA+GWUkQrQYP27RwKcEsKuLpg7orQAT6TX957mVFZZdMoYgjLd9AxEVNALFXF3uLueLUBPRbeyREhLTyHsVGuUqPrvrpmOn\/s4pnEnMe1vHsrdBfHtzdJ2WsM\/d0xiGvyG3zI4LxdrOm3lEAxKEKYD\/nODHQnqKO3LO2oZDH4B6ij6bjXZGCQRKurclyIo4gR9mMXJ6e9Whzj9cRkNbFxOSfH3I2HCkczTJ6cgGebIJI1TFwWBMdX7hDevA4HIOggEDujZjOSOviWmsN07I7HJXewvtlxzsUqYSaX2tef+I7smC59PkIOlXFsZIS9YsMnu0P\/pv+v+XhL0Jg60hX25h1usucHk0XHXYKvntceUsMjMZBQPsCV\/PuMAZOtuIEBTIg6xWfRUMWj2K\/S0RHWe73bZbTFcWbfiX8rtMRFeKPrNx3mWcG\/TYzQ+OicVp7cBtCCyubv8ykNGYyNQbXaOy7xwZPUyTi7lAP+pdoGjz2Xm5XKKDUC3begmxQaLy\/VKXLDhQhQ+U+duO85w3F7g7C6zzFoHKY9mHUJjKP2g6wX3nNRcjp\/orM3qFAgmhF3TJpSPL++66zTsjrhSzO5+EJb5rs9wLFe6YddFxjRfWPGQnACfDZULRb\/A3QPVmjNh5KpLE7KaQ2s4j7r\/l1\/2tz3VlBHP2f85ems81DmyYLNQVfsjvmxEM+XHsp4oN1jKPgvlPEMucaFyjS\/+A7c+1B8WCTi98wtER7P0pXzT+1ps1lAMHAJhv\/xiW3lWSJxM7l8Wa\/nJbebfobnMdLuKDo0appd4y3031KQWbvaP55SffYlVXgXPEaVu\/vCEGK7RD15JE1DiRSiB+QnBJeNx0nOBsj1TXf5qMC3O2I\/G2MGWtlHdsnlUehvVVRg\/NRwh0D1ERGC0L6N8IuS3FdATwECem43Wi1RjHekF5nU0AmNW8yzcimIuyxivXwUEtY2Xty6ExvIS49xoIpDO9sSfZh0tcQzjX4Z86D11vfFTwNdw9STLWmop0djI2kTUb6ogfpiEACsrkI90XaeSaSerPCqYF0lXl3Bbu7RRKI8n1b6hZOCeihTs75fwdcIlamCa1xNkuDUfzmfRzYSV\/edz4e1SHct7RygFZYHihjW6Sv9HNq79iT\/lf\/K+eWlDN5mlWuzkizZNbj3+xG89KT1Uqhrp34fdcP4AiyP7dqv01AhtByAc0WLxPwWLatOhAfIszIlGhvypLtUes+My8iidApokHyLgbSTvAHzdAp9sykW28c3iWrOHuYSoQ+SeLhVOYwsiftleqrGcanbGlLeDR0Auaph+QaWh532uM20FLX2QSUMOcBG0\/VD+qdMvwQTewkBILnQMPVNXdLvqAtyUBtTsY9cpCZyIbvGcGKtJuo5PxpSV3tO7gauzy1efgn5RcSz231YJ1iPSWbOe+uyB6Ai+EAmc0bXDfuH+bdVI78yXuHmHjWx0QvcHLFEWIw7ByB516yEZwl\/l3ygzKE3epU589gs5AJUf2OV9iM6oIYPORXbcguG1D2MDVCOx+mDvYMBgmL0sIF0qNUIqDXn2qSZqIJYRDVKsyBa2xm8iagHwbZrUKS4kXAxm9MuBFRMlnRmThe6mfVEu6gOQ8RgBjvAe2BkeYOCe9eyAJJ9sg9lX3Jrac975PAugHHqvjmVZh1J\/m0sHCuXqEfg\/YTCry8Q3l3TVkue1S7020FvOM4lGB74GG2nbsOZf6RbcT0ovCpl0yFuvzOLNPi442DbOpZod9jULBU0YXBMKF7JUOAWMgOXsgX847uw8YDnmz3iOE9DhbDBfFz\/jf\/vuIsX5vHGpz99wCJFIfTlhXwbwWDsfGedeP9f4uDO\/brWmvgL4iv3pIWDyxeRvjBDNYQx3GWCb8wVKY7jk9RPTqs4C0sKY97e453XI4PU3Rgl6ojAKf0gdhCBz7kPcKaRp8x2Dw1x2PhJRMxT6\/9+W\/riywTYi\/C\/Pyv6b5\/\/hc0isGMhpLwBW6syIH8vn9u0mnJKpFKDGWXnBKa5dyMrlTewX4lhCC1PUYJvYtFE7dl\/\/k29qDJ9fpsHdBJdmw13nUCUtfQ6KQJwqw1iI4lztD9pfjZaDsHj82fY25OJlkR\/CDf2w8kJilGGbwvSF9Ul5S7jlrtvOvfMZ\/PVKtdTB4sMkcAXE9U7yBONO2T7RJBSabGcPSfOCuUBG5BO0ROuDgSkotL5Z1brkiTLU08345uhIGK+3jiwZBjYVtWdA8IWFRHLlkIF8FG8h3qeGYrEDjMFPZLi8FTjg389u+ZFnHTE3wr5MwyZ5kzA+br0nVyOVEoQubg8cfJfLEhfxHpnDWBsXzImLlPocRerd7\/rAEXQclXwq4Jrd3kn92wlU3XZ\/rOJ0oRyOSdya4PZjwTximxch\/oKqMyk9GnumUdsGHLLb5BnNiYY2jNWC8knt\/bPIOFufx+a5dw6nLwLHX8nerLwvC8B8n\/zZ1BQjczi9EDQm6oxWPUyvQY3ZmYiaUhUsL5jnO3bKLqVIvJQohiCS2i+L8jOCdogD46fiygZ4HiQ2lhbkjQIgKOwdI0eX7f8lWml2l3RovAik++ZWkdfePDSBZvvhF7tteRALFau0KQTXBr9tVZooAjcjZVtc4SipCEjFxM5aMRWGlZurSfr0Wydgdrr2KeCKOHVQw8MTD+ZzfokAFgVNbRynt+bmfQQrG44aqatzkyB4vG\/wDEccxgsqFs7grOSEMdGIMGRpK\/eZ8DosyTacpBlR8AffRV7ddW2jmV8JbxsowymYZYGYZGdysbI+YvkR1cd7apLho2Hp71ncZtBSt4LPByEfGQIzNELF\/HCpyqGAcz3nCVxQV9n5fVs9JZ2id1B0Va92MMynzI3yBMZ3q4TinjliNg9BSX1N\/MVmVTj0Rkvx\/FlHpF1GTSj1W40z3+X\/CsoH3GtX8lz379XnvWaVRQmCoh5YG80Vo2kt\/mm27uw\/gEaf48Ub9GMpdIxc0b1SmU84sDoaRTGD6r8cljnGjv4F3zkmWoaAA2fHWNgMk93V6rhdmx2kY37hnNMjghWUrSeHmMEYEnHFw\/QfnwzutkCt3O4J4+3zcBtYMpuCFGDAlAjA8XPqJlSTXK92q\/DuXO7L3BkXoH7vkG+l+awtPoxJh07IyXKJT78UylK6rNR9QGOdSNA0Fgie4dWvEQz7+HMrKfJ36jHmTZbNxjSPK1DrCfjbBKmtM75yxrfcVSMd7vuIlebxDq8R66qc0rYaPaignWbHBrgr5xb+nmdVIiNOVDLlLIPogrCm2hWPZH4nb5h2jhepjNwdyuv79wJmWYXhoyZvE1ZoEzCb1Oa7G0XRlLNh8wsgRkaPKmP8zjH\/3StupUINS\/6UtEojyrwYe6\/Vgam\/QRGariZxuof0FNXu+TcTFMZlE46oAbkR1Y\/qr2VCeOkezuh8RVu54vn4lPrEIXMeFkfJ4EWeH29G\/vXfZQuQIr8M4Eud4sQ2ncIBGE2D6v02NR4hRQAdPkec9rQ27rzM+irlh0lz2UE6xJFB4Lqxv376zfZltVAXKsh+eIfPr4SSqpoYxUsKCFJwDcNk5J\/iUSGJmxzZA0KBeiKNde8b4eUNYGmg68RUzO4KcXbPccbASpZgrfrDe\/bER9le0rPNgmLIAGf0pGrYeDpHClOxgKh3kaJDfajUYnvNzINOtPcSAxaBILfZV20c9TL4qXk6tB8\/lwyc\/Py\/aY11osbRWcmiLRedzyCH5Cqb0O6xFP3CqmItTvw\/rlUL8yeVZgGVp6CzfjLwxLbXxNFRVg3R2fBLwyWS7QvUh4DGPxsQQPFfMa60RyviK1EUeQ7dL2nNEPvONLowNnhBW58nkY\/QfMvVUsvGh\/NyJIC7g5UOxhLlp2GfQ1j+fReNQhKJw3X9YVrec3NEbuO9SSyhbVLw5bO3pVsJq2iIGuBLfPhPke2uUyvyNF8d\/GAqnF9uuKfM+yCrK5mTUkDytPOphyMUahaJae1ofa\/tl7BGprh3qCfUdVVEQS49gVr82Sfwylroan8oJbNurxuMobHIWAfcU33wpTmybHpRAVmumt\/5\/I\/2leNbcS0lKlsYECoZFU5VQ\/RXDiSJGbV0VJmB0Vo4YZkiSK24gjMNYADoTSnVmadbpFla6EuLAHvEHQ7rkT1UiMo\/F0Y86LujA7NDNkREZuUr+anm5dV1D6XfBP44brL+ZbRiFEjcx107EUs1uLkJ7vG60q56I\/7UbQmnbnSlEKyxDAbsLrbrR3x3qyEDh5yKp+UfCtfLp+XezgIi9KoqSkaAYGH5FdUGfRzlPxhipjFrhkZn8a1lGUhLZ6n8V5k3oazqWGqwtLlBvx4qjcyhZ5sjuok+sM4HkkWAFEjUDzRh\/hYaQFLtQI2VNb0p1KsjgCiEBxk+FYM8o1zYPcBjMWSlHcT7wAczYnp9zr8RB3hW7ibHSwfpdaVEhFb8Cqz2dqX6+Rt9XDbyzuwZC8FA4K6wghgRZAYydY3TIV39ixL\/j+BdaRNzTYf7wmYjkNl2+PO7MotjK+I1BbMVrBZqlTBS3B4BRM2AMiwatNAxCbOUbzyKYrJLgtKOI39+hJmKhwJYhuYsmaxwdYK5jKdZKgrsFN09biJ3ka4tnjxZ7q4o6LZOsWvI8FVu4oFjTLDBJJh1Z90yQnEkBC8SFPVMbdQ0VUDZOR3ONPJ0fwj\/Aoq9rfSF74f0UigI8ShBORHTqsGz8NwzOI7K++MYJJcD9h8wsLiDT3PjJNYksC7RuLWZ0sqMPldKf\/jlC6xiPSCp4\/ZzJ3x3LiICbgyA1bGu6dJaWY1tn3mUN\/eEUQXyQ5nrc29S1f0rR8atN0EZULioLmiLXCrnH1U2Lw9ZaOS8egDpnD3p56A8jzrZ96Hz6FSWK5dEJ3gfp84BkSLOFd3iGQ0ryYHEBG25Cz4695qT9mjJlxGVmzq4ArAD5HWYr2HwEM5EvLmz2yHSmj5hp9aRH6Md7J6QMjKEOp+lYdPkH\/LBumr7rocJ63ROXrI9guEOKiC5u9j46fmu++wlGK6O308aOPKUBIlH6I8S+Tblm8qVbzir\/tb+XWjieq1od\/sGpvnnRjHY47+aazvj5DlPOrWN2UqomgoaMfcZJNYnpxNynmQDbqejqYn\/kQf8JMqHGi7lhtKYl99bQowCOO5kORSBWMqErppScDqGt70vgYFDusJDju0aEiALF9XXJSqZN\/mRRNCkR7VCpzLd28XT6mEaRnD7vXw9MSGbYt1idbKTrvhwio8Fld7R2LWapq6ahKk0MITySQmSljvf1dzrBMtEwN8\/suf4vgq8HImCLHmofVtJNVvuWn\/9KdYkUGzSKEaKTVmtUA\/HQ+P0TFmW+WwqHDChwdcFz9Pp16xQdqMpPAwTPsK8qHF6OUT5kE4U4zbKaW7MtOhjn23XNQxREeHSUYaCsPXfALEQpDSXnHCo5UsXh1QGXO4bGNmOqG8erHWRnXgjFNa4o\/eVVOUaE\/sohbI2R9CqetXpF5zX8GJOhVT33r0tTE2mXH87iMCMTLSCU6U7eVRgtZJrsrgbAAs7qUVWfhKoU2szNjo3z3NWusske+dWb81wQOEa0FZuNjI2aSTl93nUE5wJRiA7qa8859I1EWnea5mLbWKOZPwdIzqUWVlJyJQ+BNmSuKWlPniW403YnNBSn1qKh6bxqXzNpLQWpkdc+21bKq5ey0zb5QVS1S7zjK6\/IX0WXtTpVN+fGiE7jgZwl\/WOCKrOPpJAAKHopGeOwKySPsHlRAPN0UKckKaTSpTsY0MMO8JQ+JxTJFkZgdVf6O0iqflVCSJLu5A4CT1D2e0DhNAjEL+KB12yRbUEfJfclONyiovvRA848qAsvrYNNzo9LyCZHST8ojqBS\/kHKUc1DufJOP7zcHqb7x6RChXyXZ4jNojdrfeJ2Dq\/ZYER4kBU9j6mOq0QGleESrMreFTvQK28rec\/2oXR4JHfY2c3kZ9MxoE+x6wBmoaQNDEH0ly1NEgK7Dh0MxoGi76ildMnHaxiuF1Huu\/ptSgSL7EInySgyGvJPtdDVs4KCOwXkc+j\/M9AK5yFcTEpkhm+MaaxvXyaD0ayaj5ax8YctF\/GwfC1Afex4J2oJWjZwiijPw9xRbU9\/R6GA5ZYD3\/N2L7JTeqiVk9j+bu\/RQqw\/PacCph0APCAF43ZTeK9VoI3WecpirTvlzEkwkBFmSN5j36GjZLkILXhiTCT7K1nymOR7xwzE2KI01HRSzPjHmmbfGAVUr0adOH\/ncOUoXTJZbe0F38ig58oMV9DxLPieghTKQRQilBtF6No9v6cmol8Qkpi9LqaAINJ7gID1i6qzlRJucIYCkL8gyYUcy5u64Ag4nPWlZ6krmgHr8w0PaNA3KVgAIV2YSZb8ACF8mRqolEMIN+Ij6BanbqEdz0zZ8spb+Wy7UYKvAUcUxuHadWqK2N\/Wx4AKaAhn73dI3Zif\/BPvfwg5dudDRlrUwCpn\/b4x7IjEXRIVMPsClW+RGiHmHKaxsKoCL5hadsVNHaHV\/qWe7Jzw8Rmw1cLgSP47fHMrLb9WqVzzlf+9fiuI36Tzc8WQCCBZl1z9Ak45KqxrYVZSiKHpfHotjZyExvK8z73kJvKeN8\/rPGdvHsaFXIK550QGs5V+ckG02yBQjs+6RQSooSlKA\/\/mRGTLC6qe8g9YXfc95p9vjhxnxZsiLSjXmDuwSVbBdyPYJlrPc8dBcWgEqsDD5TqxH8cHWFhMZ\/g9fMMuMe2AyFr9sU7cumQWRU+15poYYFmUy635wGV5o9mpioxoxemzbkM0YaxXVzx1vzbVSd9aSVk+8+xex6qpctuzKJ+7npmJg8hrQ2VT3aidDpEO9oyHn6U+FfC0JA39MTSatcailg2O7xO0fyV9effPJoD8fsPjUf6qmDo5RojsGdQfSz5qRUPi8V2T1c0BzLX+19kpwoj0dyh8GFEVnanZgtwV8suUPRnSsmw8kZDGQA34DC6Zw+2\/8gfhbgDdL94mc4eIV2gdyFOnbMOxaEKen3A2rQme0li6W4E4hzDTe9uAzX868ii1Hd4fycBKyl3Ph0aRSx\/AFQ06l3EHCjW2dd46hg4d6NtqSc2xQjecJ8DEEJ6rvKjDi88kq+5BibXB3MaNrGAdyU8lYEXPKX1H5WIDX\/SesLR2a1daMwi7Pa\/zN71XH\/2KPpypIhfzNV6uRRisN0M1ZpCBwJw+JQl0OUkH6uW\/iIEZwkccLlu9bh+jrxaFQrIFLfFz+yhQeRExeSwNbAKgkD2NoHeS29WxCebeWY75TdAVBMfXT0hrBBOjlHVMBPVqgsnyD7tBXN8IrBvondoQ0WzY5cRDw53NMZsJRjqWDWXiZfPFsYpGw8HiUTf7TMcEt5Z\/EmpmfPJj\/ujwBAm6Qa4XPicZcCsnWbAIEy206XctZ73jY9r1Uxe4TFXU59LqwRvrxtW\/zNHyrHUfdTSfQHxOTq\/k5ZvHw6M1fepFqN4AvqGlgSRx8yvlvsUWYkD0rfeKUEzGK\/Q1ktWm+WFYPoCKcZum8Lsy2j+ceBySdIeUWdQaKk6IBhACOkm+A6SF3zUzqnvkT8C+qzIfU7fsi0rFyH1LKR\/QJPr1gUKCkhO0aFFvH6aP6yGbR\/5IExZCsRmFXxOPRNHPrgmszfgHjUmXUm4GvrAsrdN3\/4YtDdAjT9tSF6c\/vcdWHwn","iv":"d233eed4c17dacdbd952e7557a4f639a","s":"30c1fc38aa6f1d9a"}
Share your thoughts. Click here