Washington, DC

We had tickets at 11 to head to the top of one of my favorite places in DC. Let me just say that when we exited the metro and headed down the mall it was blazing hot! I never expected the temperature to be roasting around triple digits like Texas but they were. Of course when you look around and see all the great places in DC you sort of just suck it up. And then like that you are there . . . of course I had sweat pouring down my back and other places I care to not discuss. We arrived with a couple minutes to spare and were beyond thrilled when we realized it was SUPER cold inside! The last time I was at the top of the Washington Monument I was in high school and you just got in line. Oh how things change! Tickets are required and sell out quickly so pay the fee online to avoid showing up for free tickets at the crack of dawn. Thanks Patti for pre-planning! The wait was nice and cold especially the marble benches we sat on . . . the ride up was a little over a minute!


A view from the top . . .


. . . the mall looked terrible since the reflecting pools were being rebuilt.
We were hot and hungry so headed to a Pop Up Restaurant called Great Eats Tavern. The restaurant 'popped up' in conjunction with the National Archives exhibit What's Cooking Uncle Sam. I almost thought I was on an episode of Top Chef for a minute . . . you know restaurant wars? The menu was lengthy and several things I wanted to try. The menu was created with regional favorites and old cookbooks located at the National Achieves so neat concept. I got a laugh when I saw Dublin Dr. Pepper as one of the regional drinks. I had the best Cobb Salad ever and also Shrimp and Grits; yummy!

We walked a few blocks to the National Art Gallery. I had never been so was excited. We entered from the back mall entrance into a room that had a lot of familiar art. One of the first things I saw was Little Dancer by Degas. You better believe I had flashbacks on the trips to Paris with the 5th graders! It still amazes me that we were able to go on a trip with those students; just amazing experience for all involved and of course they taught me a lot about art!
Anyway, it was great to walk around and enjoy without a boy asking how much longer or where is the exit! We did not see it all but managed to experience enough. It was time to head back on the metro before the heat and mass crowds.