Whew, this is going to be sort of a long one, prepare yourselves.
Tuesday
After I dropped Sam and Laura off at the airport near BWI, I returned my rental car, my phone died inauspiciously, and I got on the B30 to head into the city. From the B30 I got onto the metro, and after a transfer, several minutes of being lost and a short walk, I made it to Grace's apartment, where I stayed all week. My phone was toast at this point, and there are unhelpfully no outlets on the street so that I could call her and let her know I was outside. In a moment of what seemed like brilliance at the time, I took out my computer and connected my phone to it, which sort of worked, except that my phone doesn't send text messages when the battery's really low, and it shuts off when you try to make calls. So I still couldn't communicate with Grace. Plus, I had just sort of squatted down in the middle of the sidewalk, and people were definitely giving me looks, but I figured, I'm from North Dakota now, I don't know how cities work anymore (this is a helpful trick when you've lived in a bunch of different places, and it's also how I justify my terrible driving -- "I'm from Massachusetts, this is how we drive!"). Anyway, Grace somehow managed to figure out that, after not having spoken to me in an hour or so, there was a chance I was outside, and she came and rescued me. I got the grand tour of her apartment, which is a studio, like my apartment in DC was, except that Grace's apartment is nice, which my apartment in DC was not. Grace and I caught up a bit about work and life and Fargo. I won't go into great detail about my visit with her, but I like to think we both had a really good time together and that I was more fun than I was a terrible, terrible burden.
Wednesday
Wednesday wasn't that exciting, except for me, because I got to eat a lot of food at restaurants I love, including Le Pain Quotidien in Dupont Circle and Busboys and Poets on U Street. I also decided to go up to my old stomping grounds in Tenleytown, where I did a little work at Starbucks, and then walked down to the Anthropologie in Friendship Heights where I bought a shirt (couldn't resist). I got some groceries at Whole Foods, and then took the metro back to Dupont. Before Grace got home, I walked over to Foggy Bottom and got drinks with Monica. It was great to see her. It's weird when you're used to seeing someone everyday and then completely stop seeing them and almost completely stop talking to them, but Monica and I fell right back into the same kind of conversation we used to have all the time. She's working for FEMA now, and seems to really enjoy it, which is the best news. Later that night I made dinner for Grace and me as a sort of thank you. I know 100% of the places I went are chains, but I have irredeemably boring taste, and also love shopping at eating, and I'm not going to apologize for any of it.
Thursday
The next day was sort of an FTC day. I met Victoria for lunch at Teaism in Penn Quarter a little before noon, and we had the best chat about life, the environment, her adorable children, work, and pretty much everything in between. Victoria gave me directions to the new FTC office and we parted ways in the metro. I managed to get through security at the new building, and had nearly made friends with the security guard when Patrick came to retrieve me from the lobby. He took me upstairs, where I got to see many of my favorite old co-workers, and almost none of my least favorite old co-workers, so that worked out pretty well. I've been sort of toying with the idea of going to law school (I know, after everything), but I have to assume that's partly because there aren't attorneys all around me anymore, and no one is telling me I definitely shouldn't go to law school. Well, we took care of that. This isn't really the place for this discussion, but I'll just say I have some thinking to do. Anyway, people seemed happy to see me, and I know I was happy to see them. I really like the new building -- all the non-attorneys have cubicles in corridors that have huge windows at both ends, which is a downgrade in the sense that they don't have offices anymore, but I'd take cubicles with natural light over our old offices. Plus, they've all got these fancy standing desks that Patrick was really excited to show me. It seems like the other paralegals make fun of him for using the standing desk, which sounds about right.
I was getting in the way after a while, so I went out walking. I hadn't spent a lot of time near L'Enfant Plaza, so I was a little lost at first, but then realized I was pretty close to the Capitol, so I walked over in that direction, and then went up toward Eastern Market. I caught the 36 (<3 you, 36) and took it to Wisconsin and Macomb where my apartment was. I got a green goddess smoothie at Hawthorne Homemade and drank it at one of their tables outside, and thought about how much I miss that horrible apartment that I couldn't bake in without waving a towel under the smoke alarm and all the windows open. We had some good times. I caught the 96 (<3 you, 96) and took it to Adams Morgan. I got a coffee, finished House of Cards (fun, but not quite fun enough), and tried to explain how to use Facebook to my mom (<3 you, Mom). After I finished my book, I walked to the second best used bookstore in DC, Idle Times, spent a lot of time browsing, and finally settled on William Cronon's book about Chicago. I was meeting Becca and Lyssa for dinner at Lauriol Plaza, so I wandered that way and just read outside until they arrived. We got a table up on their top floor and had margaritas and fajitas while watching the sunset. Becca is leaving DC soon to go to graduate school at Brown, and we talked a lot about the city, as well as our recent travels, work, and future plans. I missed those girls, and those fajitas.
Friday
I got up early Friday morning, and took the metro to Metro Center, where I met Andy (and eventually Patrick) for breakfast at a different Le Pain Quotidien. Andy's working at a law firm for the summer, and seems to be having a great time. Unlike the attorneys at the FTC, Andy was really positive about the idea of me going to law school (like I said, lots to think about). We had a really great conversation that tied in law, politics, and books we had read recently, which is the kind of thing I really miss about working with these guys.
After we parted ways, I walked to the mall, where I read for a few hours, and began developing what was to become probably the worst sunburn I've ever had. Before I moved, I had taking a trip to the planetarium on my DC bucket list, but I never made it over, and I took this trip as my opportunity. I wandered around the Air and Space Museum until it was time for my show, Dark Universe, narrated by the fantastic Neil Degrasse Tyson. The show is ostensibly about dark matter, but it's really about how awesome space is. Luckily there weren't very many people in the audience, because I had my hands on either side of my head and was making a lot of what I'm sure were really strange facial expressions for most of the presentation. Space is the best, guys. After the planetarium... oh man, I have no idea where I ate lunch. Well, presumably I ate lunch somewhere... It's all kind of a blur. I know I went to another Anthropologie, and then at one point my blood sugar was low, and I thought, 'I could really go for a popsicle,' and lo and behold, there was a popsicle stand. I also know I read some more, at another Starbucks and then at the Taft memorial. I walked past Congress and felt angry about it, which made me feel nostalgic.
Patrick and I had agreed to meet up at Jazz in the Garden, with the caveat that if it was too crowded we could go somewhere else. From experience, I knew it was going to be packed and that we would probably end up somewhere else, but the thought of being around all those people in the sun, even with a pitcher of sangria, had been giving me anxiety. I was relieved, therefore, when Patrick showed up, took one look at the line of people going into the sculpture garden, and suggested we head elsewhere. We walked around for a little while, narrowly avoided going to Ollie's Trolley (cash only, and hilariously not nice), and ended up at some cheap tourist-y joint. We drank some beer, then Patrick's girlfriend Rebecca came, we drank some more beer, and we all got pretty drunk, which is exactly what I wanted to do. I remember having a great time, but I don't totally remember what we talked about, which, I suppose, is also a sign that it was a great time.
Saturday
I decided, for some reason, that I should walk to Glover Park, so that's what I did. I was in time for the farmer's market, so I walked around there for a few minutes, but they didn't have the blueberry lemonade I was hoping for, so I left without buying anything. I did a bit more reading, wandered through Whole Foods, looked in the window of the bridal shop with the best window displays, and got a late lunch in Georgetown. After lunch I walked back up into Dupont, briefly saw Lisa on the street, and went back to Grace's apartment for a little while to cool off before meeting up with Les and a few other people for the pride parade. Les came over a little early, and we had a chance to catch up a bit. Then Grace came home, and the three of us walked a couple of blocks to a pretty good parade-viewing spot on New Hampshire. Grace's co-worker and his husband came, as well as friends of theirs, and Les's boyfriend Ryan. I enjoyed the parade, although it is hilariously corporate. The guy next to me just yelled "Beads! Beads!" for the entire duration of the parade, and then he would give the beads he got to me, so I ended up with a lot of beads (hit me up if you need some beads), as well as some condoms and rainbow-colored candy. I'd say it was a successful experience. Right after the parade, I went back to Friendship Heights for my old choir's last concert of the season. I ended up sitting next to another former choir member, Chuck, and we had a very amusing but very strange conversation. The concert was great, I really liked the repertoire and the new conductor seemed to be doing a good job. I briefly saw Diana at the reception after the concert, and then headed back to Dupont. I'd forgotten how long it can take to travel a few miles using public transit, but I also talked to a number of strangers while waiting for the buses I took back (L2, 90), which is definitely something that I miss about DC. I just don't talk to that many strangers in Fargo (which may be for the best).
Sunday
Ok, I thought about going back to Fargo on Sunday, but I decided to extend my visit because I had to go to mass at Holy Trinity before I left. I can't emphasize enough how much I love this church. Holy Trinity makes me feel good about Catholicism as an institution. That's how good a church it is. The sermon was a little bit silly and was not delivered by my favorite priest, Father Mark, but it was still engaging, and after the service the woman next to me asked if I was a professional singer, so all in all it was a good experience. I would almost move back to DC just to go back to that church. And guys, I don't even really believe in God. So, ok that's enough about that. After mass I had to do my traditional brunch at yet another Le Pain Quotidien, except that on Sunday I ate with Nikoleta (!), Ellen, and Niko's friend Lila. Unfortunately, it seems that I was keeping the tofu scramble on the menu by myself, and so I was forced to eat a salad, but such is life. We had a great time at lunch, and afterwards Ellen, Niko and I went to see the BHLDN dresses at Anthropologie, and then got coffee at Baked and Wired. Niko is thinking about moving to London, so we talked a lot about that, as well as her recent trip to the UK. Because she knows me so well, she brought me back a fabulous book from the wedding dress exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Hopefully I'll still be able to make it to New York this summer, I've got to see my girl before she moves! Although Niko, if you move, you know I'll be there in a second.
I walked with Ellen and Niko back to Dupont Circle, and then headed up to Petworth to eat some vegan soul food with Amy and Nabina. Now here is a cuisine that is missing from Fargo. I don't mean to dwell on the food thing, but I had the most amazing vegan mac and cheese, broccoli and collard greens, and they really don't mess around with portions. Man that's some good food. Anyway, I had the best time with Amy and Nabina, they're in a transition situation, because Amy is going to grad school in the fall (also at Brown), and Nabina is moving to a smaller apartment. We talked about that for a while, and I recommended a couple of places they could check out (but if you have any tips, let me know and I'll forward them on!). After dinner we walked to the Target in Columbia Heights, where I helped Nabina decide on a number of t-shirts for young boys to purchase (they just don't make Batman shirts for women like they do for boys). And then at that point we figured we were so close to U Street, we might as well walk there, so we did. Then, obviously at that point I decided to just keep walking back to Grace's apartment. Needless to say, my feet have both looked and felt better.
Monday
I woke up kind of stressed out Monday morning because I had to get to this weird part of Alexandria by 10 AM to meet with the USDA folks I'll be doing my internship with, but I made it early enough to have a cup of coffee. At 10, I called the woman who's sort of my supervisor for this project, and she took me up to the office, where we discussed exactly what I'll be doing this summer. I don't know how much of that I'm really allowed to disclose, and I'm pretty sure most of it wouldn't be that interesting anyway, but I am pretty excited about what I'll be doing, and I'll be supporting an agency (or at least part of an agency) that's doing good, important work. I took the metro back to the city, and decided to hang out in Eastern Market for a while. I got lunch at the fourth and final Le Pain Quotidien I used to eat at, and then walked over to the best used bookstore in DC, Capitol Hill bookstore. The proprietor may have been saying something racist when I walked in, but I decided to ignore it because I love this bookstore so much. It used to be someone's home, presumably, but now it's just totally filled with books. I mean, books in the bathroom, books in the kitchen, books in all the closets. I got a copy of The Monkey Wrench Gang for Patrick as a thank you for printing out my boarding pass, and a book about the Donner party by George R. Stewart for myself (because... well, I don't really know why). I was pretty tired at this point, I think my sunburn was slowing me down a bit, so I hopped on the 90 and went back to U Street and then Grace's apartment to rest up a bit.
That evening, I walked back to Foggy Bottom to meet Monica and Patrick for dinner. Monica got there first, and we went to a bench my the metro entrance to talk for a while. Patrick met us about half an hour later, we got dinner, and we all just kind of talked about life. Good to have everybody reunited. Monica and I narrowly avoided getting into an argument about FEMA, but other than that it was a really nice time. Patrick obligingly took a selfie of the three of us, which I will not post here out of respect for Patrick, but I'm certainly going to keep it forever. After dinner, Monica headed home, and Patrick and I went for a walk around GW's campus, where he'll be starting law school in a couple of months, and then back to Dupont. On our way toward the circle, at the end of an argument about whether I'm a hedgehog or a fox (definitely a fox), we passed a restaurant, and Patrick turned to me and said, "Amanda, we just walked past Tom Friedman." I looked behind us, and saw that Thomas Friedman, two companions, and Thomas Friedman's mustache were indeed at the restaurant we had just passed. I said, "Quick, say something about Pakistan!" and he yelled, "Did you hear about that new start-up in Pakistan??" It was the perfect end to my trip.
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