Monday, June 25
The WISE gang took in the 46th Annual Congressional Baseball Game tonight at RFK Stadium! For the record, I made sure that we sat along the third base line, on the LEFT side of the field:
Seeing our nation's lawmakers play ball was pretty funny! The Republicans triumphed by a score of 5 to 2, due in part to the Democrats' 12 errors!!!
Monday spending total: $0.00 (YAY!!!)
Tuesday, June 26
Free food and free drinks on Capitol Hill! Emily, Ano, Jason, Chris, and myself headed to the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) Exhibition and Reception after work:
The best part of the whole reception was the EGG ROLLS. I swear I ate at least twelve. (This totally reminded me of the time when Christine and I went to a reception at Severance Hall with TONS of cheese and egg rolls. Christine and I were happy as could be, she eating the cheese and me eating the egg rolls.)
Tuesday spending total: $0.00 (YAY!!!)
Wednesday, June 27
The party continues! The WISE gang ventured to the Austrian Embassy for the Bridges Lecture Series and farewell celebration for Philipp Steger:
As you may be able to tell from the photo, none of the AMAZING food was Sarah-safe; I was left to drink the wine. And when the wine happens to be a fabulous Gruner Veltliner (Anton Bauer Gmork)...
Wednesday spending total: $0.00 (YAY!!!)
Thursday, June 28
What a day! I went into work for the late morning and afternoon before taking off for Howard University, home of the latest Democratic Presidential Debate. The mission was to procure a Barack Obama sign for Puppy Wuppy.
I got off the Metro at the Shaw/Howard U stop and began to walk up the street. I saw several curious young professionals like myself wandering the area, unsure of where to go or what to do. As I made it closer to campus, I saw conglomerations of Biden supporters on one corner and Dodd supporters on another. While I soon spotted people with John Edwards signs, I saw no sign of anything Barack Obama (whose supporters were supposed to be staging a HUGE rally) or Hillary.
Upon reaching the far edge of campus, I turned around and headed back to the Metro stop. I saw ONE woman with a Barack Obama shirt and stopped to chat with her. She happened to be the head of the Baltimore group for Obama and hooked me up with a sign (which dozens of people saw as I continued to walk to the Metro, prompting them to ask me the location of the seemingly nonexistent rally).
I hopped on the Metro to Union Station, where I caught the MARC train to Kensington, MD. I was to meet up with the majority of the WISE gang to see the British Players' 43rd Old Time Music Hall.
Well, well, well. Everything went off without a hitch until I got off of the MARC train. I should have had a very short walk from the train station to the venue, Kensington Town Hall. I walked away from the train station and didn't see any of the street names I was expecting to find. I looked at the main road; going right led to who-knows-where while going left apparently led to town. I figured that my odds were better going left and did so.
I made it to downtown Kensington before acknowledging that I was flat-out lost. I stopped at a corner gas station to peek at a map and ask for directions. It was there that I ran into a cabbie, also lost, also looking for Kensington Town Hall. The gas station clerks were absolutely worthless, and she was trying to figure out where to go from a highway map.
I suddenly became worried that I was beyond walking distance from my final destination. I tried to tag along with the cabbie, who tried vehemently to get rid of me. I stuck my head in the back of the taxi to find a cute thirty-something British couple. I explained to them that I, too, was going to see the British Players and was lost; they graciously offered me the front seat.
Our cabbie pulled out of the gas station and began to speed down the main road. She flat out told us that she had NO idea where she was going. Great!
In a moment of brilliance, I found my cell phone and got Chris on the line. He in turn connected me with Dr. Jackson, who gave me flawless directions to Kensington Town Hall. We were traveling in the wrong direction; following an abrupt U-turn and a few minutes, we were at our destination.
Things got interesting when it came time for the British gentleman to pay the cabbie. She demanded $25.75 for the trip from D.C. to Kensington, $8 for "the girl in the front seat," and $10 for gas she wasted while we were lost. The man became rightfully livid and stated that he was going to give her $25.75 and no more, since she was incompetent and "the girl in the front seat" saved the day. I don't know how things ended, since he ordered his wife and me to get out of the cab while they duked it out.
I met up with the WISE gang and went inside City Hall. The show had just started, and we managed to snag the last big round table. I ordered white wine, while the rest of my table got Yuenglings. Soon I had my very own carafe, and I'll leave it at that.
The show itself was quality. "Mr. Chairman" called the shots and introduced the various musical acts. I particularly enjoyed one joke, which I would retell here but for its inappropriate content (I must shield the childrens!).
***
I later figured out that Kensington City Hall was just across the railroad tracks from the MARC station. Of course, it never occurred to this suburban girl to march over the train tracks to the other side...isn't that a testament to my train safety education?
Thursday spending total: $21.97 (MARC fare and a shirt from Filene's Basement)
Friday, June 29
Big Erica, Lauren, and I went shopping at H&M after work; I hit up Giant and went swimming after that. Definitely a totally laid-back Friday night!
Friday spending total: $58.76 (lunch, Giant run, and a shirt from H&M)
Saturday, June 30
Half of the WISE gang and I started off the morning with a tour of the White House. We got to see several rooms in the Eastern Wing, including the Library, East Room, Green Room, Blue Room, Red Room, and State Dining Room.
I was fascinated to learn that each president gets to decorate the Oval Office with whatever carpet/draperies/furniture that he desires. You would be surprised to see how different the office looks from administration to administration.
We also saw an oddly placed portrait of Hillary Clinton. There wasn't enough space in the room where the portraits of the other First Ladies are hung, so hers resides in a prominent hallway leading to the West Wing. Eerily foreboding...
No cameras are allowed in the White House, but here's a photo of the exterior:
After touring George's House (he actually was chillin' in Maine with Vladimir Putin), I met up with Ariel for lunch, conversation, and sunbathing:
I stopped at the Old Post Office Tower on my way home. I (finally) figured out that this was the one random establishment that I visited while in Washington three years ago. All I remember is that security wanted to confiscate my Epi-Pen and I threw a fit!
Anyway, I took some spectacular photos:
My roommates were hungry when I came home; we decided on City Lights of China for dinner. My sweet and sour pork did not meet and/or exceed my expectations. Boo. We continued to walk down Connecticut and hit a local ice cream shop as well as Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe. Both the book selection at this trendy spot and my pomegranate mimosa were AMAZING!!! Chris, Emily, and I stopped at Big Hunt for one more beer (yay Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat!) before calling it a night.
Saturday spending total: $42.47 (Safeway run, dinner, and assorted alcoholic beverages)
Sunday, July 1
To my astoundment, I managed to wake up before noon on a Sunday! I ventured to early morning mass at St. Patrick in the City, founded in 1794:
While I don't think that the present church was constructed in the 18th Century, the inside of the building is under renovation. I may have paid more attention to the scaffolding than the Mass itself...oops.
Emily and I spent the day wandering around Georgetown. We spent some time shopping on M Street, hitting up such establishments as H&M, Zara, United Colors of Benetton, and Sisley to name a few.
We eventually got tired of stores and headed off of the beaten path. We came across Tudor Place but didn't linger since there was a memorial service going on:
We headed up the street a little more to Dumbarton Oaks. Emily had heard about the gardens here, and we decided to check them out at length. We first saw the Orangery, home to a fig (seen against the walls) planted before the Civil War:
From the Green Garden, we photographed the Pebble Garden and Swimming Pool:
This photo was taken in the Beech Terrace:
We then wandered down through the Urn Terrace to the Rose Garden, home to nearly 1,000 roses:
We then photographed the Arbor Terrace:
These shots were taken in the Growing Garden:
We finally photographed the Ellipse and Main Building:
We stopped for dinner at Martin's Tavern in Georgetown on our way home. Every president from Harry Truman to George W. Bush has eaten here! My burger was overpriced, but whatever.
***
The following photos comprise a typical Sunday night in Guthridge 409...the WISE guys down the hall can't get enough of us and love to visit!
Jason looks like he wants to serenade our ironing board:
Ano loves to pass out on our couch:
Dave seeks our company while drinking his espresso:
All while Emily texts on her Treo:
Sunday spending total: $25.29 (dinner and Dumbarton Oaks admission)
Monday, July 2
Emily and I missed a huge chunk of Georgetown; I felt compelled to wander back and take a few more photos. I first saw the C&O (Chesapeake and Ohio) Canal. I happen to be an expert on canals due to my childhood obsession with the working model of the Ohio & Erie Canal at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Canal Visitors Center. Needless to say, this made me happy:
I then walked along the banks of the Potomac River and photographed the Kennedy Center:
Next, I took some boardwalk snapshots:
Another canal picture:
Here's a photo looking west on M Street:
This is Arlington, Virginia:
I made it to Georgetown's beautiful campus and walked around a bit:
I had a lovely stroll home, and most importantly, picked up a Swiffer. I am THRILLED to no longer have nasty dust and grime on my floor!!!
Monday spending total: $21.10 (book and a Swiffer)
Tuesday, July 3
Not much to report here; I worked, cooked, cleaned, swam, and went to Giant for more groceries. In precisely that order.
Tuesday spending total: $11.36 (Giant run)
