our brand new eyes: JZ's Trip to DC!

My husband gave me an amazing gift this week. I got four days to fly to Washington, DC all by myself to visit one of my great friends from college, Jayne.

We picked this weekend because one of our very favorite artist, Ani Difranco, was going to be playing at this beautiful little synagog in DC.

The problem with this plan was Denver International Airport. DIA has delayed me many a times. For wind, for rain, for ice. And on Wednesday, it was for snow. A freak snowstorm that just happened to start the morning that I was suppose to leave for DC. So I was delayed. By five hours. I'm not not going lie, I cried. A couple of times. In front of Wanda, the nice ticket lady for Frontier Airlines, as well as a number of women in the bathroom by Gate 38. I was super frustrated and buuuummmmmed out. Because I was going to miss Ani. And I love her.

And then I got over it and got an airport massage & a soy latte and I was fine with my situation. Oh and I read my kindle for hours while kids screamed all around me and I didn't have to take care of any of them.

So I arrived in DC five hours late, grabbed the first taxi I could find outside of the airport and hightailed it to the synagog. And the stars suddenly aligned. And the angles begin to sing and I pulled up in front of the venue as Ms. Difranco was finishing her set. So after sweet-talking this very cute Jewish boy into letting me sneak into the show I managed to catch the last song (one of my favorites) and two encore songs!!! It was a long and rather emotional day but justice prevailed. Long live Ani D!!

We woke up early the next day, ready to seize all that Washington DC had to offer. We basically spent the day eating and shopping. And it was great fun! That night we went with some of Jayne's friends to a really gross thrift shop (an aside: I didn't take pictures because it was really really gross but in retrospect, I sorta wish I would have captured the moment) and some authentic Indian food (i had fried rice because of that pesky cilantro thingy).

The next day we really did embrace DC.

there were a number of protests in the street & super fun food that you would never find in DRO

Jayne took me to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and I was in awe. I could have spent the entire day there. The exhibits were SO COOL! I only took pictures of the dinosaur exhibits because I live with a Bennett. And those are the only pictures that would make him think that I was cool. And I strive for that. Get it while you can.

We walked across the mall to visit the new Martin Luther King Jr Memorial and to see the FDR Memorial.

look kids, the national monument!

a beautiful day on the mall

this was the quote that inspired the statue

It was enormous and awe-inspiring and very inspirational. It made me want to read MLK's biography.

And then we got to check out FDR's Memorial

It was enormous and awe-inspiring and very inspirational. It made me want to read FDR's biography.

I can't say that I'm the most political of people but being in DC made me want to pay more attention. To the people running my government, to the choices I make on a daily basis that influence my world knowledge. I've been there once before but this time was different. It was like I "got it" on a different level.

And then we went to the movies. An IMAX movie!

aren't we cute!

Loved loved loved this movie. Please see it if it's anywhere near your city.

And then I wanted to change the way I thought about water.

This trip to DC has pretty much inspired me to save humanity and the planet. That's what vacations are suppose to do to you, right?

And then we went to Truckaroo.

Truckaroo is a gathering of all the food trucks around DC in one central location. You go from truck to truck and gorge yourself on various cuisines from around the world and listen to loud rock 'n roll from a local band. It was super fun and super delicious.