Winter Break Trip - Day 4

I was awake at 0530 but didn't bother Mollie until 0730 (she’d slept through several alarms).  We ate breakfast (leftovers) in the room and then walked over to the Independence Hall Visitors Center (arrived at 0800).  A Ranger had recommended this time to me the previous day (it was the last day of ticketed tours of the Pennsylvania State House until March) but no one else had actually arrived yet.  Mollie noticed (annoyed) that the doors didn't open until 0830, so I suggested she walk around and take some photos (she did this and returned about 20 minutes later).  When the Visitors Center opened, we got our tickets (and a 10 minute history lesson from a volunteer) for a 0900 tour.  We made our way over there (and through security) about 15 minutes early and then got ushered inside for our tour.  It was Mollie’s first trip inside this historic building and we got a great Ranger for our tour.  Mollie took lots of pictures and asked me questions between stops.  After the tour was over (0930), we walked next door to visit Congress Hall, the seat of Congress from 1790 to 1800.  We got to sit in the seats of the House of Representatives and learned about the inauguration of John Adams.  After we finished with photos and walking around the grounds of Independence Hall, we went across the street and inside a big Wawa we'd seen.  We discovered that it was located inside an old Newspaper Building.  We walked south for a little bit until we reached Washington Square, where we paid our respects to Unknown Soldiers of the Revolution.  The weather was so great (low 50s and sunny).  On the way back, we located the Signers Statue (took more pictures) and then walked over to The Bourse.  Mollie had seen signs for a Ruth Bader Ginsberg exhibit at the National Museum of American Jewish History and we first thought about only going inside to buy Erin a souvenir at the gift shop.  Once inside the doors, however, we discovered that most of the museum was free.  So (at 1030) we started at the top floor and worked our way down through many interesting stories of Jewish immigration and famous Jewish-Americans through the years.  We were probably in the museum for almost an hour before we went to the gift shop.  The lady working there told us about a local event coming up in the next 48 hours (Mummers Parade) and talked about the murals we'd seen near the Zoo.  We then walked next door to get food at The Bourse (1145).  We sampled two different restaurants for our lunch (Mollie got Korean tacos from Tacorean and I got a grilled cheese sandwich and filling fries at Mighty Melt).  While we were eating, Mollie told me that she really enjoyed the kimchi (her first time trying it).  When we finished eating, we walked over to Betsy Ross' house (arrived at 1230).  We'd heard that the site was planning a 268th Birthday Bash (her birthday was on January 1) and took a tour of the home (complete with interactions with Betsy herself) before that event began; at 1300, we enjoyed a birthday party, complete with songs, a speech by Betsy and old-timey cupcakes.  Soon afterwards, we stopped at a small gift shop (Souvenir, Inc.) nearby so I could buy Mollie more memorable items from our visit.  We ended up talking to the owner for a little while (he was very nice).  We next walked towards the waterfront so we could visit Elfreth's Alley (oldest neighborhood in America).  The sightseeing trip was finished by 1415 and we walked back to the hotel.  Mollie and I spent several hours resting (I actually took a nap) and didn't get ready to go out again (Mollie's choice) until 1730.  By that time, Mollie had researched things to do in the evening and she told me we "needed" to go to the fireworks show that started at 1800.  That sounded fun, so we left our hotel, walked to Market Street and then towards Penn's Landing.  The closer we got to the waterfront, the more crowded it was; by 1745, we could barely move because there were so many people.  Fortunately, we were on the bridge over the Interstate and, when the fireworks began, we had a front row spot.  The show was really good, with colorful sparklers and memorable barrages of multi-effect explosions.  Mollie and I clapped a lot; after the fireworks were over, we walked back towards the Independence Mall.  We were both hungry but wanted to avoid large crowds and find something unique.  This took us on a rather large circuit around Market and Arch Streets but we eventually came back to just about where we started (Market Street Bridge, just west of Penn's Landing).  We ended up having dinner (Philly cheesesteak egg rolls, Philadelphia Roll Sushi) at Thai Koji Sushi Old City (1850).  Mollie and I both agreed that everyone at the business and tourist sites during the trip had been extremely friendly and welcoming.  Mollie added that she had a really great vacation.  Afterwards (close to 2000), we went back to the hotel and spent the rest of the evening watching TV (“Jack Reacher 2”).  We took a break from the show to watch the ball drop in Times Square.  Both of us were asleep by 0045.  Happy  New Year!

Winter Break Trip - Day 3

I was awake very early but Mollie slept until about 0800.  It was raining a lot so we didn't rush out of the room.  We left the hotel at around 0900 and walked one block to the north to the entrance of the US Mint.  We took an interesting tour (although no money was being made) and looked at some cool coin collections in the gift shop.  A lady who worked there told us about the different coins made by each Mint (San Francisco, Denver, Philadelphia and West Point).  Mollie traded an old paper dollar for four new (unused) quarters that had never been circulated.  After about 30 minutes at the Mint, we walked across the street to pay our respects at Benjamin Franklin's tomb in the Christ Church Burial Ground.  We knew that most of the restaurants at The Bourse would be open by 1000 so we next walked over there for brunch (pastries at Barry's Buns).  While sitting at a table inside the warm and dry building, we had several good conversations.  We eventually went back outside and walked around the area near the Independence Mall, looking inside the gift shop at the National Liberty Museum (pricy!) and taking pictures at Carpenters Hall (site of the meeting of the First Continental Congress).  We then walked down the street (big golf umbrella required) towards a Philly Cheese Steak restaurant on South Street that one of my friends had recommended.  Along the way, we marveled at the pretty row homes on each street and stopped for photos and a bit of history at the Thaddeus Kosciusko National Memorial.  Nearby, we watched a Goodwill truck hit an old tree (more than once) and cause it to fall (in pieces) onto the one-way street below.  The ensuing traffic chaos was entertaining.  On South Street, we found ourselves in a totally different world (tattoo parlors, adult book stores, racy theaters, etc.) but located Jim's Steaks and got our lunch (two sandwiches and some fries) at around 1100.  The food was delicious and Mollie ate every bite.  It was nice to be out of the rain, too, so we took our time at the second floor table with a good view of the street below.  After we were done eating, we talked back to the north (still had to carry the big umbrella) so that we could visit another NPS-operated facility at Franklin Court.  This place has always been one of my favorite stops in Philadelphia and, this time, there was an updated museum.  Starting at around noon, we took a tour there and were treated to many interactive and informative exhibits.  I think Mollie really learned a lot and was inspired by Ben Franklin the polymath.  We also toured the printing office (demo of process) and looked inside the "B Free" Franklin Post Office branch.  Mollie told me later that she really liked Franklin Court a lot and it raised her opinion of Franklin tremendously.  We then walked down Market Street to the Independence National Historical Park Visitor Center, where Mollie got several stamps in her NPS Passport (there were 16 to choose from but only four with boxes for the stamps and Mollie was out of room in her "additional cancellations" section).  It had gotten really windy and the rain was still nasty so we walked back to the hotel to recharge.  On the way, we both commented on how much walking we'd done and how convenient all the sites were to our lodgings.  We read for a little while and I ended up taking a nap (1330 to 1515) while Mollie messaged with her friends and relaxed.  We were crossing our fingers for drier, less windy weather in a few hours and we got lucky.  With much nicer weather in the late afternoon, we went outside again.  I'd toyed with getting an Uber to visit the Reading Terminal Market but Mollie said she thought we could walk there.  At 1530, we headed down Arch Street until we arrived at the famous market.  We had fun browsing in the shops and stalls, taking in the sights, sounds and smells.  Mollie got some good gifts for her sisters (candles) at Bee Natural.  Meanwhile, and I tried not to lose her in the mass of humanity.  We both commented that it reminded us of Quincy Market and Pikes Place Market (sans flying fish) and it was a welcome change from walking through history in the rain.  We ate a delicious dinner at Olympia Gyro (gyro combo special) and had a nice conversation about our day.  Again, we thought it was nice to relax in a warm, dry place and the people who ran the restaurant treated us very well.  After eating (done at 1725), we then explored the market some more and Mollie later got a free cookie at Famous 4th Street.  Eventually, we got tired of trying to navigate the crowds and decided to leave (1745).  Since it was still early, we headed over towards Franklin Square to enjoy a Winter Festival (I'd thought about an Uber but Mollie said it was really closed so we walked).  Mollie had wanted to visit this place a lot since seeing it on the first night when we arrived.  She took lots of pictures and asked if we could stay to watch a “dancing lights” show (I agreed).  We went into a heated tent where people could get drinks and entertain their kids while staying warm but we both agreed that it was TOO warm.  The light show kicked off at 1800 and Mollie commented that they had done a better job than ZooLights in coordinating the music and visuals.  After it was over (1815), I asked Mollie if she would be interested in walking down to the waterfront.  Since it was pretty nice, she agreed and we walked down Race Street towards the Delaware River.  Along the way, we encountered our first panhandler (I'd previously commented on how they were strangely absent in Philadelphia).  After crossing under the interstate, we reached the Race Street Pier and got some great views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge (above our heads). We then walked along the road until we reached Penn's Landing.  There was a skating rink and other activities for kids there.  Actually, it was clear that it was a Winter Carnival of some kind and there were a lot of teenagers having fun.  We stayed for a little bit and then walked up a ramp until we were on a footbridge that took us across the Interstate and back to Market Street (it had a lit up sign).  Mollie commented on how fun the day had been and was excited about the activities we still had left for our last full day in Philadelphia.  We arrived back at the hotel by 1845 and spent the rest of the evening watching TV (“Forrest Gump”).  Mollie posted on Facebook about our evening stroll (and my dad made a nice comment on how well she'd written her post).  I was going to turn off the TV early but then another movie (“The Intern”) came on and Mollie asked to watch it.  We were both pleasantly surprised by how good it was.  Bed was at 2300.

Winter Break Trip - Day 2

We slept until around 0800.  It was overcast and rain was threatening but we wanted to get some more NPS Passport stamps to the north of the city (Valley Forge National Historical Park and Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site).  So, we packed up the car and left Philadelphia (via I-76 and US-422).  We exited at PA-23 and arrived at the (temporary) Valley Forge Visitor Center and Mollie got a stamp for her book.  We also watched a movie there and got some hiking maps.  Mollie told me she was hungry, so we drove a short distance to the north on US-422 (to the Aberdeen, King of Prussia exit) and stopped at Taco Bell for "brunch" (box of 10 tacos).  At 1000, we drove back to Valley Forge so we could take the driving tour.  We stopped a few times because it really hadn't started raining yet.  We visited recreations of the cramped living quarters (there were some reenactors inside) and walked along the defensive earthworks.   Mollie and I also found several memorials to the brave patriots who died here during the harsh winter of 1777-1778.  We were able to take a nice walk on the Joseph Plum Martin trail, all the way to the Masonic memorial arch, before it started to rain.  I'd been to this park several times before (most recently, with the Twins in AUG 2008) but it was new to Mollie.  We both agreed that the park was unforgettable, memorable and humbling.  We planned to see some more of the site and followed road signs on to pretty country roads.  However, as we were driving around the perimeter of the park (taking pictures), we came upon a pretty covered bridge.  I thought it looked interesting and decided to take that road (we were "chased" by impatient local who was flashing her lights for us to hurry up).  After a short distance, we found ourselves outside of the park altogether.  Mollie said that she was ready to go to the next place, so she set up the GPS route for the drive to Hopewell Furnace. On the way (partly on PA-23), we saw lots of horses and drove through a pretty little town called St. Peters (it had purple and pink houses).  It started to rain, unfortunately, but we tried to continue our enjoyment of the route through pretty fields and over rolling hills.  Before long, we reached Hopewell Furnace (just after 1300).  We watched a movie in the Visitor Center and talked to the Ranger.  Mollie got another stamp for her book and then bought souvenirs (an NPS Passport ornament and some Passport stickers so she could send away for missing stamps).  After that, we took a walk around in the property.  As usual, we were some of the only guests and had the grounds mostly to ourselves.  It was cold and rainy but we learned a lot about the early history of iron working in America.  At one time, many people in the US had one of the stoves made at this “factory” in their home.  We got the added bonus of seeing lots of animals (cows, horses, sheep, chickens).  After finishing our visit to the park, we drove north towards Reading until we reached US-422 again. I had wanted to visit the Daniel Boone Homestead but we had heard from the Ranger that it was closed (part of a dispute over ownership and management).  Still, I wanted to see what it looked like and we drove to the entrance that I expected to be closed.  When we arrived, we found a sign that stated the park was open to foot traffic.  It was raining, but I decided to take a walk through the grounds in the rain and mud (with an umbrella) by myself.  Meanwhile, Mollie stayed in the car.  I discovered that the Daniel Boone Homestead (history park) had essentially gone out of business.  It took a lot of walking through old homesteads and historic buildings (not sure they were all native to the area) but I eventually found a building that was purported to be the birthplace of Daniel Boone (it had changed tremendously over the years).  After all that walking, I decided the place was probably not worth a fee for admission.  However, the price was right today and I got to see the homestead where one of my childhood heroes was born and raised.  When I reached the car, it was close to 1430.  Since it was raining and we were tired, we decided to head back to the hotel. Along the way (1445) we picked up food at Wawa (with an gift card I got from Erin) for later in the evening.  We then drove on US-422 for over 20 miles; I guess I hadn't been paying attention to the fuel gauge very well because I suddenly realized that we needed to get gas.  Mollie helped me find a station (it had one of the lower prices we'd seen all day).  In the process of trying to reach it, we drove through the area where Villanova and Bryn Mawr were located. Mollie was intrigued by the fancy area of Montgomery County and we talked about her college plans, along with my mother's dream (as a young girl) to attend school in the area.  We eventually stopped at a Sunoco in Rosemont (1525) and then I decided to continue towards Philadelphia on US-30. For some reason, Google Maps kept trying to make us get on I-76 (it had a massive traffic jam) but I resisted this advice.  Instead, we took surface streets (mainly US-30, AKA Lancaster Avenue) and we entered the city from the north.  There were lots of burned out neighborhoods there and I was a bit worried about the atmosphere.  However, the rain and lack of people visible made me feel better by the end.  We passed a street car (Mollie thought it was cool) and later passed the Zoo (we saw lots of colorful murals everywhere nearby).  We eventually crossed the Schuylkill River and got to see the "Rocky Stairs" (they were all lit up for the Holidays.  A Logan Square, I encountered my first annoyed local driver as I incorrectly navigated the complicated traffic circle.  For the rest of the drive, I continued to resist the GPS urgings (we remained on Vine Street all the way to Fourth Street).  We arrived at the hotel by about 1615 and I found a good spot to park in the garage this time. Because it had stopped raining, we dropped things off at the room and immediately went walking in the area near our hotel.  Mollie bought a gift for her mother at Penzeys at The Bourse.  We got some evening photos at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell and then walked to the Visitor Center to pick up a walking map.  It started to rain again, so we walked back to the hotel.  There, we ate our dinner (Wawa sandwiches) and watched TV (Star Wars movies).  Mollie called her mother a few times and we made plans for the next few days.  We both were asleep by 2330.

Winter Break Trip - Day 1

We got on the road at 0730 and drove east via I-495 and US-50 (crossed the Bay Bridge at 0810).  Since Mollie had forgotten to get a NPS Passport stamp for the Maryland Unit of Assateague Island National Seashore, we drove there first (via US-50 to Berlin, MD and then took side roads to MD-611).  At the National Seashore, we stopped at the Visitor Center and Mollie ran inside to get the stamp.  We then drove over to the park itself and asked the Ranger at the gate where the wild ponies might be.  He directed us to the campground and we actually did find them there.  Once Mollie had gotten her fill of photos and near-horse encounters, we drove back to MD-611 and then east on US-50 towards Ocean City.  We stopped at Chick-fil-A (1050) and ate a nice lunch inside.  My office started bothering me with requests (lots of texts) but I did my best to ignore them and stayed in the moment with Mollie.  Back in the car, we continued on US-50 until we were in Ocean City itself.  Mollie told me she really didn't enjoy the downtown beach feel and there were many, many traffic signals.  We did find it interesting to see all the instances of the various local restaurants (some familiar and some not).  We eventually found ourselves in Delaware (on DE-1) but never saw the entrance sign.  We continued north, through traffic and small beach towns, along the Delaware Coast until we reached Dover (Mollie fell asleep during this time).  I'd been planning to drive all the way to New Castle but then I saw a sign for First State National Historical Park and decided to try to get the NPS Passport stamp there.  When we drove into the little downtown area, we were pleasantly surprised by the lack of cars and people.  We first stopped at the Visitor Center for the historic downtown (located in the State Archives).  The people there were very nice and gave us walking directions to see some of the city's history.  The weather was very good (low 60s) and we enjoyed walking around the nice downtown area. We discovered that the small city was very walking-friendly.  Mollie told me this was now her favorite city of all the ones we have visited.  A big highlight of our visit was a personalized tour (we were the only guests) of the Old Delaware State House.  We learned about how 30 representatives (10 from each county) met to quickly ratify the Constitution (unanimously) and deliver it to Congress, making Delaware the first state.  We also heard stories about Caesar Rodney and John Dickinson, along with the Delaware land system of “Hundreds” (still used today).  Some tourists from the UK arrived just as the tour was ending, so we left the building and walked around the town green (there were more historic old buildings nearby). Mollie took lots more photos and we lingered in the pleasant weather and atmosphere until around 1345.  We then drove north on US-13 (and along some back roads that paralleled the Delaware River) until we reached the even more historic (and older) town of New Castle.  This was another unit of the First State National Historical Park but was much more connected with early Colonial history.  The town, which was the 1682 landing spot of William Penn when he came to the area to exercise the charter for Pennsylvania, was the original capital of the future state.  When Delaware separated in 1776, the location was expected to be easily captured from the river by the British.  To protect their fledgling government, the founding fathers moved the capital to Dover; we learned even more history when we visited an old arsenal building; the area was first settled by the Dutch in 1651 and later captured by Sweden and England.  Once we started walking, we found there were cobblestones and many old buildings in the colonial style.  We followed a little map to see the different points of interest and got some pretty views of the coast (including the Delaware River Bridge).  Since it was still nice outside and not too dark yet, we walked along a pleasant bike trail that followed the river south of town. Mollie was bored for a lot of the walk and we ended up taking a different route (along a busy street in town) to get back to the area near our car.  Mollie had smelled delicious food in that area, so we followed our nose until we reached Jessop's Tavern.  We were lucky because they had enough room for our small party without a reservation (there was a big line for larger groups).  We ate dinner (lobster mac, burger) and a locally made beer (for me) at Jessop's Tavern, a 300 year old building (built in 1674, the tavern opened in 1724) in the old section of town.  We enjoyed ourselves immensely and even got dessert (ice cream in fancy cones and waffle bowls).  After finishing our delicious meal (1730), Mollie and I got back on the road.  I needed Mollie to help me to navigate (on I-95 and a maze of city streets).  After arriving at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District (1815), I checked in and sent Mollie to the room so I could park (1830).  There weren’t any spots left except for the reserved ones but the folks in the lobby told me I could park there (Guest Services actually told me they were overbooked because of a convention and I saw many Cosplay folks who were in the area).  I finally got upstairs to the room and got settled with Mollie.  She asked if she could explore the hotel and I agreed.  Mollie actually wasn’t gone long, though, because she found the same crowds of convention attendees (young people in Cosplay mode).  We spent time watching TV (Hobbit movies) and reading.  Mollie relaxed in her comfy bed.  She informed me later that her cold had gone away (but I was skeptical).  We went to bed at around 2230.

Arlington, VA (USA)

[at 1530, I left my apartment and drove to Fort Myer (via I-495 and I-395, with a Google Maps detour around Arlington Cemetery) - I arrived at the Memorial Chapel at around 1615 and went inside to see Kim, who was coordinating a Christmas music recital - that event began at 1630 - Kim's husband, David, arrived just before it started and we had great seats to watch the performance - at 1700, the Mass officially began and it ended up being VERY LONG - it wasn't over until almost 1830 - by then, David had to leave - I was able to get together briefly with Kim and congratulate her for the job she and her choir/orchestra had done - I headed home after that (via the grocery store, mobbed with last minute shoppers) and arrived by 1930]

Landover, MD (USA)

I got some tickets from my company to watch the Giants-Redskins game today and was happy when Brenna said she wanted to go too! We left Alexandria at 1145 and used I-495 to reach Maryland.  We had a nice conversation on the way - it's good to have Brenna home!  The trip to Landover was pretty easy but somehow I missed the exit ramp for FedEx Field (there was a lot of police and fire activity and I was talking to Brenna).  As a result, we ended up on the complete opposite side (northern end) of the stadium.  Brenna helped me (Google Maps) get to an entrance but we still found ourselves at Platinum Parking Lot E, rather than A.  Fortunately, the parking lot guys let us in there and we parked by about 1230.  It took us a while to get to my company's suite (we had to walk all the way around the field) but we arrived just before kickoff (1300).  There were lots of really friendly people from work there.  Brenna enjoyed the food and camaraderie and watched a lot of the game with me.  We stayed through the end of the Third Quarter and then headed for our car.  Because of the walk, we got on the road at the end of the Fourth Quarter (1600).  Fortunately, the game went into overtime when the Redskins tied the Giants and the traffic wasn’t too bad.  We used US-50 and a series of state-named roads to cross the northeast end of DC.  We had originally planned to park at Gallery Place and ride the Red Line but there was construction and single tracking.  We passed the pretty Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and soon found ourselves in a neighborhood close to the National Zoo.  I parked along Harvard Street and it was only a short walk to the entrance to the Zoo.  We got there early enough 1630) that some of the animals were still outside (highlights were cows and donkeys, along with an elephant sighting).  As it got darker, we walked a lot and got some hot chocolate.  Brenna commented on how much warmer it was than last year, although her hands got cold.  Once the ZooLights were all shining, we took our time walking and snapping photos of everything.  Brenna really enjoyed the experience (especially the new paper lanterns) and liked wearing the lit-up snowflake I got when I came with Mollie and Erin.  We walked around until about 1800 and, when it started to get really crowded, made our way back to the car.  Brenna then helped me find my way back to the main roads (it was tough and I worried all night about speed and red-light cameras).  Before long, we were on familiar roads (Rock Creek Parkway with pretty lights at the Kennedy Center, Memorial Bridge, I-395).  We arrived at Nicky’s at close to 1930 and I said goodbye to Brenna there.  Very glad I got to go to ZooLights with all three of my girls this year!

Nanjemoy, MD (USA)

I had an appointment in Fairfax with my new tax advisor, so I left my apartment at 0915 and drove (via I-495, I-66 and US-50) to the appointment, which lasted from 1000 to 1045.  I called Mollie on the way home, to make sure she would be ready to go on an adventure.  Just before I was going to hang up, I realized that I was very close (on US-50) to Freddy's Steakburgers and Frozen Custard - I asked Mollie if she wanted me to get lunch there and she enthusiastically agreed.  I got the food and we ate together after I arrived home (1130).  We had a great conversation over delicious burgers, fries and custard & cookie sandwiches.  After we were done eating, Mollie finished packing and we departed for Southern Maryland (1215).  We’d intended to visit my government client’s Christmas Tree farm (usually open on this weekend).  However, after an hour of driving (mostly on MD-210 and back roads to Nanjemoy), we arrived (1315) to find that it was closed.  I was disappointed but Mollie didn’t seem phased - instead, she redirected our excursion towards the Piscataway National Farm.  It took a lot of back road driving (and Google Maps led us astray again) but we eventually arrived at the NPS Unit 1445.  The place was a ghost town - there wasn't even car in the parking lot.  But, as usual, we had a lot of fun by ourselves, walking around and visiting the animals; we talked a bit more about Christmas plans, college applications, travel (etc.).  It was a brisk, damp day, but we were treated to great views of Mount Vernon (on the other side of the Potomac), lots of cows, chickens, donkeys, turkeys and pigs.  We then drove back to Alexandria (via MD-210, which had become a speed camera zone all the way).  Because of traffic on I-495, we ended up exiting the Interstate at Eisenhower Avenue, which gave us an opportunity to stop briefly at the Animal Shelter.  Mollie and I enjoyed seeing the animals there and then we went to Nicky’s, arriving at around 1530.  I dropped Mollie off (so she could go to a cookout at Steve’s with the whole family) and went home.

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - at 1215, John got an Uber for us and we went to the Blue Duck Tavern in Georgetown - John kept raving about how it was a "five star Michelin restaurant" and the atmosphere was definitely upscale - we ate some good food (including a fancy desert) - took an Uber back to L'Enfant at 1445 - worked for a few more hours - had planned to meet up with Bill again but his meetings were going to delay him until after 1900 - also, Mollie contacted me to say that she was going to come over to my house for the weekend (I hadn't expect that) - so, I went home, arriving just before she did]

Alexandria, VA (USA)

[work - took Metro to King Street at 1600 for meeting with financial advisor - at about 1730, walked back to Theismanns to meet up with Bill and his friends for happy hour - had a great dinner with all of my old friends from the Ops Team - at about 1930, I left them and took Metro back to Huntington - home by 2015]

Oxon Hill, MD (USA)

[parked at Branch Avenue - work - left office at about 1600 and took Metro to Archives/Penn Quarter (raining) - met up with Greta at Plan B for happy hour (and light dinner) until around 1745 - then took Metro back to Branch Avenue and drove a short distance to MGM National Harbor (really rainy and tough to see the lines on the road!) - arrived at around 1845 and walked around the shops and restaurants until Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse opened for the Redskins Suite Network Holiday Party at 1900 - just after I checked into the front desk, Marci showed up too - we went inside and got some drinks (and fancy finger foods) until the rest of the group showed up (Iman, Chris, Jacob) - then the food line opened up and we got some amazing samples of the restaurant's food (including tasty deserts) - there was live music, announcements from radio personalities (that I actually recognized) and great comradery - eventually (2100), Jan and Ronnette arrived and we met even more people she knew - I departed close to 2145 and drove home (not raining so hard any more but I was actually tired!)]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[work - took Metro to Pentagon City at 1600 and met up with Stephanie at Sine for happy hour - stayed until just after 1800 and then went home (via Metro and Huntington)]

Beltsville, MD (USA)

[at 1445, I drove over to Beltsville for Brother Jim's Christmas Open House - met his nephew, Ben (and Ben's girlfriend, Anna) - ate some great food and stayed until about 1800 - drove home (some traffic but generally fast), arriving about 45 minutes later]

Arlington, VA (USA)

[work - took Metro to Pentagon City at 1515 - solo happy hour at Chevys until around 1730 - Metro back to Huntington]

Washington, DC (USA)

Most years, I take Mollie with me to see the pretty lights at the National Zoo.  Sometimes, Brenna has come with me/us.  But this year, we had a special treat - Erin wanted to come!  And, even more exciting, we were able to coordinate attendance during FoNZ Member Week (something I've always wanted to do).  I picked up Erin and Mollie at Nicky’s at 1600 and we drove into DC.  There was lots of traffic and road closure issues - this made things difficult and I got a bit lost.  Mollie helped me get back on track and we were able to get a parking spot by 1645.  Erin didn't know what to expect from ZooLights but she was a bit excited.  When we first arrived, we found a lot of other people in line for tickets (etc.) - I knew there were other places to wait so I walked into the Zoo alone.  As a result, we got separated while we searched for a FoNZ booth to give us our swag for Member Week.  Eventually, I found out that the booth near the Panda Pavilion would give us a bag of items (free ride tickets, carry sack, glowing snowflakes).  Erin and Mollie caught up to me shortly after that and we got some dinner (hot dog for Erin, Stromboli for Mollie, chicken strips for me).  When we finished eating, Erin asked if we could get some hot chocolate and we walked a short distance to find a place that was selling little Italian got chocolates (VERY rich!).  I also got an apple cider donut!  Since we were near the top of the hill, we got some photos at the Connecticut Avenue entrance and then walked all around the Zoo, taking pictures and enjoying the scenery.  There were new “lantern animals” - a huge upgrade - and the regular cool lights. We sported our lighted snowflake necklaces and browsed in the tents of the Grump Holiday Market (something we've never seen there before).  I convinced the girls to go for rides on the carousel and the ZooTube (they had fun).  We then continued our walk back towards the car and left the Zoo at around 1930.  I dropped off Erin and Mollie at Nicky’s 2015.  I believe Erin enjoyed the evening as much as Mollie and I always do - can’t beat Zoo Lights!

Arlington, VA (USA)

[I left my apartment at about 1715 - drove to Crystal City Gateway hotel - parked at around 1745 - waited until 1800 in the lobby until the cocktail hour for my company Holiday Party started - enjoyed meeting up with lots of colleagues (Tony, Bill B, Arnie, Marci, Frank, Ronnette, Ron, Jan, Arnie, David, Michael, Jabel) - went into the Ballroom and ate a delicious dinner (buffet style) - lots of prizes, some dancing, etc. - stayed until 2230 and then drove home (arrived after 2300, no parking)]

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - at 1630, took Metro (Yellow) to U Street and then walked down the street to the Service Bar - met up with a lot of my former colleagues and enjoyed some good drinks and food - walked back to Metro and headed home (1930) - picked up Mollie at 2020]

Washington, DC (USA)

I got a VIP tour of the Capitol today! My guide was a distinguished staff intern from James Madison University.  At 1445, I met Erin at Senator Maggie Hassan’s office in the Hart Senate Office Building and she introduced me to her colleagues, who had high praise for her work this year. We then took a little subway over to the Capitol Building itself. Erin took me to several places with amazing views and I got to see many behind-the-scenes features in the area of both House and Senate Chambers. The public tour areas weren’t too crowded and we sometimes went beyond the typical boundaries, wandering freely through a maze of offices, committee rooms and the old Supreme Court chambers. Erin knew some of the staff members and pointed out several Senators she’d become familiar with(including Senator Hassan herself, who we saw during one of our train rides) during her Washington Semester. Near the end of the visit, we sat in the Gallery while the Senate voted to confirm a judge. Erin had actually helped Sen. Hassan prepare for this vote - her participation in that kind of process impressed me! She had to go back to work so I said goodbye to her near her office after about an hour and a half. I’d toured this building a few times before but it was a canned tour - for obvious reasons, I’ll never forget this visit!  I walked from the Capitol back to L'Enfant plaza and ended up running into Joe and Stephanie (they were headed to the Capitol Christmas Tree lighting).  Since it was raining and I didn't have an umbrella, I didn't stay with them.  Instead, I took the Metro to Pentagon City and had solo happy hour at Chevys.  I left for home at around 1900 and was in my apartment about 45 minutes later.  What a special day!

Harrisonburg, VA (USA)

Brenna and I made arrangements to meet at Cracker Barrel in Harrisonburg this morning!  I left Marion just after 0600 and drove north on I-81.  It was raining and I barely avoided a major accident when I came across a broken down car that was blocking the left lane (no first responders anywhere nearby) near Salem.  After getting by (whew!), I tried to notify the State Police but no one answered the phone.  Oh well - I'm sure the post-Thanksgiving drive for everyone later in the day will be messy...   Both Brenna and I arrived at the restaurant at 0900 (she had just returned from Alexandria the night before).  We ate breakfast together and had a nice talk.  I stayed with her until about 1015, when she left to go to church and I left for home.  There were (already) massive traffic jams between Harrisonburg and I-66 and it kept raining.  However, I arrived back at my place, feeling great after a successful trip, just after 1200.