Articles

Melanie Choukas-Bradley has been a long-time freelance contributor to The Washington Post and many other publications.  Below are some of the more prominent selections from her contributions.

(July 14, 2023) “This Park Is D.C.’s Summer Gem”
Melanie’s Letter to the Editor: Many people shun high summer in the D.C. area. And yet summer is a time like no other to explore and appreciate Rock Creek Park.

(Mar. 24, 2017) “Worried about the cherry blossoms? You may have ‘phenology anxiety.'”
Melanie’s op-ed about the worry that natural occurrences are seriously out of whack.

(Winter/Spring 2016) “A Capital Transition”
Melanie’s story appears on pages 16-23.

(2010) “Ironing”
Melanie muses on one of the more common household tasks.

(Sep. 1, 2008) “A Creek Runs Through It”
Rock Creek meanders through Montgomery County for more than 20 miles and is marked by nature’s beauty.

(Jul. 17, 2007) “Let’s Keep the Country in Montgomery”
An essay on behalf of the country’s rural areas, and Montgomery County’s in particular.

(Feb/Mar 2007) “Where Water Goes”
Melanie writes about her beloved Rock Creek Park in the organization’s Arts & Literature issue.

(Jul. 2, 2006) “Lessons Along Rock Creek”
Melanie assesses Rock Creek Park after a storm, including the area with “her” meditation rock.

(Jan. 20, 2005) “On This Historic Day, Hail to the Leaf”
Capitol Hill tress fall to age, security, and construction.

(2003) “An Old Dog, Blackberries, and Joie de Vivre”
First published in The Washington Post.

(May 30, 2002) “Every Tree Counts: A D.C. Census of What Grows Where”
Melanie provides a peek inside a little-known event.

(2002) “The Proverbial Word to the Wise: Where There’s a Will There’s a Cliché
…and the Voice of the Ages”
First published in The Washington Post.

(Mar. 9, 2001) “Vignette: Synchronicity on Ice”
A personal account of taking part in the 2001 Eastern Synchronized Team Skating Champtionship.

(Jan. 14, 1999) “Jackson’s Magnolias Lose Their Currency”
A look back on the former President’s legacy at the White House and on the twenty-dollar bill.

(Jun. 8, 1998) “The Getaway: All-Women’s Gatherings”
Girlfriend getaways have evolved over the years, reflecting women’s shifting roles.

(June 9, 1997) “Reflection”
Thoughts on a statue in the Bishop’s Garden of the Washington National Cathedral.

(May 13, 1996) “Tuning In”
Melanie discusses the D.C. area’s “weather sensitives.”

(Mar. 18, 1996) “The Play Group Clan”
Community-building advice for parents.

(Mar. 18, 1996) “Getting Started”
A follow-up to Melanie’s article “The Play Group Clan.”

(Jan. 2, 1996) “A Celebration of Friends”
Melanie channels Jane Austen for a girl’s night out.

(Mar. 1, 1985) “Late-Winter Wanderings Admiring the Beauty of Winter Trees”
A cold-weather tour of the city’s more common trees.

(Aug. 5, 1983) “Thanks to ‘Boss’ Shepherd, You’ve Got It Made in the Shade”
Melanie takes a look back at D.C.’s tree-planting legacy.