I have always dreamed of visiting our Nation's Capital. I love my country, and I am so proud to be an American. I also spent a good chunk of my life teaching small children; many of those lessons were about our beloved land. This year, we knew we wanted to catch some March Madness. When we compared Regional sites, D.C. stood out above the rest.
Museums & Memorials
There are a multitude of museums in D.C. I was impressed with the quality and the fact that so many of them are free. It was also profound to see the things I had only seen in pictures or on the news.
There is so much history here, and in such a finite space. We were also witness to some protests, signs, and displays pointing to the divisiveness in our country right now. We are lucky to live in a place where we can voice our own opinions and support causes that are important to us.
Botany
I don't know who scheduled cherry blossom season to coincide with the NCAA tournament, but job well done, Sir or Madam. I didn't know they were going to be so beautiful and aromatic. I want to plant them all in my yard and hug them on the daily.
Sports
We were so focused on The Madness that we had no idea that the day we flew in was Opening Day for MLB. (I worked at a baseball stadium for several years to supplement my teacher's salary; I remember baseball always starting in April!) I had checked on MLB tickets for an upcoming April trip, but it never occurred to me to check D.C. in March. Thanks to Twitter, I noticed all of the #OpeningDay messages. We bought tickets while on the plane; we landed, dropped our bags off, jumped on the Metro, and ended up rooting for the losing Nationals.
We also enjoyed three games at the Capital One Arena as part of the East Regional. I am going to do a separate March Madness post, so I will save all of that nonsense for later. Suffice it to say, it was a magical sports weekend.
Eats
Washington D.C. is a foodie's dream. There are so many options and so many different kinds of ethnic cuisine. On our first night we went to Supra (our first time sampling Georgian foods and wine, this was our favorite meal of the trip). Spencer can't stop talking about the Ajaruli. This little piece of heaven is a boat shaped piece of bread. In the center is piping hot cheese and an organic egg, topped with a hunk of butter. They bring in to your table and scoop the insides of the bread into the center and mix this hot mess all together. This is one of the best things I have ever eaten, and that is saying a lot.
We learned that this cuisine embraces the mighty walnut with both hands, and that the wine is delicious and a little on the sediment-y side.
We also ate at a Peruvian tapas restaurant called Pisco y Nazca. We are always on the lookout for good ceviche, and this place did not disappoint.
We had lunch at a Persian eatery named Moby Dick, and the food there was authentic. The only bummer of the trip was Momofuku. I have heard about this place for years. The spreadables for the bread were delicious, but the entrees were beyond disappointing.
We are searching for 'our' place; a big city that is close to get to for a quick weekend that offers all of the culture, sports, and food that one couple can handle.
D.C. may just get my vote.
Have you been to Washington D.C.?
Do you have a place you love to get away to for a few days with your family?
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