Again, where to begin. I'm thankfully over the my-life-is-a-crisis mode. I'm still nervous about housing for Yuri because everything I find must be a one year lease, or it's too far from school, or it's too expensive, but I had to get over that because on Friday morning at 6am, Mom and I departed Nashville for DC. Forgetting that I had to park the car, we made it by the skin of our teeth (I think that's the phrase). We stood in line after line and walked up just in time to board in group A. I did see two people I knew in the airport in Nashville(Seth Lassiter and Bill Taylor for those of you LU or HH peeps), which is like yet unlike the rest of my family who seems to see random people in random places. I slept most of the flight and I think Mom slept some.
We landed in Baltimore, realizing sometime last week that I should've booked two one-way flights since the ticket is on Uncle Sam so I could've flown into Baltimore with Mom and out of Alexandria, near my Fulbright hotel.
Anyhow, we got to the Amtrack station in more than enough time for our train, but just a millisecond too late for the earlier one. We gobbled up some granola bars and boarded when it was time. I wish you could see Mom and me lugging all my bags. I had two checked bags, a backpack full of laptop and other necessities, and a Vera bag with my purse and more fruit than you'd need for a month's nutritional value! Add to that Mom's full-weight rolling checked bag and carry-on. We were struggling!
We set the bags in an open space and found seats facing the right direction. Kate called me from Reagan International Airport. Too bad we were in Maryland. She was on her way to Boston with Scott for a wedding. How funny would it have been to have seen each other in the airport in DC?!
We arrived at Union Station where we cabbed it to the Mayflower, a Rennaissance Hotel. Our room was amazing, with such fluffy white beds that were beckoning. We ignored their call, laced up our tennis shoes (well, I did...Mom's foot injury still requires Mephistos-gotta get another pair for myself!), and jetted out the door. Thanks to the not-so-helpful concierge, we walked several blocks more than necessary Friday. Our Metro stop was literally around the corner. She had us all over creation!
We saw the things west of the mall: the Washington monument, the WWII memorial, the Vietnam Vets' memorial, the cafe (incredible salads), and then the White House and Visitors' Center. From there, we went to the room and chilled for a bit before the Marines' show. We Metro'd to Chinatown, where our map showed the streets where the show should be. We split a fish n chips and broccoli and then found our true destination, at least 25 blocks away.
The Marine show was indescribable. Truly. I think of that commercial where the one marine does all the tricks with his gun. Times a thousand. If you're ever in DC on a Friday night, go and go early. Also get tickets (free). It was outstanding.
When we got back, I ellipticalled as well as hit a few yoga poses to stretch out my locked legs from all the walking. The next morning, Mom went to the fitness room while I looked at the under side of my sleep mask.
We had hotel breakfast and marched onward to our Tourmobile which took us all over the city. We saw the outside of the Capitol (because the tickets were all given out), the Botanic Gardens (not a typo and not sure why it's not Botanical), The Gallery of Art (grilled vegetable sandwich and cannoli) with the Matisse exhibit and lots of Picasso, Arlington including the changing of the Guard and the Kennedys' graves, major thunderstorm, and the Air and Space Museum. By then we had worked up an appetite! We rested our feet in the room and then asked Ronnie, the much more helpful nighttime concierge, for a suggestion for dinner. Our preferences were Italian or seafood. He called the Italian place asking for reservations for two...in Italian. Unfortunately, they were booked. In the middle of a sentence, he remembered another place and called. Coast DC. We were highly under dressed, but no one was ugly about it. I got two comments on my Boston cap and had to disappoint by admitting to not being an actual fan. Oh well.
I had three of the most gigantic and perfectly cooked scallops you've ever seen, on top of risotto cooked in wilted spinach with a glass of some pretty amazing Pinot Grigio sharing asparagus with Hollandaise sauce with Mom. She got Hallibut on top of yummy mashed potatoes and and Portabello mushroom. We didn't have room for dessert; we ordered it anyway. I got chocolate pound cake with some sort of caramel drizzle that they poured on top in front of me and almond ice cream. Mom had a banana chocolate chip ice cream sandwich with cherry something or other.
It was the perfect ending to a great day.
We waddled back to the hotel and I did not hit the fitness room!
Sunday we got up around 9ish and I got my bags packed to change hotels later in the afternoon. We had a reservation for brunch at 10:30 and headed that way. Another fantastic meal! We sat outside in this quaint, sweet hotel/inn. Mom had a crab quishe and I had an almond waffle with mixed berry compote.
More waddling.
We wanted to check out the Museum of Natural History, where Mom snagged some treasures for Turner, and then see the Afghanistan room at the Art Gallery. Something we read made us want to go back and see it.
In the interest of time, we cabbed it back to the Mayflower and then bought a replacement pair of sunglasses from Filene's Basement right next to the hotel, as my $5 pair-and new favorites- from H&M Chicago broke from falling off my head and to the ground. RIP great sunglasses.
Then we began the wild goose chase. In the interest of dinero (saving a $40 taxi ride when I'll have to do that Thursday anyway), Mom lugged aforementioned baggage to the Metro which we rode for 8 or 9 stops and then waited with me at the airport for the hotel shuttle to my Holiday Inn in Alexandria.
Metro ticket to Reagan Int'l Airport- $1.35
Shuttle from airport to Holiday Inn- $4 in tip money
Knowing I sweated, walked about 4 blocks with two rolling suitcases, and rode 3 different vehicles to save $35? Priceless.
We landed in Baltimore, realizing sometime last week that I should've booked two one-way flights since the ticket is on Uncle Sam so I could've flown into Baltimore with Mom and out of Alexandria, near my Fulbright hotel.
Anyhow, we got to the Amtrack station in more than enough time for our train, but just a millisecond too late for the earlier one. We gobbled up some granola bars and boarded when it was time. I wish you could see Mom and me lugging all my bags. I had two checked bags, a backpack full of laptop and other necessities, and a Vera bag with my purse and more fruit than you'd need for a month's nutritional value! Add to that Mom's full-weight rolling checked bag and carry-on. We were struggling!
We set the bags in an open space and found seats facing the right direction. Kate called me from Reagan International Airport. Too bad we were in Maryland. She was on her way to Boston with Scott for a wedding. How funny would it have been to have seen each other in the airport in DC?!
We arrived at Union Station where we cabbed it to the Mayflower, a Rennaissance Hotel. Our room was amazing, with such fluffy white beds that were beckoning. We ignored their call, laced up our tennis shoes (well, I did...Mom's foot injury still requires Mephistos-gotta get another pair for myself!), and jetted out the door. Thanks to the not-so-helpful concierge, we walked several blocks more than necessary Friday. Our Metro stop was literally around the corner. She had us all over creation!
We saw the things west of the mall: the Washington monument, the WWII memorial, the Vietnam Vets' memorial, the cafe (incredible salads), and then the White House and Visitors' Center. From there, we went to the room and chilled for a bit before the Marines' show. We Metro'd to Chinatown, where our map showed the streets where the show should be. We split a fish n chips and broccoli and then found our true destination, at least 25 blocks away.
The Marine show was indescribable. Truly. I think of that commercial where the one marine does all the tricks with his gun. Times a thousand. If you're ever in DC on a Friday night, go and go early. Also get tickets (free). It was outstanding.
When we got back, I ellipticalled as well as hit a few yoga poses to stretch out my locked legs from all the walking. The next morning, Mom went to the fitness room while I looked at the under side of my sleep mask.
We had hotel breakfast and marched onward to our Tourmobile which took us all over the city. We saw the outside of the Capitol (because the tickets were all given out), the Botanic Gardens (not a typo and not sure why it's not Botanical), The Gallery of Art (grilled vegetable sandwich and cannoli) with the Matisse exhibit and lots of Picasso, Arlington including the changing of the Guard and the Kennedys' graves, major thunderstorm, and the Air and Space Museum. By then we had worked up an appetite! We rested our feet in the room and then asked Ronnie, the much more helpful nighttime concierge, for a suggestion for dinner. Our preferences were Italian or seafood. He called the Italian place asking for reservations for two...in Italian. Unfortunately, they were booked. In the middle of a sentence, he remembered another place and called. Coast DC. We were highly under dressed, but no one was ugly about it. I got two comments on my Boston cap and had to disappoint by admitting to not being an actual fan. Oh well.
I had three of the most gigantic and perfectly cooked scallops you've ever seen, on top of risotto cooked in wilted spinach with a glass of some pretty amazing Pinot Grigio sharing asparagus with Hollandaise sauce with Mom. She got Hallibut on top of yummy mashed potatoes and and Portabello mushroom. We didn't have room for dessert; we ordered it anyway. I got chocolate pound cake with some sort of caramel drizzle that they poured on top in front of me and almond ice cream. Mom had a banana chocolate chip ice cream sandwich with cherry something or other.
It was the perfect ending to a great day.
We waddled back to the hotel and I did not hit the fitness room!
Sunday we got up around 9ish and I got my bags packed to change hotels later in the afternoon. We had a reservation for brunch at 10:30 and headed that way. Another fantastic meal! We sat outside in this quaint, sweet hotel/inn. Mom had a crab quishe and I had an almond waffle with mixed berry compote.
More waddling.
We wanted to check out the Museum of Natural History, where Mom snagged some treasures for Turner, and then see the Afghanistan room at the Art Gallery. Something we read made us want to go back and see it.
In the interest of time, we cabbed it back to the Mayflower and then bought a replacement pair of sunglasses from Filene's Basement right next to the hotel, as my $5 pair-and new favorites- from H&M Chicago broke from falling off my head and to the ground. RIP great sunglasses.
Then we began the wild goose chase. In the interest of dinero (saving a $40 taxi ride when I'll have to do that Thursday anyway), Mom lugged aforementioned baggage to the Metro which we rode for 8 or 9 stops and then waited with me at the airport for the hotel shuttle to my Holiday Inn in Alexandria.
Metro ticket to Reagan Int'l Airport- $1.35
Shuttle from airport to Holiday Inn- $4 in tip money
Knowing I sweated, walked about 4 blocks with two rolling suitcases, and rode 3 different vehicles to save $35? Priceless.
1 comment:
I just knew you were a sleep-mask kind of girl!
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