THE BIG SALE, A NEW SUITCASE AND THE WHITE HOUSE

After a night of tossing and turning -- that LSU game was nerve racking, around 1:00 a.m., I awoke to someone yelling outside (remember we were on the ninth floor).  I got up and looked outside and saw someone in a red jacket yelling at the poor bellmen and security guards.  One of them was calling the police.  It was strange that I could almost hear them clearly -- voices carry.  

We woke up and got to Union Station before any shops opened.  I always get a little excited in train stations -- an adventure always awaits you when a train whisks you away to a foreign place -- Giorgio can you help me with my bag :) They remind me of my backpacking trip in 1995.  No we didn’t check out any train schedules - but we did window shop as we got some fruit and yogurt to eat in the main area.  

It's an Egyptian motif

Union Station is a magnificent building -- but there were some nets up in the main lobby with a few holes in the ceiling.  We guessed this was from the earthquake/tremors they had a few months ago.  After a little people watching, we ended up catching a cab to the American Indian Smithsonian Museum to check out the exhibit “A Song for the Horse Nation”.    One of our group is an avid horsewoman and she was excited and loved it. 

The sun was out and the sky was blue and clear. The museum building was beautiful.  I haven’t been in it yet.  It reminded me a lot of the Guggenheim in NYC -- very open round entry area with the different levels.  On the bottom floor there was an round area with flags of the different tribes.  I didn’t realize there were so many different tribes.  

The elevator was huge -- I guess so they could cart museum objects up to the different levels.  Everything from the front doors glass to the elevator designs were Indian symbols --- Southwest Indians, Polynesians/Hawaiians, Eskimos etc. 

The exhibition was excellent. It told the story of how horses came to North America and how the Indians used them in trade, warfare, and daily life.  They had teepees that were decorated with drawings of horses, elaborately decorated saddles and harnesses.  I can’t understand how those saddles could be comfortable.  

This poem was excellent -- to imagine horses as the stars in the sky..... 

Thankfully, I remembered my Smithsonian card (I love the magazine) so we got 10% off at the Museum Store -- I only got my dad a book, but my friend did enough damage they had to mail it home. 

Our next cab driver, though he was from Ethiopia said he was from here -- finally an honest one -- I mean if you live in a place for 15 years you are from there.  He took us to the front door of Nordstrom’s (they just happened to have their semi annual super sale on women’s clothes and shoes -- can we say - SCORE!).  

After we dispersed - I hit the petite area.  Yes, retail therapy was needed.  I found two beautiful black suits for almost 75 % off --And a beautiful red suit/skirt, a blue dress and a red dress.  We wandered around the rest of the store and needed a guy to carry our bags.  It was probably a good idea that we didn’t go into the rest of the Fashion Center at Pentagon City.  

We jaywalked across the four lane to the California Pizza Kitchen.  They had a few different football games showing on the TV’s.  I love their Thai Chicken pizza.  We shared a couple of pizzas and salad.  

One of our favorite stores is Marshalls but it was a zoo here.  Nothing in here was worth waiting in the line they had.  Across the hall was the Nordstrom’s Rack, a much better shop.  We all found a few treasures here.  I even got a great new little red suitcase for the ride home -- ie to get my therapy items home.  Always a sign of a successful trip -- having to purchase bags to get home.   We decided to stop while we were ahead.  Found a taxi stand with a Prius.  

After unpacking all of our packages, one of our group wanted to nap.  So what do you think the other two of us did -- well, go back to Union Station of course because the shops were open now.  

On the way there, we found a souvenir truck - along with a few homeless people with jam boxes (didn’t know they still made those) tied around their necks.  As my friend was purchasing a few things, I ran interference with the homeless man as he was creeping us out.  

Made it safely inside Union Station -- and I returned a jacket I had gotten the day before but didn’t buy anything.  We hung out to give our friend more time to sleep and found a chocolate store with Belgian chocolate wafers.  People watching is always fun in train stations.  

the view from our corner

We think those were pajama jeans -- wrong.com 

Across the street was the Postal Museum, but we discovered you can’t mail postcards from inside -- you have to go to the boxes on the outside.  

It was getting dark out and we needed to go eat dinner.  Back in the room our friend was up and moving around.  So we took a cab to the White House -- really you can only get so close so we had a brisk walk in the night air.  It’s such a neat sight and you look across and see the Washington Memorial too.  On this trip, I have seen the Supreme Court, Congress and now the White House -- all the branches covered. The White House is a huge place but compared to all the massive government buildings it's not that big.  With all the security precautions you can't get too close to it in a vehicle, but it's not a long walk.  

We went back to Siroc Restaurant so we walked from the White House the couple of blocks.  The Occupy Forces were turning in for the evening even though it was only 6:45.  Our night kind of went downhill after that and we ended up back in 
the room early with one of our crew ill.  Thankfully everyone was recovered by the morning. 

Packed and got ready for tomorrow.  


Reagan Airport was close and the weather was great for flying.  I was surprised the restaurants here were so fancy.  When I checked in, I didn't get charged for my bags... Somehow I made Elite Silver status - sweet! I got to board early and a good looking Penn State fan flirted his way on with me -- that Southern Charm works wonders even if you are wearing an LSU tshirt with a Yankee.  And no sister, I didn't give him my number - he was from Pittsburgh :) I know better. 

HISTORIC RETAIL THERAPY AND A FIELD GOAL WAR

As much “culture” and “history” as I got yesterday, today was a totally different story.  We got our next Ethiopian taxi driver to shuttle us to M and Wisconsin Sts.  The mecca of shopping in the DC area.  I was excited just because I had never been to Georgetown.  When I was in college that was at the top of my list (though my father limited my choices to colleges in surrounding states -- hindsight, he gave good advice). 

After seeing my old friend (at Banana Republic) we strolled down to Dean and Deluca (on of my favorite places) for a quick breakfast.  The organic fruit was excellent -- hadn’t had pineapple that fresh since Hawaii - tasty.  It was a tad bit cold. The store was super cozy.  But the coffee shop outside was a lean-to building.  It was a steel structure with those windows that roll up when the weather is good.  The weather was not so good and it was chilly out.  

Though the atmosphere was cold due to the temperature, it was also very cosmopolitan because stylishly dressed people were sitting around enjoying their coffee with their dogs.  I miss the city life sometimes.

We left our breakfast and found our way into the labyrinth of the magical shops of Georgetown.  It took me two tries to find the Anthropolgie store -- my new favorite store -- in Houston I bought the slinkiest long purple dress and here I found a great little Frenchie sweater.  (And some great Paris books -- I broke my book boycott, but technically they are travel books and don’t count as “reading” books.)

In the line I made fast friends with a very nice local lady, who had a great purple fringe purse, purple coat and purple boots -- I had my purple wool coat and LSU shirt.  She gave me bunches of tips as to where to go in Georgetown - shops and restaurants. 

We wandered down to Cady’s Alley - there was a cute little European-ish cafe at the bottom of the stairs.  This was the end of the street with the contemporary home decor and furnishing shops.  Though I am very traditional/ antique person, I would love a place with modern chic furniture -- maybe a small flat in Paris with a silver sofa and technicolor pillows.  And check out this wicked bathtub -- it does look difficult to get in and out of though. 

On our continued journey through the streets of Georgetown, we had to watch our steps  because there were cobblestones in the streets and alleyways.  Some of the buildings had historic markers -- George Washington slept here, ate here, took his boots off here.....

There were lots of trendy students out and it had warmed up when we were on the sunny side of the street.  A few streets had beautiful autumn colored trees, with very expensive cars parked along the sides. 

Our next big stop was a vintage shop -- one of my friends had to be dragged in.  We stayed the longest here and found a few treasures -- a wallet to match my purse and my sister a very stylish Christmas present (sorry Princess I am not telling you what it is).   They had some wicked red cowboy boots that I controlled myself and didn’t buy -- but they would have gone over perfectly at Whisky River Landing.   My friend, Angel, bought  some beautiful black knee high boots -- got a deal on them too.  The one we dragged in found a great cashmere sweater for $20. 

Found a great new shoe line -- Camper from Spain.  They had these amazing light purple and gray boots - but they were scuffed.  So I was good.  (Looked online and couldn’t find them.)

We continued up to Wisconsin Street to the Apple Store -- of course on iPhone 4Gs and for them to check out the iPad is 4 hours - not happening.  So many cute shops and I found a cool motorcycle too. 

Finally we got to rest our feet at Cafe Milano -- a Georgetown take on an Italian cafe - they even had a reproduction of a Milan subway map on the ceiling.  I love a place that has Ernest Hemingway quotes on it’s wine menu (but didn’t he like beer and liquor better than wine?).  Going with my theme of the trip -- I tried something not on my normal repertoire, squash ravioli.  It was very good, I am getting used to this trying new menu items.  The food here was great, the service... um... maybe not so much.  

my friend's plate.

We manned up and decided to at least walk by all the rest of the stores.  And I gave my first panhandler money in 15 years -- he deserved it with this outfit -- I should have gotten picture with him. 

he had a great smile too and witty.

Snap :)

We flagged down a taxi - surprisingly one of my talents and I am only 5 foot 2.  On our ride back I thought we were passing the Watergate apartment complex-- and the taxi driver confirmed it for me.  I guess reading all my Margaret Truman books pays off when  you are in her city.  (Those are one of my favorite mystery series.) 

We hit the room and had to recuperate -- carrying all those bags was tiring.  We really needed to bring some men with us to help us schlep our bags..... 

My friends had a big invitation only party.  Bright adventurer that I am, took my life into my hands and walked up to Union Station by myself (yes mom).  I had to get dinner and their stores were open until 9:00 p.m.  Found a few bargains (how were we going to get all this stuff home?).

The way there wasn’t bad but I walked swiftly back to the hotel through our seedy neighborhood --- I put on my LSU shirt and piled up in the room for the big game.  As LSU kept messing up, I flipped channels between the game and the Closer.  I saw the last few plays and then just threw the remote to the other bed. I could handle watching the end.  Thank goodness I wasn’t in a sports bar with a bunch of strangers watching this.  Nailbiter to the end.  Less than a minute after the field was filled with purple, my friends walked in from their swanky party.

Here I was expounding on the slow but tense game and they had stories to tell me about an elegant evening at the Supreme Court.  All in all it was a good day.