Mal and I had a great weekend, be it super fast.
We spent Friday night in Chapel Hill. We arrived in town at around 1:oo AM and didn't have to check out of our Holiday Inn Express room until noon. Sidenote: awesome hotel. I'd never stayed in one, but the amenities were great. In the bathroom, they had this little card by the sink that boasted of their shower head. Admittedly, it was the best shower head ever! It had a large ring from which the water flowed. Because of the ring's width, it was able to direct the water over a larger surface area. It was like taking a bath while standing. I definitely want one in my future "permanent" residence.
OK, so... after we checked out of the best hotel room ever, I drove Mal to her conference and then got our car's oil changed while I waited. When that was complete, I still had a couple hours to wait, so I parked in the lot behind her building, under a tree, and caught up on some reading before I took a nap. :)
When she was done (around 3), we left for Myrtle Beach. The trip was a little longer than expected, but we weren't pressed for time. We arrived in town at 7:30. After some quick hellos to grandma, the three of us departed and joined Mal and my godmother (Joan) for dinner at a tasty Mexican restaurant in town. I had a really tasty entree of shrimp stuffed with cheese and jalapeno peppers. Then, they were wrapped in bacon and grilled. On the side, they served a cheese dipping sauce, steamed broccoli, and rice. Mmm. The picture of my dish is actually on the page I have linked. It was delicious. Plus, they had tasty chips and salsa (which is how I judge all Mexican restaurants).
After dinner, the four of us rented some movies and watched them before calling it a night. Mal and I slept in a little on Sunday and then hung out with grandma a bit. We departed for the beach a little after noon and stayed for a couple hours. Having learned my lesson from a few burns in my life, I generously applied some sunscreen. As I sit at my desk today, I can't even tell I saw sun this weekend except for a few places that I managed to miss. Mallory, however, can be seen (illustrated) in your Webster's dictionary under "lobster". It's scary. Poor sister. She's basically hating it right now.
When we returned from the beach, grandma fed us her (requested!) noodles and we cleaned up for the road. We left soon after dinner (5ish) and arrived in DC a few minutes after midnight. Phew. It was fast, but so much fun!
Today, Mal and I had lunch together. We basically rehashed our weekend and talked about how we're both broke. Ha ha! Mal was telling me about how she's maxed out her credit card and is waiting anxiously until payday on Friday. In an attempt to comfort, I shared that I got paid today and most of it is already gone to bills.
Why was I in such a hurry to grow up??
I write this not for sympathy, but to share some exciting news...
When lunch was over (after we'd wallowed in our "broke" self pity), Mal sent me an email about twenty minutes later. In it, forwarded from her boss, were details and an announcement letting her know that she was going to receive a bonus this month! Can anyone guess at what the amount could be??
Here it comes...
wait for it...
the perfect amount to pay off her (much stressed over) credit card!
Isn't God awesome!? We laughed about how fast He answered that prayer. Amazing! It was just enough money... not too much or too little. Just perfect.
Speaking of prayer, keep Mal in mind because she's at the doctor's office right now. When we were in Chapel Hill, she got bit by something on her leg. After going to the clinic in her office at work, they told her to go to the Urgent Care clinic in Alexandria. They think a brown recluse bit her. Yikes! The bite really does look bad and is slowly getting worse. So, keep her in your prayers... who knows, this one might get answered just as quickly! :)
Mal and I may go see Little Miss Sunshine tonight with Drew. Drew got some "early released" tickets to the movie that's not out yet. I don't know how he gets all the tickets, but I don't complain! Drew said it did well at the Cannes film festival. So, we'll see.
I may wind up taking care of my spider-bitten sister. Who knows what the evening will bring on this hot and sticky DC evening?
Monday, July 31, 2006
Friday, July 28, 2006
In the days ahead...
Last night was pretty relaxing, minus the laundry that had to be done.
Mal and I went to Bistro for dinner. Finally learned the new guy's name (you remember, the one who replaced our favorite server, Cliff). His name is Kaylor. Not sure where he's from, but he has a thick accent (European, I think), so it took me three times to understand what he was saying.
After the second time of my asking, he explained, "Eetz like Daylor (Taylor) wit a K." Gotcha. I nodded, finally understanding. I had to watch his lips real close though. It was a combination of being slightly deaf (sometimes I really do wonder about my hearing) and the accent that threw me.
Just as the time before, when we went with Brooke, Heather, and Dave, the service left much to be desired. Poor Kaylor. He's really struggling to grasp the precious timing of waiting tables. Besides the service, everything else was good. Mal and I stuffed ourselves with Italian slices of heaven.
After dinner, we caught "So You Think You Can Dance" on the television with Drew. It's our favorite show right now. It comes on Wednesday and Thursday night and features super talented dancers who are all competing to be America's #1 best dancer. Whoa. Nail-biting, I tell you. Wednesday nights are standard dance routines and at the end of the evening, there's a time for America to vote on who was best. Then, Thursday night, they announce the results at the end of another night of dancing and a guest performer. Simply fabulous.
After the show ended, Drew retired to finish some work and Mal supposedly cleaned her room. Hmm... funny, because when I asked what she was doing for lunch today, she mentioned going home to clean her room. Isn't that what you did last night?
Steve and I watched Before Sunrise while they piddled around upstairs. It is a good movie. Entertaining and refreshingly clean of stupid plots, boring dialogue, and overwhelming action. It was a "feel good" movie that is able to capture an audience from the first minute.
Today has been pretty slow in the office. I did get to do a pretty big "copy job" earlier that took a while. Tilya offered to help, but I was excited to be away from my desk and doing something productive besides reading CNN.com. So, I turned down her offer and completed the task myself.
Mal and I were talking about how fast this week has gone. I can't believe that another weekend starts in an hour. I hope the weekend doesn't slip by as fast as the work week did. Mal and I have plans to leave tonight for Chapel Hill. She's speaking at a conference down there. The conference is about the internship program in which she participated. She always gets invited because she's on of their "success stories" since she landed a job because of it.
So, we'll spend the night in Chapel Hill tonight. Paid for by you, NC tax-paying citizens (and us, I guess). Thanks for contributing towards our hotel bill, food expenses, and gas. :)
After the conference, we're gonna slip down to Myrtle and see our grandma there. It will be a fun, fast trip to the beach. Mal and I will take some pictures and I'll post them. Our internet at home isn't working like it was (ie. free from the neighbor's signal). This has deterred my online access and my posting of Screen on the Green pictures or ones from last weekend. I apologize. Hopefully, the problem will be fixed shortly (ie. our neighbors will come back in to town and reconnect their router).
Mal and I went to Bistro for dinner. Finally learned the new guy's name (you remember, the one who replaced our favorite server, Cliff). His name is Kaylor. Not sure where he's from, but he has a thick accent (European, I think), so it took me three times to understand what he was saying.
After the second time of my asking, he explained, "Eetz like Daylor (Taylor) wit a K." Gotcha. I nodded, finally understanding. I had to watch his lips real close though. It was a combination of being slightly deaf (sometimes I really do wonder about my hearing) and the accent that threw me.
Just as the time before, when we went with Brooke, Heather, and Dave, the service left much to be desired. Poor Kaylor. He's really struggling to grasp the precious timing of waiting tables. Besides the service, everything else was good. Mal and I stuffed ourselves with Italian slices of heaven.
After dinner, we caught "So You Think You Can Dance" on the television with Drew. It's our favorite show right now. It comes on Wednesday and Thursday night and features super talented dancers who are all competing to be America's #1 best dancer. Whoa. Nail-biting, I tell you. Wednesday nights are standard dance routines and at the end of the evening, there's a time for America to vote on who was best. Then, Thursday night, they announce the results at the end of another night of dancing and a guest performer. Simply fabulous.
After the show ended, Drew retired to finish some work and Mal supposedly cleaned her room. Hmm... funny, because when I asked what she was doing for lunch today, she mentioned going home to clean her room. Isn't that what you did last night?
Steve and I watched Before Sunrise while they piddled around upstairs. It is a good movie. Entertaining and refreshingly clean of stupid plots, boring dialogue, and overwhelming action. It was a "feel good" movie that is able to capture an audience from the first minute.
Today has been pretty slow in the office. I did get to do a pretty big "copy job" earlier that took a while. Tilya offered to help, but I was excited to be away from my desk and doing something productive besides reading CNN.com. So, I turned down her offer and completed the task myself.
Mal and I were talking about how fast this week has gone. I can't believe that another weekend starts in an hour. I hope the weekend doesn't slip by as fast as the work week did. Mal and I have plans to leave tonight for Chapel Hill. She's speaking at a conference down there. The conference is about the internship program in which she participated. She always gets invited because she's on of their "success stories" since she landed a job because of it.
So, we'll spend the night in Chapel Hill tonight. Paid for by you, NC tax-paying citizens (and us, I guess). Thanks for contributing towards our hotel bill, food expenses, and gas. :)
After the conference, we're gonna slip down to Myrtle and see our grandma there. It will be a fun, fast trip to the beach. Mal and I will take some pictures and I'll post them. Our internet at home isn't working like it was (ie. free from the neighbor's signal). This has deterred my online access and my posting of Screen on the Green pictures or ones from last weekend. I apologize. Hopefully, the problem will be fixed shortly (ie. our neighbors will come back in to town and reconnect their router).
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
A Lao Lunchbreak
Certainly had an interesting lunch. I went with some coworkers to a performance in the Jefferson Building. Once a month, the library presents "Homegrown 2006", which is a musical performance done by an individual or group that's from somewhere in the United States.
Today, we watched a group from Iowa. That was their tie to the U.S. anyway. Most of the original members are from Laos. They performed some Lao music and dancing. It was very entertaining and their costumes were ornate and beautifully crafted. If you click on the link above, you can see a picture of someone performing my favorite dance that they performed. It's a dance about a monkey king.
Last night was super "DCish". Mal and I grabbed dinner at Union Station and then met Drew and Marie, one of his coworkers, for the movie Meeting Resistance. It was an invitation only event and we heard about it through Drew.
The movie wasn't exactly what I was expecting. There were no calculating terrorists filled with crazy ideas. No shots taken in caves and dark places. Rather, the movie was filled with "normal" Iraqis. Most of the people interviewed by the directors were men, although there was one woman. They spoke of their roles as "insurgents" and their overall goal and desire for America to just "leave them alone". It was informative and left me feeling more depressed about the situation there. It seems, from the insurgents' perspectives, that they just want us gone. They want us to leave their damaged country, to be picked up by its own people, and to just go.
They claim to be fighting because they just want us to leave. People who aren't even associated with the military or organized groups are picking up guns, missiles, and other weapons. They are aiming at Americans because we represent "the invading enemy" that is pressing our thumb down and squelching them.
The documentary was filmed in 2003, and many things have even changed since then. There was no division among Shiites and Sunnis. They fought, together, against America. I wonder now how their perspectives may have changed towards us? Since they are so violently divided, are they quick to still hate us?
After the movie, several veterans spoke who served in Iraq. One said that he had no idea that the people of Iraq felt that way. During his time served, he knew of no differences in the Shiites and Sunnis. He added that he would have liked to have known those things while he was there. All he did was follow orders and give them (he was a commander), with little regard to what he might not know.
It was interesting. I'm glad that I went. I was sullen and slightly depressed when I left. I felt disappointed for the soldiers and also upset that the Iraqi insurgents were (are?) completely blind to any good that was/ has come out of their liberation. All they kept focusing on was our presence. I got their point that if America would leave, the fighting would stop. They are only fighting because we are there. Funny. How would they explain the fighting before we arrived? Or now, as it is more amongst themselves than at us? Sad.
Everyday, as more and more war stories develop throughout our globe, I become more upset and disappointed in us as people. We are too quick to cast a stone before learning about each other. We've traded violence for other ways of resolving conflicts. We've really screwed up what could have been a better world. The worst thing is, there's no light at the end of the tunnel. World peace is a crock. It makes me want to throw up my hands and write it all off.
Today, we watched a group from Iowa. That was their tie to the U.S. anyway. Most of the original members are from Laos. They performed some Lao music and dancing. It was very entertaining and their costumes were ornate and beautifully crafted. If you click on the link above, you can see a picture of someone performing my favorite dance that they performed. It's a dance about a monkey king.
Last night was super "DCish". Mal and I grabbed dinner at Union Station and then met Drew and Marie, one of his coworkers, for the movie Meeting Resistance. It was an invitation only event and we heard about it through Drew.
The movie wasn't exactly what I was expecting. There were no calculating terrorists filled with crazy ideas. No shots taken in caves and dark places. Rather, the movie was filled with "normal" Iraqis. Most of the people interviewed by the directors were men, although there was one woman. They spoke of their roles as "insurgents" and their overall goal and desire for America to just "leave them alone". It was informative and left me feeling more depressed about the situation there. It seems, from the insurgents' perspectives, that they just want us gone. They want us to leave their damaged country, to be picked up by its own people, and to just go.
They claim to be fighting because they just want us to leave. People who aren't even associated with the military or organized groups are picking up guns, missiles, and other weapons. They are aiming at Americans because we represent "the invading enemy" that is pressing our thumb down and squelching them.
The documentary was filmed in 2003, and many things have even changed since then. There was no division among Shiites and Sunnis. They fought, together, against America. I wonder now how their perspectives may have changed towards us? Since they are so violently divided, are they quick to still hate us?
After the movie, several veterans spoke who served in Iraq. One said that he had no idea that the people of Iraq felt that way. During his time served, he knew of no differences in the Shiites and Sunnis. He added that he would have liked to have known those things while he was there. All he did was follow orders and give them (he was a commander), with little regard to what he might not know.
It was interesting. I'm glad that I went. I was sullen and slightly depressed when I left. I felt disappointed for the soldiers and also upset that the Iraqi insurgents were (are?) completely blind to any good that was/ has come out of their liberation. All they kept focusing on was our presence. I got their point that if America would leave, the fighting would stop. They are only fighting because we are there. Funny. How would they explain the fighting before we arrived? Or now, as it is more amongst themselves than at us? Sad.
Everyday, as more and more war stories develop throughout our globe, I become more upset and disappointed in us as people. We are too quick to cast a stone before learning about each other. We've traded violence for other ways of resolving conflicts. We've really screwed up what could have been a better world. The worst thing is, there's no light at the end of the tunnel. World peace is a crock. It makes me want to throw up my hands and write it all off.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Whoa. Lots to write about...
There's been a lot happening lately. In this post, I will write of: last weekend, plans for tonight, and the (drumroll, please) vacation plans!
The weekend was fast and furious. Brooke and Heather arrived soon after Dave did on Friday evening. By seven, all five of us were on the way to Bistro Italiano. Yes, it's true, we live there. We arrived and were disappointed (well, Mal and I were) that our favorite server, Cliff, no longer works there. Cliff was awesome. He knew what we always ordered and has a great personality. Instead, we had Kato, Krato, something along those lines... and it was his second day. Poor guy. Bistro has a small dining room that has about 15 tables. It's the server's job to cover them all. And little Krato wasn't doing such a fabulous job.
Mal and I were discussing our experience as we waited (patiently) for our salads and garlic bread. We couldn't help but note that everytime we bring guests from out of town with us, the service isn't quite up to par. This of course, was no fault of Cliff's, rather due to his absence. Friday night was no exception to this "guest" rule.
Dinner was tasty and, in the end, complimented upon by Brooke, Heather, and Dave. That's what matters... that it was good tasting to them. Mal and I are always pleased with Bistro's food.
Mal and Dave went shopping for camping gear (which they used on Saturday in Deleware) and Brooke, Heather, and I went to rent some movies in Eastern Market. Since they were tired from the drive, I didn't mind chilling out at home and watching a flick. So, we walked to Eastern Market and I showed them around. We rented Prime and Shopgirl. When Mal and Dave returned home, with camping gear in tow, the five of us (and Drew) watched Prime.
The movie was okay. Certainly had some funny moments, but overall, it's definitely just worth renting (as opposed to paying an arm and a leg and seeing it in the theatre). Some parts were really drawn out and more than one person was heard saying, "When is this movie going to end?" Hmm, not the best sign of a perfectly timed movie.
On Saturday, Mal and Dave left for Deleware to camp. Brooke, Heather, and I left the house at 11:30 and headed for the museums. We hit the National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of American History. The museums were fantastic. My hands-down favorite exhibit was in the Natural History Museum's "Department of Mineral Sciences" room. In the room was the Hope Diamond and other beautifully exquisite treasures. Hey, a girl can dream.
Brooke and Heather in the Museum of Natural History.
Heather and I are shopping in Union Station.
When we finished at the museums, we quickly headed to the National Theatre where I knew of a (free!) show playing that evening. It was first come, first serve for tickets. So, we got there early. The show began after six and we arrived shortly after five. Good thing, too, because only seven other people behind us in line were let in to the theatre. We barely got seats. The show was entertaining and, after a long day of walking, it felt really good to just sit.
After the show, we hopped on the metro and rode it back to Eastern Market. I had a Thai restaurant in mind that I'd been wanting to try. I'd heard great things about it and by the end of the meal, no one was disappointed. It was delicious. I had Shrimp Pad Thai as my entree and had a peach sorbet dessert. The food presentation was as beautiful as the taste was delightful.
After dinner, the three of us walked home, exhausted and defeated from our busy day. We planned on watching Shopgirl, but opted to just go to bed instead. Saturday ended a little after one in the morning.
Sunday came. Brooke's parents are from Richmond (as written in previous blogs) and wanted to spend a little time with her. So, her mother drove into DC and stole her away for a few hours. Heather and I went to church. We met Drew and his mom (who was also visiting for the weekend, though not staying with us) there and afterwards the four of us came back to the apartment for lunch. After lunch, Heather and Drew's mom (separetely) left for NC.
Once again, it was just us DC natives. Ha ha. I don't think I moved from the couch (very much) for the rest of the evening. I was so tired after the weekend rush. It felt amazing to just veg out. Eventually, Mal and Dave arrived home from their trip and rehashed it for Drew and me. It sounded like fun and the two of them were tired also. At about six o'clock, all four of us headed upstairs and we all took naps until later in the evening!
Overall, it was a fantastic weekend.
Now... as for tonight. Mal, Drew, and I have plans to join one of Drew's coworkers for a special film. At a theatre a few stops away, we will be taking in an "invitation only" documentary. The film is about Iraqi terrorists and it follows the everyday life of some terrorists and lets the audience peek inside their world. It should be very interesting and the directors are actually going to be there this evening for a "question and answer" time afterwards.
I'll be sure to write about it and share some of the insights gained from the viewing.
As mentioned at the beginning of this posting... I will now touch on vacation plans. I am so excited about our December destination. Mal and I booked our condo in St. Thomas!! It was booked today and we are anticipating the trip from December 9-16. It's gonna be a blast. Check out where we'll be staying.
Originally, we were heading to Lake Tahoe, which would have also been fun, be it cold. I am more excited about St. Thomas because I don't do cold well. I will be able to lie on the white sand in my bathing suit and in December. Wonderful.
The weekend was fast and furious. Brooke and Heather arrived soon after Dave did on Friday evening. By seven, all five of us were on the way to Bistro Italiano. Yes, it's true, we live there. We arrived and were disappointed (well, Mal and I were) that our favorite server, Cliff, no longer works there. Cliff was awesome. He knew what we always ordered and has a great personality. Instead, we had Kato, Krato, something along those lines... and it was his second day. Poor guy. Bistro has a small dining room that has about 15 tables. It's the server's job to cover them all. And little Krato wasn't doing such a fabulous job.
Mal and I were discussing our experience as we waited (patiently) for our salads and garlic bread. We couldn't help but note that everytime we bring guests from out of town with us, the service isn't quite up to par. This of course, was no fault of Cliff's, rather due to his absence. Friday night was no exception to this "guest" rule.
Dinner was tasty and, in the end, complimented upon by Brooke, Heather, and Dave. That's what matters... that it was good tasting to them. Mal and I are always pleased with Bistro's food.
Mal and Dave went shopping for camping gear (which they used on Saturday in Deleware) and Brooke, Heather, and I went to rent some movies in Eastern Market. Since they were tired from the drive, I didn't mind chilling out at home and watching a flick. So, we walked to Eastern Market and I showed them around. We rented Prime and Shopgirl. When Mal and Dave returned home, with camping gear in tow, the five of us (and Drew) watched Prime.
The movie was okay. Certainly had some funny moments, but overall, it's definitely just worth renting (as opposed to paying an arm and a leg and seeing it in the theatre). Some parts were really drawn out and more than one person was heard saying, "When is this movie going to end?" Hmm, not the best sign of a perfectly timed movie.
On Saturday, Mal and Dave left for Deleware to camp. Brooke, Heather, and I left the house at 11:30 and headed for the museums. We hit the National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of American History. The museums were fantastic. My hands-down favorite exhibit was in the Natural History Museum's "Department of Mineral Sciences" room. In the room was the Hope Diamond and other beautifully exquisite treasures. Hey, a girl can dream.
Brooke and Heather in the Museum of Natural History.
Heather and I are shopping in Union Station.
When we finished at the museums, we quickly headed to the National Theatre where I knew of a (free!) show playing that evening. It was first come, first serve for tickets. So, we got there early. The show began after six and we arrived shortly after five. Good thing, too, because only seven other people behind us in line were let in to the theatre. We barely got seats. The show was entertaining and, after a long day of walking, it felt really good to just sit.
After the show, we hopped on the metro and rode it back to Eastern Market. I had a Thai restaurant in mind that I'd been wanting to try. I'd heard great things about it and by the end of the meal, no one was disappointed. It was delicious. I had Shrimp Pad Thai as my entree and had a peach sorbet dessert. The food presentation was as beautiful as the taste was delightful.
After dinner, the three of us walked home, exhausted and defeated from our busy day. We planned on watching Shopgirl, but opted to just go to bed instead. Saturday ended a little after one in the morning.
Sunday came. Brooke's parents are from Richmond (as written in previous blogs) and wanted to spend a little time with her. So, her mother drove into DC and stole her away for a few hours. Heather and I went to church. We met Drew and his mom (who was also visiting for the weekend, though not staying with us) there and afterwards the four of us came back to the apartment for lunch. After lunch, Heather and Drew's mom (separetely) left for NC.
Once again, it was just us DC natives. Ha ha. I don't think I moved from the couch (very much) for the rest of the evening. I was so tired after the weekend rush. It felt amazing to just veg out. Eventually, Mal and Dave arrived home from their trip and rehashed it for Drew and me. It sounded like fun and the two of them were tired also. At about six o'clock, all four of us headed upstairs and we all took naps until later in the evening!
Overall, it was a fantastic weekend.
Now... as for tonight. Mal, Drew, and I have plans to join one of Drew's coworkers for a special film. At a theatre a few stops away, we will be taking in an "invitation only" documentary. The film is about Iraqi terrorists and it follows the everyday life of some terrorists and lets the audience peek inside their world. It should be very interesting and the directors are actually going to be there this evening for a "question and answer" time afterwards.
I'll be sure to write about it and share some of the insights gained from the viewing.
As mentioned at the beginning of this posting... I will now touch on vacation plans. I am so excited about our December destination. Mal and I booked our condo in St. Thomas!! It was booked today and we are anticipating the trip from December 9-16. It's gonna be a blast. Check out where we'll be staying.
Originally, we were heading to Lake Tahoe, which would have also been fun, be it cold. I am more excited about St. Thomas because I don't do cold well. I will be able to lie on the white sand in my bathing suit and in December. Wonderful.
Friday, July 21, 2006
A Ladies Weekend (Plus Dave)
Looks like it's gonna be trouble this weekend...
Two of my best friends (Heather and Brooke) are coming to visit from NC. I'm so excited!
They are leaving at noon and trucking it up here for a weekend of sites and "girl time". I can't wait to see them and show them my new city.
I have plans to kick off the weekend by taking the two of them to the Marine Barracks in Eastern Market. Every Friday they offer free tours and a "parade" to the public. Since Brooke is nursing a hurting heart, after splitting from her beau, I figure there would be no better way to keep her mind of him than offering her a bunch of men in uniforms. Ha ha. Plus, I don't think Heather and I will mind it *too* much either!
After that, not too sure what will go down tonight.
Tomorrow, I have tentative plans for the evening. DC offers trolley rides (similar to the DC Ducks tour) and that might be what we do when the temperature drops a bit.
Sunday is church and then The Banana Cafe is where we'll head for lunch. Steve plays the piano and they have an "open keys" time on Sunday. He wants to show off his skills on Sunday.
So, as you can tell, there are many open time slots remaining in the weekend. So, that could be good or mean trouble. :) Either way, I'm looking forward to it.
Dave has plans to also visit this weekend. He will be gracing us with his presence once he has completed his dental boards. So, it should be a lot of fun. We'll have a packed house and that always makes things a bit more interesting!
Two of my best friends (Heather and Brooke) are coming to visit from NC. I'm so excited!
They are leaving at noon and trucking it up here for a weekend of sites and "girl time". I can't wait to see them and show them my new city.
I have plans to kick off the weekend by taking the two of them to the Marine Barracks in Eastern Market. Every Friday they offer free tours and a "parade" to the public. Since Brooke is nursing a hurting heart, after splitting from her beau, I figure there would be no better way to keep her mind of him than offering her a bunch of men in uniforms. Ha ha. Plus, I don't think Heather and I will mind it *too* much either!
After that, not too sure what will go down tonight.
Tomorrow, I have tentative plans for the evening. DC offers trolley rides (similar to the DC Ducks tour) and that might be what we do when the temperature drops a bit.
Sunday is church and then The Banana Cafe is where we'll head for lunch. Steve plays the piano and they have an "open keys" time on Sunday. He wants to show off his skills on Sunday.
So, as you can tell, there are many open time slots remaining in the weekend. So, that could be good or mean trouble. :) Either way, I'm looking forward to it.
Dave has plans to also visit this weekend. He will be gracing us with his presence once he has completed his dental boards. So, it should be a lot of fun. We'll have a packed house and that always makes things a bit more interesting!
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
"DC Stuff"
Monday night was "very DCish" as Mal, Drew, Steve, me, and other friends went to see The Day the Earth Stood Still on the Capitol Mall. It is a very entertaining movie, with its perfect setting (an alien spaceship lands right in front of the Capitol building), classic lines, and humorous dialogue. Although certainly dated, it made for an enjoyable evening. I couldn't help but laugh several times during the film as cheers randomly erupted in the crowd when a Monument or Memorial was shown. Clapping also ensued when a department's name was dropped. You could tell who worked where by the crowd's reaction.
On the way to the movie. Pausing to "cheese" for the camera.
Steve and Mal, same deal!
Apparently, it's quite the place to gather on Monday nights. A classic movie will be shown every Monday for the next month on the Mall. Before the movie begins, people are gathered and playing Frisbee, baseball, etc. There are picnics everywhere and people are socializing. Much to my surprise, people actually are respectfully quiet during the movie. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I imagined some chatter throughout the lawn. However, there was nothing. I was impressed.
The entertainment began shortly after 9 and ended a little before 11. We walked home, sticky and sweaty, when it was over.
Before the movie started...
Drew and his coworker, Paola.
Jan (left) and Steve (right)
Drew and the back of Marie, another one of his coworkers. The screen can be seen to their left.
It's getting darker. Shh, the movie is about to start!
It's tough to make out, but the screen is to the right of the Capitol Building (that's actually about a half mile away).
Eek, a baby picture of the screen and Capitol building! :)
Yesterday morning I went with some co-workers on a tour of the LOC's Jefferson Building. It is the main building where all the books are housed and is breathtakingly beautiful inside. I'm sure I visited it as a child, but I didn't remember any of it. Our tour lasted two hours and was led by an "in" staff member. So, in addition to the "normal rooms" tourists and staff may visit, we also went other places. For example, we walked out to the top of the Library's dome and walked around. It was exhilarating to check out the neighborhood from such a view. Also, we went inside the top of it and peered over the ledge to the Library's floor below... a view from at least six stories high.
It was an awesome tour and made me even prouder of where I work. On my tour, I also learned that the Madison Building, in which I work, is the third largest building on the Hill. It was named after president Madison because there were no other memorials to him and also because he was very involved in the Library. He strongly encouraged its funding and importance to Congress.
After my tour, the rest of the day was pretty typical at work. Last night, Mal did some "experimenting" and cooked Drew and me a scrumptious dinner. It was a lemony-chicken dish with pasta. On the side, she made green beans and some Texas toast. Yummy. She received Drew and my seal of approval and permission to experiment anytime she wants!
On the way to the movie. Pausing to "cheese" for the camera.
Steve and Mal, same deal!
Apparently, it's quite the place to gather on Monday nights. A classic movie will be shown every Monday for the next month on the Mall. Before the movie begins, people are gathered and playing Frisbee, baseball, etc. There are picnics everywhere and people are socializing. Much to my surprise, people actually are respectfully quiet during the movie. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I imagined some chatter throughout the lawn. However, there was nothing. I was impressed.
The entertainment began shortly after 9 and ended a little before 11. We walked home, sticky and sweaty, when it was over.
Before the movie started...
Drew and his coworker, Paola.
Jan (left) and Steve (right)
Drew and the back of Marie, another one of his coworkers. The screen can be seen to their left.
It's getting darker. Shh, the movie is about to start!
It's tough to make out, but the screen is to the right of the Capitol Building (that's actually about a half mile away).
Eek, a baby picture of the screen and Capitol building! :)
Yesterday morning I went with some co-workers on a tour of the LOC's Jefferson Building. It is the main building where all the books are housed and is breathtakingly beautiful inside. I'm sure I visited it as a child, but I didn't remember any of it. Our tour lasted two hours and was led by an "in" staff member. So, in addition to the "normal rooms" tourists and staff may visit, we also went other places. For example, we walked out to the top of the Library's dome and walked around. It was exhilarating to check out the neighborhood from such a view. Also, we went inside the top of it and peered over the ledge to the Library's floor below... a view from at least six stories high.
It was an awesome tour and made me even prouder of where I work. On my tour, I also learned that the Madison Building, in which I work, is the third largest building on the Hill. It was named after president Madison because there were no other memorials to him and also because he was very involved in the Library. He strongly encouraged its funding and importance to Congress.
After my tour, the rest of the day was pretty typical at work. Last night, Mal did some "experimenting" and cooked Drew and me a scrumptious dinner. It was a lemony-chicken dish with pasta. On the side, she made green beans and some Texas toast. Yummy. She received Drew and my seal of approval and permission to experiment anytime she wants!
Monday, July 17, 2006
On a scale of 1-10, it was a ten...
What an awesome weekend in NC. First off, I have to update you all on my grandpa. He is doing very well. What was originally thought as a sure "death sentence" has completely turned around to a very positive prognosis.
His doctor suggested undergoing a more aggressive chemo treatment, and my grandpa's body has been responding tremendously well. He completed chemotherapy two weeks ago and has experienced very few side effects from the drugs. He hasn't been physically ill like the doctors warned. Only once has he had a fever and (as of this weekend) still has all his hair. He blames his "hard headedness" for this feat. His spirit is positive and his outlook the same. It was encouraging to see him over the weekend and hear him laughing and carrying on with everyone.
So, thanks for the prayers. Keep them up cuz they are working!
When I left Durham Saturday, I was in the best mood. My grandpa was doing excellent and I had plans to see Mike. Oh, and I finally got to wear this black dress that I bought a month ago and hadn't taken the tags off yet.
I met Mike at his place and from there we went to Bianca's, the restaurant I wrote of earlier. I just love that place and was excited about sharing it with him. Since he likes to cook, he is always up for trying anything. I'm never worried that he won't like anything because he isn't picky at all. Thus far, I haven't steered him wrong on any recommendations.
"You're still at 100 percent," he said in reference to my restaurant suggestions. Yay.
Dinner was excellent and from there we went to his place to change into our bowling apparel. His roommate, Joey, went bowling with us and it was fun. Mike beat me by one point during our first game and I beat both of the guys our second game. Poor Joey got smoked.
The evening ended late (early, by that point). Sunday morning rolled around. Actually, it zipped and I rolled out of bed. I went to Sunday School and church and was happy to see my friends. I miss them very much. After church, Mike and I split for Cracker Barrel. Usually we eat with the church group, but I hadn't seen dad all weekend and I wanted to see him before I left town. Mike was gracious enough to let me do my "family thing" and accompany me there for lunch.
I saw dad, introduced Mike and him, and we all talked for a few minutes. The restaurant was busy, so there was little time to converse with dad. Mike and I ate lunch, spoke with dad again before we left, and then said our own goodbyes.
After taking a nap and filling my family in on my weekend, I drive to Richmond to pick up Mal. She was visiting Dave for the weekend. The three of us met and had a healthy, quality dinner at Dairy Queen. It was fun to see Dave again.
Mal and I arrived in DC after 11. I think it was a first. We never make it home by midnight.
We had plans to go see Dave and Mike in Richmond tonight for dinner. Mike rode up with his boss last night and was going to lead some training this morning. However, plans have called them back to NC. So, Mal and I have scratched Richmond plans (sorry, Dave) and opted to stay in town tonight. After being on the road all weekend, I'm kind of looking forward to it.
Instead of Richmond, we are going to the Mall to Screen on the Green. Tonight kicks off their Monday movie showings. People gather on the Mall to see classic movies. The film starts as the sun is setting. We'll be watching The Day the Earth Stood Still, a movie released in 1951. It's about an alien attack on DC. Heh, funny. I'm looking forward to this "very DC" thing to do. I'll try to remember to take some pictures for you all!
His doctor suggested undergoing a more aggressive chemo treatment, and my grandpa's body has been responding tremendously well. He completed chemotherapy two weeks ago and has experienced very few side effects from the drugs. He hasn't been physically ill like the doctors warned. Only once has he had a fever and (as of this weekend) still has all his hair. He blames his "hard headedness" for this feat. His spirit is positive and his outlook the same. It was encouraging to see him over the weekend and hear him laughing and carrying on with everyone.
So, thanks for the prayers. Keep them up cuz they are working!
When I left Durham Saturday, I was in the best mood. My grandpa was doing excellent and I had plans to see Mike. Oh, and I finally got to wear this black dress that I bought a month ago and hadn't taken the tags off yet.
I met Mike at his place and from there we went to Bianca's, the restaurant I wrote of earlier. I just love that place and was excited about sharing it with him. Since he likes to cook, he is always up for trying anything. I'm never worried that he won't like anything because he isn't picky at all. Thus far, I haven't steered him wrong on any recommendations.
"You're still at 100 percent," he said in reference to my restaurant suggestions. Yay.
Dinner was excellent and from there we went to his place to change into our bowling apparel. His roommate, Joey, went bowling with us and it was fun. Mike beat me by one point during our first game and I beat both of the guys our second game. Poor Joey got smoked.
The evening ended late (early, by that point). Sunday morning rolled around. Actually, it zipped and I rolled out of bed. I went to Sunday School and church and was happy to see my friends. I miss them very much. After church, Mike and I split for Cracker Barrel. Usually we eat with the church group, but I hadn't seen dad all weekend and I wanted to see him before I left town. Mike was gracious enough to let me do my "family thing" and accompany me there for lunch.
I saw dad, introduced Mike and him, and we all talked for a few minutes. The restaurant was busy, so there was little time to converse with dad. Mike and I ate lunch, spoke with dad again before we left, and then said our own goodbyes.
After taking a nap and filling my family in on my weekend, I drive to Richmond to pick up Mal. She was visiting Dave for the weekend. The three of us met and had a healthy, quality dinner at Dairy Queen. It was fun to see Dave again.
Mal and I arrived in DC after 11. I think it was a first. We never make it home by midnight.
We had plans to go see Dave and Mike in Richmond tonight for dinner. Mike rode up with his boss last night and was going to lead some training this morning. However, plans have called them back to NC. So, Mal and I have scratched Richmond plans (sorry, Dave) and opted to stay in town tonight. After being on the road all weekend, I'm kind of looking forward to it.
Instead of Richmond, we are going to the Mall to Screen on the Green. Tonight kicks off their Monday movie showings. People gather on the Mall to see classic movies. The film starts as the sun is setting. We'll be watching The Day the Earth Stood Still, a movie released in 1951. It's about an alien attack on DC. Heh, funny. I'm looking forward to this "very DC" thing to do. I'll try to remember to take some pictures for you all!
Friday, July 14, 2006
Yay! It's Friday!!
The week has flown by for being fairly low-key. I'm so happy it's Friday. I arrived for work an hour early today. My boss knew that I was leaving for NC and was taking the afternoon off, so yesterday evening she suggested that I come in early.
"Less PTO time you'll have to take," she said. Although it certainly was hard getting out of bed an hour earlier (even more so because I didn't go to bed any sooner), I know it's worth it.
Last night was fun. I met Steve at Dupont Circle, one of the metro stops here in DC, and we grabbed dinner at Zorba's Cafe. It's a Greek restaurant that is VERY affordable for DC standards. It was delicious too. I had a chicken souvlaki (grilled chicken in a pita, wrapped with lettuce and cucumber sauce)... mmm. Steve had a lamb gyro that he was kind enough to let me try. We also split some hummus and pita bread. It was very delicious. It also reminded me of this place in Greensboro that I used to frequent. So, I relived some memories of Jack's Corner back home.
After dinner, we strolled around and then got some ice cream (homemade!!) at Larry's. I got Mud Pie, which is chocolate coffee (mocha?) ice cream with chocolate chips in it. Yummy. It was almost as good as my Ben and Jerry's Dublin Mudslide. Definitely a cool treat on a somewhat sticky evening.
Then, Steve accompanied me on my first bus ride! Being too intimidated to try it on my own, I gladly jumped at his idea of riding the bus home last night. What an experience! I had lots of questions and he answered all of them. It was great and he let me pull the "request a stop" cord when it was our turn to disembark. :) Hey... it's the little things in life, right?
The rest of the evening was spent with Mal as the three of us listened to some of Steve's music (that he made with his band). Very impressive... as he said, "Pink Floyd and Radiohead influenced us." Since I like both of those bands (and so does Mal), it made for some easy listening. I can see myself playing the cd quite a bit in the future.
After Steve left, I packed for NC. I'm excited about going "home" and catching up with family and friends. Tonight I'll be arriving in Durham and will visit with my grandpa and other family there. Supposedly, there are going to be a bunch of us. It'll be like a little reunion!
I'll spend the night there are then truck it to Winston/ Greensboro on Saturday. Mike and I have plans to go to my all time favorite Italian restaurant (yes, it even beats Bistro Italiano here in DC), Bianca's. It has won many awards and is a favorite in the area. Basically, it has a rotating menu (except for the main dishes). When you arrive, you choose which "entree" you'd like. Included in the entree price (which is very affordable), is an appetizer, a salad, garlic bread, a side pasta, and then dessert. Before you arrive, you have no idea (except for maybe your entree) what you will be consuming, but it is always a delicious surprise. I haven't ever had anything that I didn't love.
Mike has never been there, so I am excited about sharing "my restaurant" with him. Plans after dinner include vegging (sp?) at his house a bit before we roll (no pun intended) to "his" bowling alley. Even though I lived in Gboro for five years, and was even on a league, I never went to the alley that he enjoys.
Sunday, of course, I am excited about going to Calvary and seeing my friends!! I can hardly contain myself and am thrilled about leaving work in a couple hours. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's looking fabulous...
"Less PTO time you'll have to take," she said. Although it certainly was hard getting out of bed an hour earlier (even more so because I didn't go to bed any sooner), I know it's worth it.
Last night was fun. I met Steve at Dupont Circle, one of the metro stops here in DC, and we grabbed dinner at Zorba's Cafe. It's a Greek restaurant that is VERY affordable for DC standards. It was delicious too. I had a chicken souvlaki (grilled chicken in a pita, wrapped with lettuce and cucumber sauce)... mmm. Steve had a lamb gyro that he was kind enough to let me try. We also split some hummus and pita bread. It was very delicious. It also reminded me of this place in Greensboro that I used to frequent. So, I relived some memories of Jack's Corner back home.
After dinner, we strolled around and then got some ice cream (homemade!!) at Larry's. I got Mud Pie, which is chocolate coffee (mocha?) ice cream with chocolate chips in it. Yummy. It was almost as good as my Ben and Jerry's Dublin Mudslide. Definitely a cool treat on a somewhat sticky evening.
Then, Steve accompanied me on my first bus ride! Being too intimidated to try it on my own, I gladly jumped at his idea of riding the bus home last night. What an experience! I had lots of questions and he answered all of them. It was great and he let me pull the "request a stop" cord when it was our turn to disembark. :) Hey... it's the little things in life, right?
The rest of the evening was spent with Mal as the three of us listened to some of Steve's music (that he made with his band). Very impressive... as he said, "Pink Floyd and Radiohead influenced us." Since I like both of those bands (and so does Mal), it made for some easy listening. I can see myself playing the cd quite a bit in the future.
After Steve left, I packed for NC. I'm excited about going "home" and catching up with family and friends. Tonight I'll be arriving in Durham and will visit with my grandpa and other family there. Supposedly, there are going to be a bunch of us. It'll be like a little reunion!
I'll spend the night there are then truck it to Winston/ Greensboro on Saturday. Mike and I have plans to go to my all time favorite Italian restaurant (yes, it even beats Bistro Italiano here in DC), Bianca's. It has won many awards and is a favorite in the area. Basically, it has a rotating menu (except for the main dishes). When you arrive, you choose which "entree" you'd like. Included in the entree price (which is very affordable), is an appetizer, a salad, garlic bread, a side pasta, and then dessert. Before you arrive, you have no idea (except for maybe your entree) what you will be consuming, but it is always a delicious surprise. I haven't ever had anything that I didn't love.
Mike has never been there, so I am excited about sharing "my restaurant" with him. Plans after dinner include vegging (sp?) at his house a bit before we roll (no pun intended) to "his" bowling alley. Even though I lived in Gboro for five years, and was even on a league, I never went to the alley that he enjoys.
Sunday, of course, I am excited about going to Calvary and seeing my friends!! I can hardly contain myself and am thrilled about leaving work in a couple hours. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's looking fabulous...
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Nothing Much Happening
Since I have felt less than creative and not *too* much has happened, I've created a quiz. It's for the brave who know me. Not sure how well you really know me? Check it out. Be sure to tell me how you scored- you know, in the comment section.
Monday, July 10, 2006
So relaxing...
That's how I'd describe my weekend. It was wonderful to keep it low key.
Friday was the busiest day. Mal and I walked to Bistro Italiano (sound familiar?) and grabbed dinner after work. Later, we met Steve for Pirates of the Caribbean. It was a good movie. Lots of action and great special effects with some humor to spice it up. My only regret was that I had forgotten some details about the characters from the first movie. Not too much of the plot was thickened in this movie and it is mostly a "transitional" film to the third. Overall, very entertaining movie.
Saturday was spent lounging inside. Mal originally mentioned something about going to the beach, but we never made it. Instead, we stayed inside and finally tried a new recipe that Mike had given me a while back. It's a pork tenderloin recipe and, although it's super easy to prepare, it takes a couple of hours to cook. What better day than a lazy Saturday to try such a treat? After dinner, we wandered outside and down the street for some ice cream. Mmm...
Sunday came much the same as Saturday- with another lazy morning. I anticipated watching the World Cup (as it was all that I had "planned" for the day). Dave came to visit for the day and he arrived about thirty minutes before the game.
Dave, Mal, and I picked our teams (Mal was for Italy and I was for France). Dave was originally going to root for France (like me), but caved like a sissy when Mal started rooting for Italy. Slacker. I only gave him a *slightly* hard time about it.
Did you guys catch the game? It was awesome even though Italy won.
Last night, Mark moved back into his old room. Since Katie won't be living with us, and Mark was still looking for a place, we offered him his room back. So, now we are a full house again. To be honest, it's nice not having to worry about sharing our bathroom with another person. I think Drew will welcome more testosterone in the house too.
Friday was the busiest day. Mal and I walked to Bistro Italiano (sound familiar?) and grabbed dinner after work. Later, we met Steve for Pirates of the Caribbean. It was a good movie. Lots of action and great special effects with some humor to spice it up. My only regret was that I had forgotten some details about the characters from the first movie. Not too much of the plot was thickened in this movie and it is mostly a "transitional" film to the third. Overall, very entertaining movie.
Saturday was spent lounging inside. Mal originally mentioned something about going to the beach, but we never made it. Instead, we stayed inside and finally tried a new recipe that Mike had given me a while back. It's a pork tenderloin recipe and, although it's super easy to prepare, it takes a couple of hours to cook. What better day than a lazy Saturday to try such a treat? After dinner, we wandered outside and down the street for some ice cream. Mmm...
Sunday came much the same as Saturday- with another lazy morning. I anticipated watching the World Cup (as it was all that I had "planned" for the day). Dave came to visit for the day and he arrived about thirty minutes before the game.
Dave, Mal, and I picked our teams (Mal was for Italy and I was for France). Dave was originally going to root for France (like me), but caved like a sissy when Mal started rooting for Italy. Slacker. I only gave him a *slightly* hard time about it.
Did you guys catch the game? It was awesome even though Italy won.
Last night, Mark moved back into his old room. Since Katie won't be living with us, and Mark was still looking for a place, we offered him his room back. So, now we are a full house again. To be honest, it's nice not having to worry about sharing our bathroom with another person. I think Drew will welcome more testosterone in the house too.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
My Love Number- 9
Found this link on a friend's page. Pretty short and entertaining quiz. What's your love number?
| Your Love Number is 9 |
 Connecting deeply is another skill of yours, and you tend to know lovers well. Trusting and laid back, you are an easy person to love. Love can be a little blinding for you, so open your eyes a little more! |
Friday, July 07, 2006
Roomie Update
Well, apparently Katie is like Big Foot and Nessie (aka the Loch Ness monster). She exists and leaves evidence of her existence, but few people have ever seen her.
For example, I left keys for her outside our apartment on the fourth. She was going to move in that day. Then, I departed for the baseball game. She called me while I was there and said she'd be by later. I told her where the keys were and anticipated meeting her before the fireworks show. By the time I had returned (approximately four hours later), the keys were gone and the window unit in her room was running.
But no Katie was seen.
I took a nap. I thought I heard noises in the hall. Could it be? I opened the door and peeked.
Nope. No Katie.
I went into her room, turned off the window unit, and left to see the fireworks. When I returned, the apartment was dark. I walked in and searched the place. I had not caught a Katie yet. Elusive.
I went to bed. No traces of Katie were there in the morning. The cookies I'd left out weren't touched and the milk was still there (oh wait... that's Santa).
Peculiar. Thought today was her first day at work. I thought of a few reasons why she didn't move in the day before as promised. Maybe she stayed with her boyfriend one more night (he lives in Vienna). Perhaps the storm yesterday afternoon deterred her moving. After thinking about it a couple more minutes, I stopped and went on to other thoughts not concerning Katie.
I went to work. Well, you know what I mean. I went and sat at my desk and played on the computer.
Mal called (from NC) in the afternoon. "Katie's not going to live with us." Say what? She continued after I just kinda stammered a bit, "She left me a message on my phone. She said that she doesn't like it, that it's not for her, and that she's going back to NC." I don't know if I was more surprised at more evidence of her existence or at the situation. I hung up the phone.
Later, as I walked into our apartment, I looked around for any evidence that maybe Katie had changed her mind. There was nothing. No boxes, bags, or clothes strewn around. Her room was still empty.
The evening passed and morning came. The cookies and milk were still out. Just kidding... by this point I had eaten the cookies and dumped the milk.
I went to work again. Mal called in the afternoon. "Any sign of Katie?" I asked her. "Nope. She's already gone back to NC." She continued on to tell the story of her sighting. It was yesterday afternoon and brief. Mallory's co-workers saw her for a few hours in the office. I meant to ask if anyone actually touched her. You know how those mythical creatures can be. She apparently seemed unhappy and withdrawn. She was unimpressed with our planet, perhaps? Disappointed??
Another day at work was over. I walked home and changed. Remembering where I'd left the keys, I tore down the stairs and ran outside. I moved the planter.
There they sat.
I picked them up and turned them over in my hand. She had been back, be it briefly, to return what she'd taken.
For example, I left keys for her outside our apartment on the fourth. She was going to move in that day. Then, I departed for the baseball game. She called me while I was there and said she'd be by later. I told her where the keys were and anticipated meeting her before the fireworks show. By the time I had returned (approximately four hours later), the keys were gone and the window unit in her room was running.
But no Katie was seen.
I took a nap. I thought I heard noises in the hall. Could it be? I opened the door and peeked.
Nope. No Katie.
I went into her room, turned off the window unit, and left to see the fireworks. When I returned, the apartment was dark. I walked in and searched the place. I had not caught a Katie yet. Elusive.
I went to bed. No traces of Katie were there in the morning. The cookies I'd left out weren't touched and the milk was still there (oh wait... that's Santa).
Peculiar. Thought today was her first day at work. I thought of a few reasons why she didn't move in the day before as promised. Maybe she stayed with her boyfriend one more night (he lives in Vienna). Perhaps the storm yesterday afternoon deterred her moving. After thinking about it a couple more minutes, I stopped and went on to other thoughts not concerning Katie.
I went to work. Well, you know what I mean. I went and sat at my desk and played on the computer.
Mal called (from NC) in the afternoon. "Katie's not going to live with us." Say what? She continued after I just kinda stammered a bit, "She left me a message on my phone. She said that she doesn't like it, that it's not for her, and that she's going back to NC." I don't know if I was more surprised at more evidence of her existence or at the situation. I hung up the phone.
Later, as I walked into our apartment, I looked around for any evidence that maybe Katie had changed her mind. There was nothing. No boxes, bags, or clothes strewn around. Her room was still empty.
The evening passed and morning came. The cookies and milk were still out. Just kidding... by this point I had eaten the cookies and dumped the milk.
I went to work again. Mal called in the afternoon. "Any sign of Katie?" I asked her. "Nope. She's already gone back to NC." She continued on to tell the story of her sighting. It was yesterday afternoon and brief. Mallory's co-workers saw her for a few hours in the office. I meant to ask if anyone actually touched her. You know how those mythical creatures can be. She apparently seemed unhappy and withdrawn. She was unimpressed with our planet, perhaps? Disappointed??
Another day at work was over. I walked home and changed. Remembering where I'd left the keys, I tore down the stairs and ran outside. I moved the planter.
There they sat.
I picked them up and turned them over in my hand. She had been back, be it briefly, to return what she'd taken.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
NEW PICTURES!
Ok, I'm finally getting around to posting weekend and fourth pictures. You can check back throughout the day and evening as I add them below. Also to note: If you click on the picture, it will enlarge (Dean!).)
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Apartment pictures
I know this may be a bit random and delayed, but I finally got around to taking pictures of our place. While you've caught me being completely honest... it was clean and that's why I took pictures. For your viewing pleasure...
** December 16 Update: Pics were removed to post other pics **
** December 16 Update: Pics were removed to post other pics **
The Best July 4th E-VER!
Everyone abandoned me on July 4th this year. Drew is in Germany and Mal went to NC because she had jury duty today. This left me in DC, the most patriotic city in the whole United States on July 4th, alone.
Before I could get all pouty, Steve, our neighbor from downstairs, invited me to a DC Nationals baseball game with him. The stadium is about ten blocks from our apartment. So, at about twelve we left to catch the game that began at one.
It was SO hot yesterday. It was in the mid nineties. Storms were warned for later, but the afternoon was clear.
Our seats were behind home plate in section 315. I took my sunscreen in anticipation of sitting in the sun all day. Steve brought us some hats. When we arrived, I was relieved when our seats sat beneath the stadium seats above us. So, not only was our view great, we were in the shade!
(view from our seats)
The game was awesome. In one of the early innings, one of the Nationals guys hit an "in-the-park" home run. It would have been a double, but the FL Marlins made some errors, and the guy made it all the way around. By the ninth inning, the Nationals were down by one (4-3). We had two guys on base and two outs when Ryan Zimmerman stepped up to the plate. He swung two strikes and had one ball against him. The fans were going nuts. The energy in the stadium was growing and people were screaming and chanting. Something big was in the air. The ball was pitched and Zimmerman slammed it out of the park. The Nationals won by two!
(The lady behind us was REALLY into the game. I like to imagine that she's screaming and not yawning.)
(The kid was really into it too (as he glances into the camera lens)...)
It was great... I've never seen a more entertaining baseball game.
After the game, we walked back and each did our own thing for a bit. We had a big storm that gave me an excuse to huddle inside and take a nap (bet you knew that was coming). I mean, I didn't want to be exhausted before the fireworks.
Yup, DC fireworks. Steve and I made our way to the Lincoln Memorial (it was rumored to be less crowded than The Mall) to watch the show. We arrived in time to relax for a little bit before it began. There were so many people around us. The steps leading up the Lincoln Memorial were covered. We looked towards the Washington Monument and could see the sea of people on the lawn ahead of us. It was an indescribable sight. The atmosphere was buzzing with patriotism and excitement.
(the Memorial behind us... about twenty minutes until show time!)
The fireworks began at 9:10 and lasted until 9:30. What a show!! They were beautiful. There were chandeliers, pentagons, circles, shimmering dust, ice crystals, and many other lights. Their sizes ranged, but most (as quoted by Steve) were about 1000 square feet in diameter. Enormous!! They filled the sky and the acoustics from where we sat were perfect. The booms echoed off the memorial behind us and danced all around.
As I sat there, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else in that moment. I'm going to be completely spoiled from any other fireworks in my future.
(These are some shots, captured from Steve's camera, of the fireworks. The second is my favorite. Doesn't it look like a chandelier? They were so beautiful... no way captured by the images.)
We (and the 450,000+ people out there with us) left after the show. What a cattle herding! It took us quite some time to break from the crowd. We opted to walk some of the way home. Then, as we were neared a metro that wouldn't be crowded, we took advantage of it. It took us until 11:15 to get home. However, I did get to see the waterfront and some new restaurants that Steve says are really good. I'm hoping to check one out in the near future.
It was a wonderful fourth and filled with very "American" traditions (right down to eating moonpies as we waited for the fireworks to begin). It's definitely one for the books (or the blog) and one I will never forget.
Before I could get all pouty, Steve, our neighbor from downstairs, invited me to a DC Nationals baseball game with him. The stadium is about ten blocks from our apartment. So, at about twelve we left to catch the game that began at one.
It was SO hot yesterday. It was in the mid nineties. Storms were warned for later, but the afternoon was clear.
Our seats were behind home plate in section 315. I took my sunscreen in anticipation of sitting in the sun all day. Steve brought us some hats. When we arrived, I was relieved when our seats sat beneath the stadium seats above us. So, not only was our view great, we were in the shade!
(view from our seats)
The game was awesome. In one of the early innings, one of the Nationals guys hit an "in-the-park" home run. It would have been a double, but the FL Marlins made some errors, and the guy made it all the way around. By the ninth inning, the Nationals were down by one (4-3). We had two guys on base and two outs when Ryan Zimmerman stepped up to the plate. He swung two strikes and had one ball against him. The fans were going nuts. The energy in the stadium was growing and people were screaming and chanting. Something big was in the air. The ball was pitched and Zimmerman slammed it out of the park. The Nationals won by two!
(The lady behind us was REALLY into the game. I like to imagine that she's screaming and not yawning.)
(The kid was really into it too (as he glances into the camera lens)...)
It was great... I've never seen a more entertaining baseball game.
After the game, we walked back and each did our own thing for a bit. We had a big storm that gave me an excuse to huddle inside and take a nap (bet you knew that was coming). I mean, I didn't want to be exhausted before the fireworks.
Yup, DC fireworks. Steve and I made our way to the Lincoln Memorial (it was rumored to be less crowded than The Mall) to watch the show. We arrived in time to relax for a little bit before it began. There were so many people around us. The steps leading up the Lincoln Memorial were covered. We looked towards the Washington Monument and could see the sea of people on the lawn ahead of us. It was an indescribable sight. The atmosphere was buzzing with patriotism and excitement.
(the Memorial behind us... about twenty minutes until show time!)
The fireworks began at 9:10 and lasted until 9:30. What a show!! They were beautiful. There were chandeliers, pentagons, circles, shimmering dust, ice crystals, and many other lights. Their sizes ranged, but most (as quoted by Steve) were about 1000 square feet in diameter. Enormous!! They filled the sky and the acoustics from where we sat were perfect. The booms echoed off the memorial behind us and danced all around.
As I sat there, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else in that moment. I'm going to be completely spoiled from any other fireworks in my future.
(These are some shots, captured from Steve's camera, of the fireworks. The second is my favorite. Doesn't it look like a chandelier? They were so beautiful... no way captured by the images.)
We (and the 450,000+ people out there with us) left after the show. What a cattle herding! It took us quite some time to break from the crowd. We opted to walk some of the way home. Then, as we were neared a metro that wouldn't be crowded, we took advantage of it. It took us until 11:15 to get home. However, I did get to see the waterfront and some new restaurants that Steve says are really good. I'm hoping to check one out in the near future.
It was a wonderful fourth and filled with very "American" traditions (right down to eating moonpies as we waited for the fireworks to begin). It's definitely one for the books (or the blog) and one I will never forget.
Whirlwind Weekend: Part Two (Sunday)
Well, it's halfway through the week. Guess I should go ahead and wrap up what I started on Monday, eh?
Sunday morning, the four of us went to Mal's and my church here in town. The church is very contemporary in nature. We actually meet in a movie theatre that's nestled in Union Station. They have a live band and, depending on which service one attends, the pastor can be caught "live" or on the movie screen with a pre-recorded rendition of the message. We caught the 11 AM service (the last one), so we actually watched him on the screen. Interesting. I had never seen him on the screen before. It was a good message though (Romans 12:1-2). To get an idea of just how contemporary the church is... their "offering plates" are popcorn tubs. Wonder if the church has to buy the containers even though no popcorn is in them?
After church we headed across the street to The Dubliner. It's an Irish pub that features live Irish music every night. Of course, seeing as how it was lunch time, there was no music playing. We grabbed a table outside on the patio and enjoyed our lunch while we mulled over plans for later in the day.
We then made our way to the International Spy Museum. Although the museum isn't free (unlike most other area attractions), it was worth the admission price. It was very interactive and engaging. Basically, at the beginning of the museum, guests are asked to study a "profile" of a spy that they'd like to be. As a guest makes his way through the museum (learning about spy techniques, weapons, tools, etc), there are games and "tests" to be completed for the mission's success. Pretty cool concept and definitely entertaining.
We stayed a couple hours in there and eventually decided to dart through the last bit of the museum to do some other activities. Mal and Dave decided to see the movie Superman at the Verizon Center, which was about three blocks away. Since Mike and I were a little slower making our way through the museum, we caught The Lake House, which started later.
Honestly, it felt good to just sit down and relax a bit after we had been going all day. The movie was okay. It was a bit slow at some points, and definitely had some "downer" moments. It was also a bit confusing (to me) in some places due to a time separation of two years between the two main characters. There were several points in the movie when I uttered my confusion to Mike. I think he followed it okay and tried filling in some of my holes at the end. I guess I get it (sounds convincing, eh?). If you're thinking of seeing it, I suggest waiting until it's available on rental. There are some better movies in the theatre now than Lake House.
After the movie, we shopped a bit in Chinatown. Then, we hopped on the metro and made our way to Adams Morgan. It's a "neighborhood" in DC. It was there that we took the guys to their first Ethiopian experience. We ate at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant. I wrote of it back in March (the 20th) when Mal and I visited it before. It's an overall fun experience and I think the guys enjoyed it enough.
(Enjoying Ethiopian)
The evening wrapped as we detoured for ice cream on the way home (well, Mal and Dave got ice cream- Mike and I were too full). By the time we arrived home it was pretty late (approaching ten). We all cleaned up and watched a movie before crashing and burning.
It was a wonderful weekend. Definitely one that I was still recovering from on Monday. I may be caught up on sleep at this point. It's still debatable.
Sunday morning, the four of us went to Mal's and my church here in town. The church is very contemporary in nature. We actually meet in a movie theatre that's nestled in Union Station. They have a live band and, depending on which service one attends, the pastor can be caught "live" or on the movie screen with a pre-recorded rendition of the message. We caught the 11 AM service (the last one), so we actually watched him on the screen. Interesting. I had never seen him on the screen before. It was a good message though (Romans 12:1-2). To get an idea of just how contemporary the church is... their "offering plates" are popcorn tubs. Wonder if the church has to buy the containers even though no popcorn is in them?
After church we headed across the street to The Dubliner. It's an Irish pub that features live Irish music every night. Of course, seeing as how it was lunch time, there was no music playing. We grabbed a table outside on the patio and enjoyed our lunch while we mulled over plans for later in the day.
We then made our way to the International Spy Museum. Although the museum isn't free (unlike most other area attractions), it was worth the admission price. It was very interactive and engaging. Basically, at the beginning of the museum, guests are asked to study a "profile" of a spy that they'd like to be. As a guest makes his way through the museum (learning about spy techniques, weapons, tools, etc), there are games and "tests" to be completed for the mission's success. Pretty cool concept and definitely entertaining.
We stayed a couple hours in there and eventually decided to dart through the last bit of the museum to do some other activities. Mal and Dave decided to see the movie Superman at the Verizon Center, which was about three blocks away. Since Mike and I were a little slower making our way through the museum, we caught The Lake House, which started later.
Honestly, it felt good to just sit down and relax a bit after we had been going all day. The movie was okay. It was a bit slow at some points, and definitely had some "downer" moments. It was also a bit confusing (to me) in some places due to a time separation of two years between the two main characters. There were several points in the movie when I uttered my confusion to Mike. I think he followed it okay and tried filling in some of my holes at the end. I guess I get it (sounds convincing, eh?). If you're thinking of seeing it, I suggest waiting until it's available on rental. There are some better movies in the theatre now than Lake House.
After the movie, we shopped a bit in Chinatown. Then, we hopped on the metro and made our way to Adams Morgan. It's a "neighborhood" in DC. It was there that we took the guys to their first Ethiopian experience. We ate at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant. I wrote of it back in March (the 20th) when Mal and I visited it before. It's an overall fun experience and I think the guys enjoyed it enough.
(Enjoying Ethiopian)
The evening wrapped as we detoured for ice cream on the way home (well, Mal and Dave got ice cream- Mike and I were too full). By the time we arrived home it was pretty late (approaching ten). We all cleaned up and watched a movie before crashing and burning.
It was a wonderful weekend. Definitely one that I was still recovering from on Monday. I may be caught up on sleep at this point. It's still debatable.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Whirlwind weekend: Part One (Fri. & Sat.)
It was hard to get out of bed this morning. With the weekend that we had, I definitely would have embraced sleeping in! As promised, here is an update for the weekend. Pictures are at home, still in my camera, but I will try to get some posted this evening. (NOTE: I've separated the weekend events into two postings. One for Friday and Saturday and the other for Sunday because of their lengths.)
Friday night our old roomie Mark moved out. Mal and I anticipated the arrival of Katie on Saturday, so we immediately got to work cleaning out the room after Mark left. We knew time was limited before the guys came. We finished most of the cleaning, put up some curtains to close off the closet (we don't have doors on our closets), and just tidied up the place. We began hanging up some art in my room just as Dave arrived at the front door. His arrival signaled the "weekend of fun" truly was here!
After catching up for a few minutes, we put him to work. Aren't we such great hostesses? He helped us hang the pictures in my room before we all began attacking Katie's room again. We moved in there where Dave assembled her chair and light, while Mal and I worked on fitting the AC unit into the window. Just as Mal and I were our sweatiest and Dave finished his tasks, Mike called. He was down the road about a mile and needed some directional assistance. After talking to him a few minutes and realizing that I had no idea where he was (big surprise, I know), I gave the phone to Mal and she talked him in.
When Mike arrived, we stopped working (we actually finished as he arrived) and all just hung out. Mike and I had our White House tour scheduled for 8:30 on Saturday. So, after eating a late dinner, the two of us turned in around 12 as Mal and Dave settled in to watch a movie.
Saturday morning arrived super early. Did I even sleep? Although our appointment was for 8:30, people are required to be there early (20-30 minutes) before their tour time. This meant leaving the house by 7:15, which we did with no problems. After catching the metro (it was Mike's first metro ride!), we were at the White House shortly after eight. There was hardly anyone in line. We approached the guard to get our guidebooks and proceed inside.
She stopped us and told us the "rules" before we proceeded. We were okay to go through except for one minor detail. We each had our camera. Cameras were a no-go.
"You have three options," the guard said, after looking at our cameras. "One, you can take your cameras back to your car." Okay, no, we rode the metro. "Two, you can turn around and take them back to your hotel." Hmm, the apartment is a 15 minute metro ride and ten minute walk away. No to number two. "Or three, you can go in one at a time while the other stands outside and holds the cameras." Well, that's not any better and defeats the purpose of us coming together to the White House.
She could tell from our expressions that none of her options thrilled us. The guard added, "You can take your tour at anytime up until 12:30." Feeling relieved and less pressure to "go right now", we came up with a fourth option. I called Mal and woke her up. Once she made it out of her groggy state, she agreed (thankfully) to meet us, with the car, at the metro closest to our apartment. Mike and I took some pictures in front of the White House and made our way back to the metro. When we stepped out of the metro center closest to home, Mal was waiting in the car.
(This picture was snapped before we took our cameras to Mal. The WH is behind us.)
She offered to shuttle us back to the White House, to which we quickly agreed. What took us twenty minutes to walk and ride the train back, took about five in the car. Surprisingly, there was no traffic. We got out of the car, leaving cameras and phones inside (we couldn't remember if phones were allowed in the WH), and agreed to meet back up for the Capitol Tour that Mal offered to take all four of us on. We had over two hours before we had to meet Mal and Dave.
Before we went on our tour, we stepped inside the WH Visitor Center and educated ourselves on what to expect. The WH tour itself is self-guided, so unless you know anything about it, it could make for a less interesting tour. We strolled in there for over an hour before going to the WH.
By the second time around, the line was much longer. I guess not too many people want to get up on Saturday morning before eight unless they have to. Either that, or there were a bunch of people like us who didn't know the "rules" before hand. Regardless, we had no problems getting in the second time. The White House was very grand. We were able to view about ten rooms, including the dining hall and several entertaining rooms (Red, Blue, and green Rooms), and go down a hall adjacent to a beautiful garden. Out front, we viewed the bald spot on the lawn where the tree fell earlier in the week because of all the rain. The guard standing nearby told us his story of being on duty as it fell right near him. Ooooh, ahhh.
We left the WH and made our way to the Capitol where Mal agreed to lead Dave, Mike, and me on a staff led tour. She handed us our special "staff" stickers and we proceeded into the building. She was a great "tour guide" and I learned a lot about the building. Most impressionable was "The Freeze" artwork that wrapped around the inside of the Capitol's Dome. It was beautiful and painted to appear three dimensional from where we stood below. Amazing.
(The Capitol Building)
(A view of The Mall, seen standing on the Capitol steps. The building to the left of the Monument (yeah, it's super small in the distance) is the Lincoln Memorial where I sat and watched the fourth's fireworks with Steve.)
(Mallory telling the guys about the Capitol's Dome)
("What a great shot, Mike," was said after two shots Dave took without capturing the $1500.00 chandelier behind us. Yeah, I didn't leave any zeroes out. Because of his (lack of) picture taking ability, Dave was often passed over (and the camera handed to Mike) when a picture was needed. This is in the Capitol. Nicknamed the "North Carolina" room.)
(Mike and me on the Capitol steps.)
(The guys and me before Mal's tour)
(Mal's turn!)
After our tour, we metro'ed it to Chinatown. We ate at Chopsticks. While the food was good, Mal and I were scarred after visiting their restroom and seeing some other slightly unpleasant sights throughout the restaurant. Don't think we'll go back, but it did fill us up and gave us some laughs.
(As seen through the lens of Mike's camera. I love the line of kids crossing the street. Perfect shot of Chinatown's gate.)
After Chinatown, we made our way to Union Station where we signed up for a DC Ducks Tour (check out the website!). While waiting for our Duck departure, we shopped around in Union Station. There is a vast array of stores and the guys were patient as Mal and I browsed through several of them.
Our Duck Tour departed at 5:00 and was the best tour I've been on in DC (well, besides the fabulous one Mal gave us earlier in the day!). The tour is given aboard an old, restored WW II vehicle that is part SUV and part boat. It easily converts from land to water and vice versa without doing anything (ie. attaching anything extra or taking anything off) to the vehicle. It was a really informative 90 minute tour that was also very entertaining.
(Mal and Dave quacking it up with their DUCK "quackers" that were given to each of us.)
(Dave and me quacking. Don't you love the hair?)
(A couple Quackheads)
(Standing outside the DUCK mobile)
After our tour, we grabbed our dinner at Ben and Jerry's (yes, we had ice cream for dinner). Mal and Dave went to rent some movies and chill at the apartment while Mike and I opted to catch some of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival before they closed up shop for the evening. It was fun wandering around on The Mall and listening to the different music. There were many tents set up for mechandise sales, but most of them were closed. The only tents still open were food vendors and those that covered the musicians. After about two hours, when everyone was leaving, Mike and I walked the approximate two miles back to the apartment. It was a nice evening and a pleasant walk.
(Shadows walking home. That's the Capitol lit ahead of us. I love DC at night. The company wasn't bad either...)
When we got back, we joined Dave and Mal and watched Airplane (a movie that the guys referenced and quoted earlier in the day). Mallory and I attempted to watch all of Crash with them too, but we crashed ourselves before the end. The guys were troopers and finished it. Our Saturday came to a close on Sunday's wee morning hour of about two.
Friday night our old roomie Mark moved out. Mal and I anticipated the arrival of Katie on Saturday, so we immediately got to work cleaning out the room after Mark left. We knew time was limited before the guys came. We finished most of the cleaning, put up some curtains to close off the closet (we don't have doors on our closets), and just tidied up the place. We began hanging up some art in my room just as Dave arrived at the front door. His arrival signaled the "weekend of fun" truly was here!
After catching up for a few minutes, we put him to work. Aren't we such great hostesses? He helped us hang the pictures in my room before we all began attacking Katie's room again. We moved in there where Dave assembled her chair and light, while Mal and I worked on fitting the AC unit into the window. Just as Mal and I were our sweatiest and Dave finished his tasks, Mike called. He was down the road about a mile and needed some directional assistance. After talking to him a few minutes and realizing that I had no idea where he was (big surprise, I know), I gave the phone to Mal and she talked him in.
When Mike arrived, we stopped working (we actually finished as he arrived) and all just hung out. Mike and I had our White House tour scheduled for 8:30 on Saturday. So, after eating a late dinner, the two of us turned in around 12 as Mal and Dave settled in to watch a movie.
Saturday morning arrived super early. Did I even sleep? Although our appointment was for 8:30, people are required to be there early (20-30 minutes) before their tour time. This meant leaving the house by 7:15, which we did with no problems. After catching the metro (it was Mike's first metro ride!), we were at the White House shortly after eight. There was hardly anyone in line. We approached the guard to get our guidebooks and proceed inside.
She stopped us and told us the "rules" before we proceeded. We were okay to go through except for one minor detail. We each had our camera. Cameras were a no-go.
"You have three options," the guard said, after looking at our cameras. "One, you can take your cameras back to your car." Okay, no, we rode the metro. "Two, you can turn around and take them back to your hotel." Hmm, the apartment is a 15 minute metro ride and ten minute walk away. No to number two. "Or three, you can go in one at a time while the other stands outside and holds the cameras." Well, that's not any better and defeats the purpose of us coming together to the White House.
She could tell from our expressions that none of her options thrilled us. The guard added, "You can take your tour at anytime up until 12:30." Feeling relieved and less pressure to "go right now", we came up with a fourth option. I called Mal and woke her up. Once she made it out of her groggy state, she agreed (thankfully) to meet us, with the car, at the metro closest to our apartment. Mike and I took some pictures in front of the White House and made our way back to the metro. When we stepped out of the metro center closest to home, Mal was waiting in the car.
(This picture was snapped before we took our cameras to Mal. The WH is behind us.)
She offered to shuttle us back to the White House, to which we quickly agreed. What took us twenty minutes to walk and ride the train back, took about five in the car. Surprisingly, there was no traffic. We got out of the car, leaving cameras and phones inside (we couldn't remember if phones were allowed in the WH), and agreed to meet back up for the Capitol Tour that Mal offered to take all four of us on. We had over two hours before we had to meet Mal and Dave.
Before we went on our tour, we stepped inside the WH Visitor Center and educated ourselves on what to expect. The WH tour itself is self-guided, so unless you know anything about it, it could make for a less interesting tour. We strolled in there for over an hour before going to the WH.
By the second time around, the line was much longer. I guess not too many people want to get up on Saturday morning before eight unless they have to. Either that, or there were a bunch of people like us who didn't know the "rules" before hand. Regardless, we had no problems getting in the second time. The White House was very grand. We were able to view about ten rooms, including the dining hall and several entertaining rooms (Red, Blue, and green Rooms), and go down a hall adjacent to a beautiful garden. Out front, we viewed the bald spot on the lawn where the tree fell earlier in the week because of all the rain. The guard standing nearby told us his story of being on duty as it fell right near him. Ooooh, ahhh.
We left the WH and made our way to the Capitol where Mal agreed to lead Dave, Mike, and me on a staff led tour. She handed us our special "staff" stickers and we proceeded into the building. She was a great "tour guide" and I learned a lot about the building. Most impressionable was "The Freeze" artwork that wrapped around the inside of the Capitol's Dome. It was beautiful and painted to appear three dimensional from where we stood below. Amazing.
(The Capitol Building)
(A view of The Mall, seen standing on the Capitol steps. The building to the left of the Monument (yeah, it's super small in the distance) is the Lincoln Memorial where I sat and watched the fourth's fireworks with Steve.)
(Mallory telling the guys about the Capitol's Dome)
("What a great shot, Mike," was said after two shots Dave took without capturing the $1500.00 chandelier behind us. Yeah, I didn't leave any zeroes out. Because of his (lack of) picture taking ability, Dave was often passed over (and the camera handed to Mike) when a picture was needed. This is in the Capitol. Nicknamed the "North Carolina" room.)
(Mike and me on the Capitol steps.)
(The guys and me before Mal's tour)
(Mal's turn!)
After our tour, we metro'ed it to Chinatown. We ate at Chopsticks. While the food was good, Mal and I were scarred after visiting their restroom and seeing some other slightly unpleasant sights throughout the restaurant. Don't think we'll go back, but it did fill us up and gave us some laughs.
(As seen through the lens of Mike's camera. I love the line of kids crossing the street. Perfect shot of Chinatown's gate.)
After Chinatown, we made our way to Union Station where we signed up for a DC Ducks Tour (check out the website!). While waiting for our Duck departure, we shopped around in Union Station. There is a vast array of stores and the guys were patient as Mal and I browsed through several of them.
Our Duck Tour departed at 5:00 and was the best tour I've been on in DC (well, besides the fabulous one Mal gave us earlier in the day!). The tour is given aboard an old, restored WW II vehicle that is part SUV and part boat. It easily converts from land to water and vice versa without doing anything (ie. attaching anything extra or taking anything off) to the vehicle. It was a really informative 90 minute tour that was also very entertaining.
(Mal and Dave quacking it up with their DUCK "quackers" that were given to each of us.)
(Dave and me quacking. Don't you love the hair?)
(A couple Quackheads)
(Standing outside the DUCK mobile)
After our tour, we grabbed our dinner at Ben and Jerry's (yes, we had ice cream for dinner). Mal and Dave went to rent some movies and chill at the apartment while Mike and I opted to catch some of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival before they closed up shop for the evening. It was fun wandering around on The Mall and listening to the different music. There were many tents set up for mechandise sales, but most of them were closed. The only tents still open were food vendors and those that covered the musicians. After about two hours, when everyone was leaving, Mike and I walked the approximate two miles back to the apartment. It was a nice evening and a pleasant walk.
(Shadows walking home. That's the Capitol lit ahead of us. I love DC at night. The company wasn't bad either...)
When we got back, we joined Dave and Mal and watched Airplane (a movie that the guys referenced and quoted earlier in the day). Mallory and I attempted to watch all of Crash with them too, but we crashed ourselves before the end. The guys were troopers and finished it. Our Saturday came to a close on Sunday's wee morning hour of about two.
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