D.C, that is. I promise my next trip will be to the west coast Washington. This time around (my first trip in about 3 years!) I went to D.C. with my good friend Marjorie to visit an equally dear friend, Amie. It was a weekend of "so"s:
It was all true.
Marjorie and I left Thursday afternoon, and with a minor delay in Cincinnati (the flight crew disappeared for a short while...hopefully not to the bar) we made it to D.C. around 11:30. Amie took us for a drive through the city. I have to say that D.C. is a magical place. As soon as I get there and see the monuments, so beautifully lit, I start to hear in my head the roll of snare drums (the most patriotic of all the drums, wouldn't you say?) and then the muted trumpeting of horns...you know, some type of seriously patriotic music accompanying me around town.
Marjorie is moving to D.C. in the fall and so Friday morning she spent with a real estate agent looking for places to live while Amie stopped in to work. Amie lives in Arlington, VA not far from the Marine Corps War Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. I went for a long walk around the monument and then on into the cemetery. I kept thinking that I should turn around and head back, but then I'd see another interesting sight ahead and I just couldn't turn back. Alone time can be so wonderful. I didn't even have music with me to walk to, just my own thoughts and a feeling of awe.
After Amie and Marjorie returned we ate some lunch (Amie had shopped at Trader Joe's, a grocery store sorely needed in SLC, for yummy things like good cheese, fruit and bread) and then headed out into the city. We started out at the National Gallery of Art. I'm so glad we made it there. As we had been planning the trip, both Marj and I decided that we didn't care if we saw a single D.C. sight - we just wanted time with Amie. Once we were there, however, we had a ball packing it all in. The art museum was a dream come true for me - Amie dropped us off to find parking and I dragged poor Marjorie from one gallery to the next finding all the art I wanted to see. I finally got to see a real Vermeer. (Joy!) I also enjoyed Mary Cassatt, Van Gogh and of course Monet, Raphael, Renoir, ....I was in heaven. Something about seeing all the art fills me with this deep ache in my chest - a fierce longing and excitement, quiet reverence, intense desire...I don't know. The girls probably thought I was nuts. And they were right.
"That was so delicious!"
"I'm so happy to be with my friends!"
"This is so beautiful!"
"This is so fun!"
It was all true.
Marjorie and I left Thursday afternoon, and with a minor delay in Cincinnati (the flight crew disappeared for a short while...hopefully not to the bar) we made it to D.C. around 11:30. Amie took us for a drive through the city. I have to say that D.C. is a magical place. As soon as I get there and see the monuments, so beautifully lit, I start to hear in my head the roll of snare drums (the most patriotic of all the drums, wouldn't you say?) and then the muted trumpeting of horns...you know, some type of seriously patriotic music accompanying me around town.
Marjorie is moving to D.C. in the fall and so Friday morning she spent with a real estate agent looking for places to live while Amie stopped in to work. Amie lives in Arlington, VA not far from the Marine Corps War Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. I went for a long walk around the monument and then on into the cemetery. I kept thinking that I should turn around and head back, but then I'd see another interesting sight ahead and I just couldn't turn back. Alone time can be so wonderful. I didn't even have music with me to walk to, just my own thoughts and a feeling of awe.
After Amie and Marjorie returned we ate some lunch (Amie had shopped at Trader Joe's, a grocery store sorely needed in SLC, for yummy things like good cheese, fruit and bread) and then headed out into the city. We started out at the National Gallery of Art. I'm so glad we made it there. As we had been planning the trip, both Marj and I decided that we didn't care if we saw a single D.C. sight - we just wanted time with Amie. Once we were there, however, we had a ball packing it all in. The art museum was a dream come true for me - Amie dropped us off to find parking and I dragged poor Marjorie from one gallery to the next finding all the art I wanted to see. I finally got to see a real Vermeer. (Joy!) I also enjoyed Mary Cassatt, Van Gogh and of course Monet, Raphael, Renoir, ....I was in heaven. Something about seeing all the art fills me with this deep ache in my chest - a fierce longing and excitement, quiet reverence, intense desire...I don't know. The girls probably thought I was nuts. And they were right.
Next were the botanical gardens (I'm so glad we made it there - it was a magical kingdom!) and then shopping in the nearby town of Alexandria. They have a riverside shopping district similar in some ways to Park City. Lots of unique shops. However, it wasn't long before hunger prevailed and we had to find a good eatery. We couldn't decide where to go until we saw a group of cops hanging out on the bustling corner - who better to ask? They pointed us to a pub with great burgers and sirloin sandwiches - may I say it again? So good. At the end of the evening, exhaustion radiated throughout the car, but I asked if they could please drop me off at the WWII memorial - I hadn't seen it before and didn't know when I could see it again, so I spent a nice few minutes walking through the crowded monument. There were some beautiful quotes. Of course, I had told Marjorie I'd call her cell when I was ready for them to pick me up, only to discover that I didn't have her correct cell number. I was afraid I was stranded. Luckily the girls spotted me on a drive-by so I wasn't stuck there all night. And then of course we didn't go to sleep forever due to much chatting, chocolate eating and the neighbors partying outside.
Saturday morning: our first stop of the day was at the local farmers' market where we enjoyed local arts (I got talked into dangly earrings and a beautiful periwinkle wrap that I will try my best to wear without feeling self-conscious) and home grown food. We found great peaches and raspberries to make into cobbler. We decided to spend the rest of the day in Annapolis, Maryland. Wow. I would have thought the whole town a fabrication because it was so darling. Really picturesque, and also authentic, which made it all the more charming. And I can now say that I've had the best crab cake sandwich on the planet. After Annapolis we raced into the city to the Museum of Natural History so I could pick up a gift for Chase. Someday I hope I can take him there. Then we stopped in at Trader Joe's and then to the mall to look for shoes for Marj. I think we were officially exhausted. So Marj and I read more while Amie worked away on her paper, and then we ate a late-night cobbler dessert. Man. Good.
We spent Sunday morning walking through Arlington Cemetery, where we saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during the changing of the guard. We also saw the Kennedy graves, which were so beautiful, surrounded by granite walls inscribed with the powerful and poignant words of the Kennedy brothers. I was especially touched that Jackie was buried next to two babies she lost. One was a son, who lived only two days and died only two months before her husband. The other, a daughter, was a stillborn baby. Her grave was marked only, "Daughter." I couldn't help but wonder if she ever got a name, even if it was only her mother who knew it. I had taken pictures of Jackie and John's graves, and even their son. I was almost going to walk away, but I couldn't go without a photo of little "Daughter" as well.
I really enjoyed attending Amie's church - the Arlington ward meets in a really lovely and serene building. I hope Marj is able to find a home in the area. The neighborhood was so delightful. After church was a delicious Amie-dinner, and then we rushed to the airport where we, after quite the comedy of errors in which I played the fool (thank you for the three separate stops, airport security!) very nearly did not make the plane. The trials of making the flight are enough for a blog entry all their own but I shall spare you the details, seeing as how it's unlikely anyone has made it to the end of this marathon entry as it is.
Thank you, dear friends, for the getaway weekend. Thank you, dear Troy for your support in going and for your great daddy-ing. The kids hardly knew I was gone. I must mention that we missed several people over the weekend - Carrie, TL, Emily, Eliza....you shoulda been there. And now I'm set for the next four years, right?
Saturday morning: our first stop of the day was at the local farmers' market where we enjoyed local arts (I got talked into dangly earrings and a beautiful periwinkle wrap that I will try my best to wear without feeling self-conscious) and home grown food. We found great peaches and raspberries to make into cobbler. We decided to spend the rest of the day in Annapolis, Maryland. Wow. I would have thought the whole town a fabrication because it was so darling. Really picturesque, and also authentic, which made it all the more charming. And I can now say that I've had the best crab cake sandwich on the planet. After Annapolis we raced into the city to the Museum of Natural History so I could pick up a gift for Chase. Someday I hope I can take him there. Then we stopped in at Trader Joe's and then to the mall to look for shoes for Marj. I think we were officially exhausted. So Marj and I read more while Amie worked away on her paper, and then we ate a late-night cobbler dessert. Man. Good.
We spent Sunday morning walking through Arlington Cemetery, where we saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during the changing of the guard. We also saw the Kennedy graves, which were so beautiful, surrounded by granite walls inscribed with the powerful and poignant words of the Kennedy brothers. I was especially touched that Jackie was buried next to two babies she lost. One was a son, who lived only two days and died only two months before her husband. The other, a daughter, was a stillborn baby. Her grave was marked only, "Daughter." I couldn't help but wonder if she ever got a name, even if it was only her mother who knew it. I had taken pictures of Jackie and John's graves, and even their son. I was almost going to walk away, but I couldn't go without a photo of little "Daughter" as well.I really enjoyed attending Amie's church - the Arlington ward meets in a really lovely and serene building. I hope Marj is able to find a home in the area. The neighborhood was so delightful. After church was a delicious Amie-dinner, and then we rushed to the airport where we, after quite the comedy of errors in which I played the fool (thank you for the three separate stops, airport security!) very nearly did not make the plane. The trials of making the flight are enough for a blog entry all their own but I shall spare you the details, seeing as how it's unlikely anyone has made it to the end of this marathon entry as it is.
Thank you, dear friends, for the getaway weekend. Thank you, dear Troy for your support in going and for your great daddy-ing. The kids hardly knew I was gone. I must mention that we missed several people over the weekend - Carrie, TL, Emily, Eliza....you shoulda been there. And now I'm set for the next four years, right?
4 comments:
nice work -- glad you enjoyed your trip to your nation's capital. It's a great town. Potomac fever.
what a fun entry, except it made me green with envy :) It sounds like you guys had such a fun time. I think with Amie anything you guys did would be amazing, she is so fun.
So glad you had a great time! You made me get the itch...too bad my sis isn't living there anymore!
Interesting to know.
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