Here's a list of Things Julie Has Done and Eaten in the Past Few Weeks:
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| Sometimes I do simple things, like reading a book in the park. |
- Dangerously Delicious Pies. So my good friend who did this internship just over a year ago was kind enough to put together a Google Doc with all the things I should see and do, along with tips like "stand on the right side of escalators or else you will get trampled by angry staffers and soccer moms" and cryptic messages like "there's a great Chinese restaurant in a basement in Dupont Circle. Extra points if you can find it while you're there." (spoiler: I didn't find it, at least, not yet.) One of the things I was not supposed to miss is Dangerously Delicious Pies. The day I wet to the National Gallery, it was National Pi Day, so in the spirit of the season I attempted to go get some pie, but they had run out. I was determined. A few days later I got my hair cut nearby, so I had pie for dinner and dessert. I had their S.M.O.G (steak, mushroom, onion, gruyerre) pie for dinner, and it came with a lil side salad and was perfect. For dessert, I chose their Baltimore Bomb. It was creamy and vanilla-y and alfway between a cheesecake and a custard. It was heaven in a crust. 5/5 would pie again if it weren't so expensive for a slice.
- Speaking of haircut, have you tried an Aveda hair salon? I hadn't before, but went to the Aveda Institute at Gallery Place (that's where they train their cosmetologists and you get a discount for sacrificing your head to the hair school gods) and it was stunning. I came in on a Tuesday after work, I hadn't eaten, I had gotten a bit lost when I got off the metro into the basement of a Macy's on accident, and I was a bit tired and apprehensive about walking through the crowded thoroughfares in front of the Verizon Center. The place was buzzing and there were three Julies waiting in line, and since my last name is so unpronounceable there was quite the confusion. But then my stylist was just amazing. She was a "masters student" and it was her last day before graduation, so she knew what she was doing. She offered me "calming tea" though I stuck with water, and asked me more questions about my hair than I've been asked in my life. She was super thrilled that I have short hair, since short hair is fun, and she decided to channel Shailene Woodley for my style. I was okay with that. Then she gave me a shampoo, and you know there's nothing better than someone else shampooing your head. Plus, she gave me a scalp massage because I've "got a lot of tension in my scalp" and I could actually feel the stress melting away. The rest of the haircut was great and the shampoo and styling goop smelled great and I could smell it for two days afterwards. 10/10 would go back just for a shampoo because that was luxurious and also not expensive.
- I went to Ted's Bulletin for an actual meal this time, not just for a shake! I had their most artery-filling meal possible: country fried steak and gravy with mac and cheese and bleu cheese bacon topped brussels sprouts on the side. I don't know how I feel about brussels sprouts, but wow that meal was amazing. Just amazing. I could have drunk a glass full of that gravy.
- Kay found out through the grapevine that there was going to be this amazing thrift sale in Crystal City as a fundraiser for a women's group. Miranda and I were all about that, so off we ent early one Saturday morning. All clothing was 50% off, so we couldn't help ourselves really. It was a giant grab bag of amazing goodies, and we each had some sweet discoveries and didn't hurt our wallets too much. Boom.
- Afterwards, we hopped over to Carmine's, that iconic family-style Italian restaurant because Miranda had won a gift certificate. I couldn't tell if our server was hardcore judging us or if he was just trying to be nice. We had decided on sharing an order of spaghetti but then he mentioned their special of the day: four-cheese gnocchi. Don't ask me what the four cheeses were, because all I can say about it is YUM. Our server didn't bring us the extra bread we asked for, probably because he could already tell we'd be cheapskates and thus were undeserving of extra complementary bread. Then Miranda went and asked him for some parmesan cheese to put on top of her FOUR CHEESE GNOCCHI and I think if he had been drinking a glass of water it would have snorted up his nose, he was that taken aback. He cautioned her to "not use too much, since there's already parmesan in the dish," a warning she proceeded to utterly ignore. It was a great meal! 9/10 would cheese again.
- For dessert, Miranda and I stopped for, wait, just guess. Guess where we stopped. If you guessed cupcakes, you would be right! Red Velvet Cupcakes was just down the street, and we just HAD to find out what they were like. We tried red velvet (how could we not?) and double chocolate, and they weren't bad, but the best part of them was that the chocolate one had gold leaf on top. So fancy! 3/5, pretty okay cupcakes.
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| Then I rode a lion. True story. |
- Then another day I decided to splurge and go out to lunch, a rare occurrence, but I figured I didn't have much time left to try this place. The place is Talay Thai, and it came highly recommended. I had green curry as well as sticky rice with mango for dessert, and oh man. It was sooooooooooooo good. The curry was spicy. The sticky rice was sweet. Yum.
- Miranda, Tara, and I went to the Cherry Blossom Kite Festival one Saturday on the mall near the Washington Monument, and even though it was a cold, soggy day, the wind was brisk and we had fun flying the Official Cherry Blossom Kite Festival Kite I bought for way too much money and which broke before the day was done. It was one of the most joyous times I've had out here, truly. There's something magical about flying a kite that immediately turns adults into children.
- The next day was the second Have a Hart Day event that I attended. This one wasn't volunteering at the food shelf because their spots were filled up. Instead, we met on the Mall and hung out and wandered museums together as a get-to-know-you sort of thing. It was a really good time with a really good group of people. Their next event is the day before I leave, and I'm really excited to spend one more afternoon with them before I leave DC.
- Our housing company gave away free tickets to a Nationals preseason baseball game, so I got to go with Miranda and her family, who were visiting that weekend. We had a blast! It was cold and windy, especially since we were sitting in the shade, but those smart vendors came around selling hot chocolate, and I also bought a chili dog with the money voucher that came with the ticket. Oh, yeah, and a game happened or something. I didn't pay that much attention, thought I think the Nats lost to the Yankees.
- After the game, to avoid the certain death that would befall me if I entered the crush of people attempting to get on the metro all at once, I walked a block to the waterfront of the Anacosta River and walked along the boardwalk. That area is called Navy Pier, so there was also a battleship docked nearby, which made for a very enjoyable walk.
- I decided that Easter was a good day to go to brunch, and a friend highly recommended Lincoln's Waffle House as a good greasy spoon diner. Well, waffles. So Kay and I went together, and let me say, that was one of the best waffles I've ever had. The atmosphere was as skeezy as you could get, and I don't want to know the last time that kitchen has been cleaned, but man. If you're ever near Ford's Theatre and the house where Lincoln died, stop by for a waffle. Avoid the eggs, those are a bit runny. But go for the waffles.
- Okay, last thing. I went to Lime Fresh Mexican Grill with friends and WOW, it's some of the best Mexican food I've had ever. The queso was to DIE for, and my steak taco was stunning. It was fresh, flavorful, and not overpriced. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.
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| Here's a picture of the Hart Senate office building, my favorite building on the hill. It's like a shopping mall, but of senators! |
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| I also worked another event at the Library, which was turned into a fairyland for the evening. |
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