I just finished cheating on my blog posts from D.C….which I had been “drafts” but had not been posted yet.
So I must document the photo page from D.C..
I had expected to get more pictures but that just doesn’t happen when your vacation is more about R&R than anything else.
I had a great time…can’t wait to go back.
I was just listening to Primus - Bob
I really don’t want to leave because of a few reasons…I enjoy the time away with Dev a lot. None of the typical distractions we have in Chicago… I also love hanging with Terra, Mike and Aidan…never a quiet or boring moment with them or when there is, it’s well deserved. They made me realize how much I need a TiVo.
I’ve enjoyed staying out here in the East. Sure the weather wasn’t much different (come to find out, it WAS much different � at least it managed to stay above 0 the whole time in D.C. which cannot be said for Chicago). But the change of scenery was nice - tall trees and landscape and not boring, flat Midwest land.
Terra drove us to the airport, which was fun due to Aidan’s dance party and the idiots at McDonald’s that just couldn’t get us all the accessories we needed to enjoy a $1 side salad (being a fork and salad dressing).
We were slightly late getting to BWI but of course our flight was delayed and ended up being consolidated with another flight. Dev and I didn’t get to sit next to each other….LAME.
And now we’re back in Chicago and it’s fucking cold.
I was just listening to Bob Marley - Waiting In Vain
Today, we were considering thinking about possibly maybe going downtown to take in some more sights… But Dev and I concur that we should save the sightseeing for our next visit, which will be a spring/summer thing. Cherry blossoms and all that jazz.
Instead we relaxed, visited and played some Yahtzee. Captain Cocky and the Yahtzee Nazi strike again…
And we had fondue at The Melting Pot…delish.
I was just listening to Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock
Today was actually not spent in D.C. but in lovely Baltimore.
I have to say, I am very impressed with the highways in the D.C. area…must be a lot of money in the state.
We drove to Baltimore, after a late start of course. I called my mom to wish her a happy birthday, called a Woodlea Bakery to reserve *too many* marshmellow filled doughnuts and confirm dinner reservations with Mike G.
So Marshmellow doughnuts are not to be enjoyed in the car. They are to be enjoyed at home, or near a shower or at least a waterhose.
Woodlea Bakery is a hidden gem though…and old bakery that still makes the good stuff…everyone comes in after church apparently…
Downtown/Inner Harbor district is nice except for a beautiful art deco building which has huge corporate signage like ESPN ZONE, HARD ROCK CAFE and BARNES & NOBLE slapped all over it.
We did the National Aquarium…clearly one of the best in the country…amazing rain forest and to think they’re building one 5x the size. No tube worms though…disappointed…at least I saw some at the Scripps last year.
But otherwise a very impressive setup and collection of aquatic life. Kids can be annoying though…feed them to sharks I say.
Not really.
Then dinner with Mike G and his girlfriend Lindsay at Phillip’s. First off, the crab cakes were INCREDIBLE. But more importantly, it was great to see G…it’s always good to see G, not only because he makes me laugh and is going to have some interesting stories to tell, but because you never know when you’ll see him next. I’m happy for him…happy for Lindsay…hope they can have everything they want in their personal lives with G’s professional life…
And I whine about being away from Dev for a few days…sheesh.
I was just listening to Pink Floyd - Us And Them
I prepped. I had a drink to take the edge off.
I cooked. I charmed.
I won them over.
I watched an entire family dance to Hey Ya!
I got fresh with the grandmother.
Devin and I kicked some ass in Cranium.
I did not get drunk, even though I was under some peer pressure to.
I had *a talk* which I would later find out was expected to be *the talk*.
I made my girlfriend happy…and proud, I think.
I did not clean up the kitchen.
I was just listening to Pearl Jam - Off He Goes
Well we made it downtown but not for too long…we felt like we were back in Chicago…the wind was at gale force, it was extremely cold even with the sun out…not great sightseeing weather.
So we took in the International Spy Museum…pretty cool as long as you go ready to look at exhibits from World War II and The Cold War.
And then we had lunch at the first place we saw walking around in the neighborhood…Austin Grill. Pretty cool place since whoever owns the D.C. area chain has obviously been to Austin…photographs of Austin are up on the walls and in the booths, the food is named after specifics to Austin and they serve SHINER BOCK…which, to my experience is unavailable anywhere north of Oklahoma.
The cold weather sent us back on the Metro to Rockville…and what a pleasure riding the Metro was. It’s fast, smooth, comfortable and the stops are incredibly nice and unusual…basically the exact opposite of the shitty Chicago L.
I was just listening to Deftones - No Ordinary Love