On the move

I had a busy day in Washington, D.C., although it wasn't what I initially set out to do. I planned to visit the Newseum, but I got into the District at the start of lunchtime and figured I ought to grab something to eat first.

I just signed up for Foursquare on my phone, in part to help me find places to eat here and in New York City. I found a pizza place that was about a mile's walk from the Newseum, so I headed out in its direction. I was a little disoriented and wasted some time going the wrong way, so I ended up getting lunch later than initially expected. I didn't realize I was going to a place that Top Chef's Spike runs.

I got a slice of pepperoni, a slice of Hawaiian, and a homemade grape soda for what turned out to be a lunch worth going out of my way to get. I guess those Top Chef folks know what they're doing. I also had some frozen yogurt with fresh blueberries, strawberries, and chocolate chips to cap the meal and sat in front of the Library of Congress's James Madison building to eat it.

By that point going to the Newseum really didn't make any sense, so I wandered over to the Capitol and took the tour. I'd seen it from the outside on a previous trip to D.C. some years ago, but I'd never gone in. I didn't have a gallery pass to see House or Senate chambers, but it was still a neat experience. From there I wandered over to the Library of Congress's main building through the adjoining underground tunnel. I arrived just as that tour was starting, so I got to get a look around this beautiful building.

The Supreme Court was nearby, so I decided that I really ought to see it. I snapped some pictures, walked up the steps, took some more photos, and then approached a cop to find out if the Metro stop on the line I needed to take to the ballpark was closer than the one I had arrived on. He suggested walking (!) to the stadium and explained how to get there. I was a little dubious, but I had the time and thought that it would let me see more of the area.

Sure enough, I didn't have any trouble finding it and saved a couple bucks in train fare.

The Reds lost, and thus went 1-2 while I was here to see them play. Still, I had a good time in this brief visit to D.C. Now I head north to New York City. A Broadway play is definitely on the docket. A Mets game may be too. Beyond that, who knows?

Front row seat

Keeping busy here in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Today was slower, as I took my time getting around and met a friend for lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant in northern Virginia. By the time I got back to the hotel and dealt with some other stuff, I figured I really only had time to go to the baseball game. So that's what I did.

I'll have to do one post dedicated to Nationals Park, especially since I don't feel like doing it tonight. Anyway, as you can see from the photo, I was in the first row of fixed seating on the first base line. All praise the secondary market, which offered this up at a great price and thus put it into my range of what I was willing to spend. And to think I landed one on the third base side for Thursday that's just seven rows from the field and paid even less!

What I'm saying is that I never sit this close. So that's making this fun and letting me see different parts of the stadium. A Reds win tonight didn't hurt.

Blur

Up at 6:05 a.m., out the door and into the car around 6:30, at the hotel in Maryland around 2:50 p.m., out the door around 3:30 p.m. to get to the Metro station, and meeting up with a longtime internet acquaintance at the Washington Nationals' ballpark in Washington, D.C. by about 4:15 p.m.

Quite a whirlwind day with plenty to say, but I need to be getting to bed. I think things should be a little less rushed for Wednesday. I'll try to share details then.