Why yes, Virginia - there ARE mosquitos in DC.
Ah yes, DC. A brilliantly-laid out city. That's perhaps the highest praise I can give to any city. I suppose NYC is pretty well planned too, but it loses massive points because the subway is GROSS and DIRTY, whereas the DC Metro is CLEAN and always A/Ced and has nice signs that tell you when the next train is coming.
On a leg of my flight there this woman who (of course) sat right behind me was so drunk that they almost didn't let her fly. Then she tried to have me buy her a drink mid-flight. It was a bit uncomfortable, especially since she reeked of alcohol and was slurring her words and had long nails. I didn't want her to scratch me.
For some reason, a rather large percentage of my friends have moved to DC within the past four months. That was the reason for my visit, in case you were wondering. (We all need to take more vacations - people kept asking me why I was visiting, and doesn't "just for fun" cut it anymore?)
One of my days, apparently suffering from delusions that I needed to exercise after all the fantabulous meals, I decided to walk from Dupont Circle to Georgetown, since I hadn't stepped foot in Georgetown for four years (even though I've been going to DC at least once a year since graduating from college). Let me tell you that this is a Very Long Walk. My loop, because I decided to swing by Dumbarton Oaks Park and northern Georgetown to see all the pretty houses before going to the major shopping areas, measured 4.3 miles. This might not seem like a lot, but when it is humid outside and the middle of the day, it's not precisely pleasant.
But I could live in DC if I lived in one of those pretty Georgetown houses. And even though it is a bitch of a walk to the nearest metro (there are buses, but I don't like buses), that wouldn't matter because if I had enough money to have a house there, I'd have enough money to have a driver as well.
To top that crazy walk off, I decided to walk around the zoo also (since that's the only major attraction I'd never been to prior to this trip). Actually, I only made it to the panda exhibit, then decided that 5 hours of walking around was plenty. Did I mention the humidity?
Also, there's nothing like going to the National Portrait Gallery and looking at all the pictures of the presidents to realise how little you actually do know about the 43 prior leaders of our country. Pierce? Like, who was he? And Polk? Yeah.
But I could live in DC if I lived in one of those pretty Georgetown houses. And even though it is a bitch of a walk to the nearest metro (there are buses, but I don't like buses), that wouldn't matter because if I had enough money to have a house there, I'd have enough money to have a driver as well.
To top that crazy walk off, I decided to walk around the zoo also (since that's the only major attraction I'd never been to prior to this trip). Actually, I only made it to the panda exhibit, then decided that 5 hours of walking around was plenty. Did I mention the humidity?
Also, there's nothing like going to the National Portrait Gallery and looking at all the pictures of the presidents to realise how little you actually do know about the 43 prior leaders of our country. Pierce? Like, who was he? And Polk? Yeah.
Another fun thing was getting a private tour of the Supreme Court, courtesy of my friend's husband who's a law clerk there. Seeing the judge's private chambers was great fun, even though now we've probably been videotaped looking at all of his family pictures.
There were lots of good meals out. I mean, can you ever go wrong with fried oysters and fried green tomatoes? Too bad I didn't get a picture of the AMAZING chocolate cake. I generally don't like chocolate for dessert because I'm usually too full, but I'm glad that we got it this time. It perhaps says something when mention of this cake makes it into every review I've read of the restaurant.
And while I love almost all pizza, I have to say that I had some Very Good Pizza in DC. Pizza that has been recognised by the Italian government as being verace pizza napoletana. Pizza that is definitely going to be on my "must return" list for my next trip to DC. Also, the fact that their glasses wine really could have been two separate pours didn't hurt matters any. By the way, those beans pictured above? Were beyond heavenly. I want to go back already.
By the way, I couldn't have had an easier time getting through security both in LA and at Dulles. True, I did make sure I had absolutely no liquids on me. It worked out okay because I was staying with a female friend this time, but when I go to Boston in a month and have to stay with Fake Boyfriend? For all his metrosexuality, I don't think he'll have the beauty products I want. I am seriously contemplating just shipping a box of stuff out to him and having him keep it at his place for my visits.
Or, I could just check my suitcase.
By the way, what does it say when my favourite purchase made in DC is not the pretty ring I bought, but the two boxes of Duncan Hines red velvet cake mix I picked up at the market? They don't sell it in the Northeast or the West, I've checked. And sometimes a girl doesn't want to make red velvet cake from scratch.
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