DC Love

Monday, July 16

To celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Jason's birth, the WISE gang went to Johnny Rockets for dinner:


I got Jason a "Party in a Box" from Chocolate Moose, and he let me wear the other crown:


Emily had a field day with the stringy confetti stuff:


The Birthday Boy is such a STUD:


Monday spending total: $10.00 (burger at Johnny Rockets)

Tuesday, July 17

Nope. Nothing exciting. Paper writing ALL day.

Tuesday spending total: $2.00 (CVS run)

Wednesday, July 18

I started my morning off with a tour of the Washington Monument:


Upon going up 500 feet, I took some sweet photos. Here you can see the Jefferson Memorial:



World War II Memorial, Reflecting Pool, and Lincoln Memorial:



The White House:



Random buildings:


Eisenhower Executive Office Building:


Mall looking the other way (the Capitol is somewhere behind the haze):



Once I was back on the ground, I took another shot of the obelisk:


Good Morning, George:


Here are more Lincoln Memorial/Reflecting Pool/WWII Memorial shots:



And finally, R2D2:


I came home for a bit before going to a Capitol Hill briefing on Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Careers. Congresswomen Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Jan Schakowsky spoke along with two female professors. (I wish I knew/remembered more about this event, but I don't. Speaking of Cathy McMorris Rodgers, check out this article about the ten Congresswomen with children under the age of thirteen.)

I came home and worked on my paper some more before giving up for the night.

Wednesday spending total: $6.90 (House of Representatives Gift Shop purchases)

Thursday, July 19

The WISE gang had a late morning/early afternoon appointment at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which definitely was interesting. Afterward, Emily, Erica, Dave, and I went to Luna Grill and Diner for a late lunch. George drove past while we were eating there; he has quite a motorcade.

We didn't want to go home and write our papers, so we went to Marvelous Market for coffee, tea, and pastries. We got our delectables to go and munched on them while people-watching at Dupont Circle. A most lovely diversion before a night of paper writing!

Thursday spending total: $16.00 (dinner, tea, and a snack)

Friday, July 20

After two speakers and more paper writing, I met up with Pat Rodjom for dinner!!! We went to the Brickskeller followed by Big Hunt and had a fabulous time! On our way back to the Dupont Metro, we ran into an impromptu concert:


I heart Pat:


Friday spending total: $21.50 (my share of dinner and drinks)

Saturday, July 21

More paper writing. Ew.

I finally couldn't stand looking out my window at the perfect blue sky anymore and left the dorm for a U Street adventure. I was hungry when I got off of the Metro and decided to check out Ben's Chili Bowl:


My chili dog at this historic African American establishment exceeded my expectations to the utmost extent. Soooo tasty!!!

I hit up Home Rule and Go Mama Go! again but wasn't in the mood to buy anything.

Soon, I made my way back to Dupont:


I LOVE this neighborhood. I was thinking the other day and realized that Dupont is a lot like Coventry, only better (both have a large hippie/activist and gay population, fun restaurants, and unique shops). Ariel told me that Ted Gup once lived here; I need to remember to ask him about that.

Anyway, I went to Saturday evening Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. From the outside, this Church appears to be nothing special:


The inside, however, is GORGEOUS. I don't like to take photos inside places of worship, but I just couldn't resist:



I had no idea that this was where John F. Kennedy's funeral Mass was held. The people in the above photograph are looking at an inlaid marble plaque that states:

HERE RESTED THE REMAINS
OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY
AT THE REQUIEM MASS, NOVEMBER 25, 1963
BEFORE THEIR REMOVAL TO ARLINGTON
WHERE THEY LIE IN EXPECTATION
OF A HEAVENLY RESURRECTION

There are several beautiful chapels within the Church, including Our Lady's Chapel, the St. Francis of Assisi Chapel, and the St. Anthony of Padua Chapel. (I'm still trying to figure out the Franciscan connection...)

I went home and met up with Emily. The other day, Sherme my Roomie decided that she wanted to get a cake from CakeLove. But she wanted me to have some love, er, cake, too and asked them about creating a milk-free concoction. The folks at CakeLove were worried about cross-contamination and told her to look up a local vegan bakery called Sticky Fingers instead.

Emily and I ventured to Sticky Fingers. The rest is history:


If you haven't noticed, I like DC a lot. But now that I have discovered Sticky Fingers, I can never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, ever leave.

SARAH-SAFE CHOCOLATE CAKE. Oh wait, THREE KINDS of SARAH-SAFE CHOCOLATE CAKE. And that's not all. Brownies, cookies, muffins galore.

I AM IN TOTAL AND COMPLETE LOVE.

Saturday spending total: $25.50 (lunch, CVS run, dinner, and LOTS of chocolate cake)