D.C. Sans Kids

Last week, Jon was in Boston. He drove--all 13+ hours. Uggg. I was in North Carolina. He was supposed to leave on Saturday morning, but ended up delayed until about 11am. That meant that he wouldn't be home that night. I hung up the phone, sighed, then picked up the phone again. I called a good friend who agreed to watch all my kids overnight. Then I talked to another good friend. She would take them the second night. Then I called Jon, booked a hotel, and headed north.

That night, Jon and I arrived at the hotel only 10 minutes apart. We went to a wonderful Chinese restaurant. The next morning we got up and went to a great place for brunch. The servers all wore suspenders and bow ties and there was more Mahogany trim and paneling in that place than I have ever seen. Gas lights, original paintings, gorgeous flower arrangements and a crowd even on Sunday morning. Lovely brunch.

Then we bundled up, braved the elements and headed down the street for the Smithsonian museums. We went to the National Archives and the National Museum of Art--both things we wouldn't dream of taking the kids to. I lugged that big camera everywhere and only took one picture the entire trip. Actually, Jon took it for me.



You would think that I would choose the Washington Monument or something iconic, but this painting was a must take. It is the painting that is depicted on one of our timeline cards that the kids study--St. Benedict and Monasticism. They had to see me standing next to the original. Of course, I couldn't use the flash, so even this picture isn't good. But, there it is.

That evening we headed back to the hotel and ordered pizza and a Philly cheesesteak. I asked the concierge where to find a good Philly cheese and she laughed. She is from Philly and used to work at a hotel in Philly and was always asked that question there. She hadn't heard it in years. She named a place that almost gets it right and we ordered delivery. She was right--almost right, but not quite. I love the real deal.

Then we got up the next morning at 5 and left at 6. Jon had a lunch meeting.

So, that was our whirlwind excursion without kids to D.C. It was lovely.