Washington DC

Ever since going to DC with my dad, grandpa, and brother when I was in 10th grade I've been wanting to go back.

(You can't get this close to the White House anymore haha) 

I especially wanted to experience it with Tanner, and I've been begging to go pretty much ever since we got married. We talked about going there for a final end of summer trip and when we found flights for $150 roundtrip per person, we obviously couldn't pass up a deal like that. 

We left on Friday morning at about 4 AM to get to the airport. After a long day of flying (thank you to ReplyAll podcast + the book Far From the Tree for getting me through), we finally got to DC around 7!

 We checked into our AirBnb and went out to explore. It took a minute to not feel completely lost at all times (why am I so bad at directions?) but we walked through the CUTEST neighborhood and finally made it to some food. We ate at &pizza and it was probably the best pizza I've ever had. (Anyone want to start one in Utah? I'll be your #1 customer!) Then, we rented some bikes and rode around the National Mall. Unfortunately we were a lot farther (further? I'm an English teacher I should know these things... oh well) away from everything than we thought so it was quite the sweaty adventure. Then we took the Metro back to our place and watched The Office and went to bed. (Well, Tanner slept. I, unfortunately, am a light sleeper and heard our upstairs neighbors partying until about 3 AM. Bleh.) 

Those colors!!!!! 

Saturday morning we had tickets to the National Archives museum. It was really cool! Something about seeing the REAL documents that this country was based on is powerful. (Tanner kept saying: "I'm feeling something!" haha) It just got me thinking about how cool it is that a lot of the things that the Founding Fathers came up with are still a huge part of what makes the USA the USA today. It's interesting to see where we started and also how far we've come. There were also some cool exhibits in the museum as well about Civil Rights and Women's Rights. I realized that I really don't know a lot about how everything works in our country (I used to know, thanks to AP US History but I've seemed to replace that knowledge with quotes from Parks and Rec haha) so it was cool to get a refresher course. 

Next, we went to the National Gallery of Art. It was AMAZING. Some of my favorite pieces that I've ever seen! It was all so colorful (my favorite) and just really beautiful. I also saw a guy just genuinely laugh at a humorous piece of art and it was such a good reminder of how wonderful people can be. 

I laughed so hard at this piece. It says:

The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist:

Working without the pressure of success. 

Not having to be in shows with men.

Having an escape from the art world in your 4 free-lance jobs.

Knowing your career might pick up after you're eighty.

Being reassured that whatever kind of art you make it will be labeled feminine.

Not being stuck in a tenured teaching position. (Rude ;)

Seeing your ideas live on in the work of others. 

Having the opportunity to choose between career and motherhood.

Not having to choke on those big cigars or paint in Italian suits.

Having more time to work after your mate dumps you for someone younger

Being included in revised versions of art history.

Not having to undergo the embarrassment of being called a genius. 

Getting your picture in the art magazines wearing a gorilla suit.

This piece (and the one below) was created by the Guerrilla Girls. A group that worked (and still works) to showcase the sexism and discrimination in the art world. I thought it was brilliant and thought-provoking. And hilarious. I'm glad I won't have to paint in Italian suits haha. 

This one says: "Dearest Art Collector, It has come to our attention that your collection, like most, does not contain enough art by women. We know that you feel terrible about this and will rectify the situation immediately. All our love, Guerilla Girls)

This was another cool piece. It's basically a big group photograph- with each person's skin color being represented by a square. People are so creative!!

I also enjoyed Henry Matisse's huge cut out pieces, but I didn't get any pictures of them so you'll have to Google it. 

Next, we went to the Capitol and walked around. I could stare at that building all day it's just so massive and intricate! 

 Count your blessings: there was no one behind us!!

Flowers!!

(I feel like I look like I'm holding in a fart in this picture but Tanner looks really cute so it's fine haha) 

We didn't end up doing a tour of the capitol, but we walked around and then walked around the Library of Congress (which is a cool building but also you can't even go in the cool part? So that's disappointing.) and then there was a sign that said to go down the stairs to the Madison building. So we ended up in this sketchy looking basement/cellar corridor in the Madison building haha. Some worker was like, "what are you guys trying to see? there's nothing here" hahahaha. 

Then, we went to the botanical garden. There's even a chocolate tree there! I didn't even know that's how chocolate was made. There are a lot of cool plants (and a bathroom! Which I was really grateful for haha those can be hard to find in big cities.) And- we were stuck there for a while in a lockdown! Apparently someone left a suspicious "package" (whatever that means?) outside that they had to investigate. Crazy!

Next we got ICE CREAM and nothing had ever tasted so good. We just sat on a bench for a while because my feet were dying from walking so much. DC is an exhausting place to be and I'm used to sitting on my butt all day for work so it was quite strenuous for me hahaha. 

Next, we ate Chipotle and walked around the Portrait Gallery for a few minutes before it closed. The section with all of the presidents was SO COOL. I loved seeing the different styles of art. 

That was it for Saturday!

Sunday morning we had tickets for the Holocaust museum. It was one of the most sobering, heartbreaking things I have ever seen. It was really hard to experience and I still don't have the words to express what I felt. I just kept thinking how? How can humans treat other humans like they are worth nothing? And I just kept thinking about how easy it could be for something like that to happen again. It all began with someone dividing the world into "us" and "them". Someone deciding that different = bad. And sadly, that still happens. It happens in our country and it happens around the world and it happens in my heart sometimes. And resolving to be kinder and better just doesn't feel like enough, but it is a start. A start that we should all be consciously making every single day.

"In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death." -Anne Frank 

The rest of the day was kind of rough. It's hard to keep going on with your life after seeing such horrible things. It almost seems irreverent and unfair. But... we kept moving and spent some time at the American History Museum and the Air and Space Museum. I really liked seeing the evolution of business in the US (it's kind of crazy when you think about it. Like someone was just like hmmm we should paint black stuff on our eyelashes and now look at the beauty industry! And just seeing how cars were first marketed and how credit was invented. It's really crazy!) and seeing old phones and computers contrasted with the ones we have now haha! The US has changed so much since it's beginning! And honestly, I feel like the Air and Space museum is kind of over rated (sorry!) but it was really cool seeing a bunch of Wilbur and Orville Wright's stuff! Can you imagine just being like... I think I can make something that flies... AMAZING. 

Then, I got totally ripped off and accidentally bought 2 $5 ice cream cones. That's why you always ask how much it costs before they swipe your card. The one the day before was way cheaper I just thought it would the same! Rookie mistake *face palm* 

Then, we went to the quirkiest bookstore called Capitol Hill Books. I love the personality that shines through in bookstores. And we had dinner at an Italian place and then we went to bed!

The handwritten signs!!

Cutie pie. 

Monday was our last day! Boo!! We started the day by walking around all the memorials. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The buildings! The statues! They're all so unique and so huge and so intriguing. 

First off was our homeboy Thomas Jefferson. I may have mixed feelings about him as a person, but his memorial sure is cool :) And he wrote the Declaration, so I'll give him some credit!

The guy that took our picture here was SO FUNNY. He kept saying "Cheese please!!" over and over again and he told us that he's been taking pictures since he was 9 years old so he knows what he's doing but then he couldn't figure out which button to push to take the picture? I was dying. I love people haha

Next up was FDR. And his awesome wife Eleanor! And his dog for some reason? hahaha 

Eleanor Roosevelt was a pretty cool lady! She was an advocate for civil rights and the first United States Delegate to the United Nations. Go, Eleanor! I'm sorry your husband cheated on you. Yikes. 

Next was Martin Luther King, Jr. I love that his memorial has a bunch of his quotes around it. It's really inspiring and very cool. 

"Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in." 

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." (PS thanks to Tanner for always carrying the backpack haha) 

Next, we stopped by the Korean War memorial (I really need to learn more about that! I realized I know basically nothing) and then it was on to Lincoln!

This picture makes me ridiculously happy. It's probably my favorite of us maybe ever.

Heel click for the win.

 Haha we are so funny and original. Not ;)

Then we walked up to the National Monument and over to the White House. 

Tanner for President!!

Next we walked around the museum of Natural History (saw some shiny gems and some very old mummies) and then went to Arlington cemetery. Visiting Arlington is a very humbling experience. It really made me appreciate the life I have and the freedoms I enjoy- I can choose my religion, my job, my spouse, where I live- I have so much! We also got to see the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Those men have so much respect for our country and for those who have died fighting for it, and it's really amazing to witness that. 

 Then we had dinner at a place called Good Stuff Eatery (because you can't have a vacation without a good burger) and stopped by the Capitol for one last good look.

We had a long day of travel home complete with a few delays, but we made it to Utah and I already miss DC. I love cities. They're electrifying. I think I love DC so much because it's so full of stories. Stories from history that happened on the exact ground you're standing on. Stories that haven't been told yet that exist inside the thousands of diverse people that call that place home. Stories of good and evil and boring and beautiful lives.

I already can't wait to visit again someday.