Notes on our Nation's Capital

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nitrah55 · #1 Post by **nitrah55** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:09 am

Visited Beloved Son in DC over the weekend. Some thoughts.

- I like that all of the Smithsonian is free- including the National Zoo. This is the way it ought to be everywhere.

- It's worth the walk to go to the south side of the Tidal Basin, to see the Jefferson Memorial and the FDR Memorial.

- I love the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, but standing in line for half an hour to look at the illegible originals is not the best way to spend one's time. If in DC, skip the National Archives.

- Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street is one of the great gustatory events of my life.

- The insect exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History is underwritten by Orkin. Clearly some guilt going on there.

- College students oversleep, did you know that?

minimetoo26 · #2 Post by **minimetoo26** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:12 am

nitrah55 wrote:
- The insect exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History is underwritten by Orkin. Clearly some guilt going on there.

You need an exterminator to get my kids out of there! They love the big bugs...

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #3 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:03 am

minimetoo26 wrote:
nitrah55 wrote:
- The insect exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History is underwritten by Orkin. Clearly some guilt going on there.

You need an exterminator to get my kids out of there! They love the big bugs...

Your kids are adorable.

peacock2121 · #4 Post by **peacock2121** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:04 am

I just got a shove to do a trip there. I have been dragging my heels.

It shall be!

MarleysGh0st · #5 Post by **MarleysGh0st** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:11 am

peacock2121 wrote:I just got a shove to do a trip there. I have been dragging my heels.

It shall be!

A suggestion: If you drive down and aren't planning an overnight in DC, use one of the park-n-ride facilities along the beltway and ride the Metro downtown. That's much easier than hunting for a parking spot.

peacock2121 · #6 Post by **peacock2121** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:19 am

Thanks for the suggestion.

I am thinking of making the trip with Amy and doing a hotel for a couple of nights.

nitrah55 · #7 Post by **nitrah55** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:46 am

peacock2121 wrote:Thanks for the suggestion.

I am thinking of making the trip with Amy and doing a hotel for a couple of nights.

I know a good, relatively cheap hotel: River Inn on 25th St. NW. We stayed for $89/night.

Getting into the Washington Monument is tough: they hand out timed tickets for that day only starting at 8:30 am. They were gone by 9:07. We got there at 9:16. Line up by 8, if you're so inclined.

Any other questions, you know where to find me.

Bob Juch · #8 Post by **Bob Juch** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:06 am

peacock2121 wrote:Thanks for the suggestion.

I am thinking of making the trip with Amy and doing a hotel for a couple of nights.

Washington, DC hotels are more expensive than NYC's!

The best deal is the Holiday Inn Central/White House for about $210 a night.

The Georgetown Inn is in a great location but about $350.

Appa23 · #9 Post by **Appa23** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:11 am

Bob Juch wrote:
peacock2121 wrote:Thanks for the suggestion.

I am thinking of making the trip with Amy and doing a hotel for a couple of nights.
Washington, DC hotels are more expensive than NYC's!

The best deal is the Holiday Inn Central/White House for about $210 a night.

The Georgetown Inn is in a great location but about $350.

Not if you work for the Government.

Bob Juch · #10 Post by **Bob Juch** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:35 am

Appa23 wrote:
Bob Juch wrote:
peacock2121 wrote:Thanks for the suggestion.

I am thinking of making the trip with Amy and doing a hotel for a couple of nights.
Washington, DC hotels are more expensive than NYC's!

The best deal is the Holiday Inn Central/White House for about $210 a night.

The Georgetown Inn is in a great location but about $350.
Not if you work for the Government.

You mean it's not more expensive if you work for the government? When I worked for the USPS, we hated going to DC as the maximum room rate we could put on our expense reports was just $50 a night. We often had to pay more than twice that. Then we discovered the Howard Johnson's Watergate (the one they Plumbers used as their HQ) which was $49 a night.

hermillion · #11 Post by **hermillion** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:14 pm

nitrah55 wrote: - I love the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, but standing in line for half an hour to look at the illegible originals is not the best way to spend one's time. If in DC, skip the National Archives.

Don't bother with the Rotunda/documents visit -- unless you just adore wasting your time.

But - don't miss the National Archives Experience and the Public Vaults exhibitions. They are both worth the visit. Same building, same entrance, around behind the Rotunda. These are interactive, well-laid out, varied, and absolutely fascinating exhibits of many of the items, people and events important to our history. When I took 8th grade students last year I practically had to beat them to get them out of the building -- after spending over two hours reading, listening, and looking at the stuff on display.

It's not just "kid stuff", either. I could spend another couple of hours in there, myself. Anything that can keep 14 year-olds engrossed has my vote!

tlynn78 · #12 Post by **tlynn78** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:42 pm

I visited DC briefly years ago. I stayed with the inlaws, sans husband, and had my 3 y-o, 15 month-lod and was 3 months along with #3. I promised myself one day I would go back when I could be alone and spend about 3 weeks just exploring. Some day.

t.

peacock2121 · #13 Post by **peacock2121** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:13 pm

tlynn78 wrote:I visited DC briefly years ago. I stayed with the inlaws, sans husband, and had my 3 y-o, 15 month-lod and was 3 months along with #3. I promised myself one day I would go back when I could be alone and spend about 3 weeks just exploring. Some day.

t.

You wanna come too?

You would love Amy and she you.

tlynn78 · #14 Post by **tlynn78** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:54 pm

You wanna come too?

You would love Amy and she you.

I wanna meet Amy where we can sit and drink margaritas all day and she can keep you from hitting on me.

I think DC is the only place in the world where I actually want to explore alone. It's good knowing you won't hear that as rude, just me. There is still GOING to be a ladies' trip somewhere sunny one of these days, I swear it.

t.

peacock2121 · #15 Post by **peacock2121** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 5:18 am

tlynn78 wrote:
You wanna come too?

You would love Amy and she you.
I wanna meet Amy where we can sit and drink margaritas all day and she can keep you from hitting on me.

I think DC is the only place in the world where I actually want to explore alone. It's good knowing you won't hear that as rude, just me. There is still GOING to be a ladies' trip somewhere sunny one of these days, I swear it.

t.

Ask fishie about me and Amy. He saw us tongue kiss.

It was very fun watching his reaction.

I do get it about wanting to do DC alone.

I am holding you to your swear.

minimetoo26 · #16 Post by **minimetoo26** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:49 am

L'Enfant Plaza Hotel. You can walk to the Smithsonian, and there is a metro station right under the hotel. It's usually fairly cheap on the weekends, too.

That's where we stay when the Mets play the Nats.

andrewjackson · #17 Post by **andrewjackson** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:25 am

On soccer trips I've found cheap rates at hotels in the Foggy Bottom area. It's a great area. Close to the Mall and Georgetown with its own Metro stop.

starfish1113 · #18 Post by **starfish1113** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:33 am

peacock2121 wrote: Ask fishie about me and Amy. He saw us tongue kiss.

It was very fun watching his reaction.

Yeah, that's not something you easily forget. I was hoping that the 70s porn music would start....

peacock2121 · #19 Post by **peacock2121** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:21 am

starfish1113 wrote:
peacock2121 wrote: Ask fishie about me and Amy. He saw us tongue kiss.

It was very fun watching his reaction.

Yeah, that's not something you easily forget. I was hoping that the 70s porn music would start....

and for someone to keep their socks on, right?

tlynn78 · #20 Post by **tlynn78** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:16 am

t.

Vails · #21 Post by **Vails** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:06 pm

All Bored visitors also can stay at the Casa de Vails in close-in Bethesda, less than half an hour from The Mall by train or car.

Advantages:

Cost for private room and meals: $0.
Mention the Bored and parking's free too!
Minutes from Metro, seconds from Beltway
Convivial hosts
Travel and tourism tips upon request
Unsolicited ones, too
Fresh-baked cookies and delicious pancakes
Fully stocked minibar

Mitigating Factors:

Housemates include three small children, one mother-in-law, and an only recently trained Scottish Terrier puppy
Choice of sleeping accommodations limited to bunk beds, air mattress, pull-out sofa
V-Chips on all TVs
Minibar is actually a fridge that's fully stocked with gluten-, soy-, peanut- and tree nut-free items only

etaoin22 · #22 Post by **etaoin22** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:05 pm

You also have both our baseball team and, now today,...........

our goalie:

Cristobal Huet goes to the Caps for a draft pick, in order that Carey Price, all of age 20, can play on a daily basis up to and including the playoffs here in Montreal.

The Caps may even win a battle of the national capitals, now, as at this point in time they might well be able to take the Ottawa Senators, easily.

WWTBAM Bored

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