So the remainder of the Lovett clan rolled into D.C. around dinnertime on Saturday night, just in time to catch our dinner reservation at Farmers and Fishers in the Georgetown Harbor. The "teenage unit" (as my parents have now started to refer to Julia) was definitely not her usual peppy self after a straight month of CIT duties, and the parents were pretty exhausted after a six hour drive. So our first night involved the three of them sprawled across the hotel beds completely conked out while I sat there enjoying three different sets of snoring.
All the sleep was completely necessary though. You see Dad had us on a strict biking schedule on Sunday - the bikes were to be delivered to our hotel at 8 am sharp and then we were off on our 30 mile bike ride on the Capital Crescent Trail, the Georgetown Branch Bike Path, and finally through Rock Creek Park. We started off a little later than planned (duh, that's a family tradition) and had an absolutely amazing day.
We rode all the way up along the Potomac into Bethesda, Maryland, where we stopped to refuel on samples at a local farmers market. For me refueling primarily involved seeing how many little tiny sample cups of coffee I could sneak from the coffee vendor's tent without getting glares from the owner... however, we also sampled the best mango gelato I've ever tasted, pickles that made your mouth pucker up (I went for the "full sour" version... poor decision), fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, cookies, scones, etc, etc, etc. It was a miracle that we still fit into our bike shorts after all of that. Yet somehow we were able to make our way back to our bikes and continue on our merry way... at a somewhat slower pace.
For the rest of their visit Mom, Dad, and Julia would take off to sightsee and check out museums while I was at work. They managed to accomplish the Holocaust Museum, the Spy Museum, Fords Theatre, and parts of the National Art Gallery. Not too shabby for a mere day and a half in downtown D.C. We also got lots of chances to make fun of Dad for his habit of reading EVERY SINGLE plaque, sign, informational leaflet, etc. Basically anything that contained even the faintest inkling of historical value, he had to read every single word, no excuses. So of course the Lincoln Memorial was prime time joking around territory as Dad diligently
focused on the huge inscription of Lincoln's second inaugural address on the wall. For about
20 minutes straight. :)
They headed out early Tuesday afternoon on my orders since I did NOT want them
getting caught in rush hour traffic, as wonderful of an end to their trip as that could
have been. Since then I have just been busy at work and signing up to volunteer for/attend even
more things. My strategy is to accept basically every opportunity I come across and it
is certainly keeping me busy and making this summer a ton of fun. I have been trying to
take full advantage of that Smithsonian badge of mine while I can, I don't want to miss out
on anything! Next week I'm attending two lectures, (normally would cost $50 but I'm going for
FREEEEEE!!) one titled "My Life on a Plate" with Greek chef Michael Psilakis and the other
called "Secrets from the Past: From Ancient Texts to Modern Medicine" with an historian
from the Natural History Museum. I'm also volunteering at the Hirshhorn After Hours event
next Friday night. There will be live entertainment, access to all the art exhibits, and probably
some pretty swanky, yummy food, so I'm excited about that! I'm also volunteering to help
out with the annual Legg Mason Tennis Tournament the last weekend of July. The bracket
includes Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewit, John Isner, and Robby Ginepri. I AM SO EXCITED!!!
I'm hoping to get to be a ball girl, orientation/training is next Saturday so we'll see!
Other than that I've been scrambling to cross things off my big old D.C. to do list. I only have
a mere three weeks left, so I better get busy! I feel like I have done so much at this point but
I just know that I probably won't make it to everything I have my eye on. This place has really grown
on me... not going to lie I was not a fan of the big city when I first got here. All I could think about
was how much I missed the beach, flip flops and bathing suit coverups, and the beautiful sound
of people saying the word "ya'll"... while drinking sweet tea of course. But now, I really do like
it here. Maybe it has something to do with not feeling like a tourist anymore and actually
knowing what on earth I'm doing. Oh and not getting lost like every five minutes and having to
consult a map. That always helps. Here's some pictures from this morning's adventures, which
included a tour of the Capitol Building with some other Smithsonian interns, a trip to the
Botanical Gardens, and the National Art Gallery.
Oh, and a funny story for you which shows just how cheap I am and how attached I am to my possessions.
So I decided to walk to the Capitol from my dorm... for those less familiar with D.C. geography,
that's a good 2.2 miles, so you're looking at a good 50 minute walk. It was a great walk but I got
to the Visitor's Center right at 10:00 on the dot, so not much time to dilly dally since I was supposed
to be meeting my tour group RIGHT then. Well, I had heard about how the Capitol Building has this
rule about absolutely under no conditions, no matter what, never ever ever ever never never are you
allowed to enter the premises with a water bottle, coffee mug, etc. In short, no liquid receptacle
of any kind could get past those security guys with the freakishly shiny shoes. Well... come to find out
they are not referring to only water bottles that are actually filled with some sort of liquid.
Nope. Incorrect. Actually that rule also pertains to really cute blue and green polka dot coffee
travel mugs that you got as a graduation gift and that you use every single day since you're living
in a kitchen that is three feet wide max and lays claim to only two cups. So, sadly, my nice little mug
found its way into a trash can outside the Visitor's Center. I grieved for a moment, pulled myself
together and then went off to meet up with my tour. But!!! I had a plan. After all of this...
I actually went back and got my mug out of the trash can. Okay, before you get completely grossed
out, allow me to qualify my actions. Those trash cans outside are primarily filled with the sad
remains of other people's possessions which have also been confiscated by the security guards.
So we're not talking nasty trash cans here. We're talking trash cans probably full of tons of
cool things from tourists that travel here from all over the country and the world only to have their
very favorite mug or Nalgene chucked in the waste bin. So the trash can I placed my poor little
coffee mug in was nearly empty both when it was placed there and when it left, save for a few
empty plastic bottles. So my desperate actions were totally justifiable. Haha, no... now that I think
about it I realize the cold hard truth. I dug through the trash can to get my precious coffee mug
back. I really do have a coffee problem, I should just face up to it.
Alright, well I have to run since I am off to babysitting job number one of the weekend. Gotta make
some money!! I'll post again once I have more pictures.
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