Sunday, December 18, 2011

Christmas at Mount Vernon

The weather in DC is weird, in a really, really great way.  It was 60 degrees in early December and the landscaping outside of National Geographic looks like this:

 These flowers survive all winter - FLOWERS!

I bought the annual pass for Mount Vernon, George Washington's Estate overlooking the Potomac, partially so I could easily take visitors there, but mostly so we could go look at the sheep whenever we wanted. 

It turns out that Christmas at Mount Vernon may very well be the best time of year to go.  Not only are they all decked out with trees representing each room in Washington's mansion, but they ship in a camel to commemorate the 1787 Christmas when Washington paid 16 shillings to have an exotic pet on hand for his guests to admire.  It's clear that much of what Washington did was simply for show.  I think he would have much rather been farming than entertaining, but those are the breaks when you're trying to form a brand new country and want the capital to be named after you.


Poor camel - 60 degrees is probably cold for you.

There was another surprise: THE actual turkey that President Obama pardoned this year for Thanksgiving.  He will live a long life with another pardoned turkey in a hut almost as big as our apartment.



 I also enjoyed seeing the 16-sided barn that Washington invented to process his wheat.

 16-Sided Barn

The view of the Potomac is amazing.

Alison watches the geese.

 This gingerbread Mount Vernon replica was created by the head White House Chef.  I stood for a long time wondering if anyone would really miss one of those chocolate sculpted trees.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Foo Fighters

It's been a long time since Nathan and I went out, left Alison, and didn't return until the wee hours of the morning, but the Foo Fighters were in town and we needed to go see them.

 11-11-11 - The only picture Nathan or I got of the Foo Fighters before our phones died.

They played at the Verizon Center, which is near DC's Chinatown neighborhood, a place with a lot going on for the plethora of rich (and poor), unattached 20-somethings this city turns out.

 Chinatown's Friendship Arch
Photo Credit: historicdc.net

We tried a new restaurant beforehand that proved to be a lot like Noodles & Company, but for chicken: Nando's Peri Peri.  I enjoyed the $8 heavy-on-the-fruit-flavor pitcher of Sangria.

The opening acts were Social Distortion (which is only on my radar because of this Guitar Hero song) and The Joy Formidable, which turned out to be an awesome band.  Nathan bought their entire CD on iTunes the next day and we've been enjoying it ever since.  Alison especially enjoys twirling to Whirring.

But, nobody goes to the concert for the opening acts.  The Foo Fighters, after 16 years, are simply amazing.  They're pros.  Could I run around screaming for three hours?  Heck no!  Dave Grohl talked a lot about his childhood in Alexandria and his pride at finally selling out the "big-*ss-f***ing arena in his home town".  I'd be proud too.

The set they played was great.  You can find the list here.  I don't think they missed anything.  I hope they come back because I'd go again.