Alexandria and the District (Chris Visit 3 & 4)

Much to my chagrin, I had to get up Monday morning and go to work. I met Chris after work, in the late afternoon, at King Street. We walked down King Street and into Old Town Alexandria. We wandered down to the waterfront, and walked across the nearby park, taking a few pictures. Chris spent most of the time trying to convince me that we should move to Alexandria when we “grow up” – I kept reminding him that I like California.



We grabbed some dinner at Chadwicks (now my favorite Monday night eatery), and decided to continue walking through Old Town. We stopped in a small ice cream shop for a little dessert, and then went to Murphys for a nightcap. The pub was fairly busy, and we sat down at a table in the corner to enjoy the music – an older man with an acoustic guitar singing, as he put it, Irish songs, drinking songs, and/or Irish drinking songs. He even sang “Black Velvet Band,” one of Chris’s favorites. Now, I have to add Murphys to the list of reasons why Chris wants to move to Alexandria!


Tuesday I had to work (again!) and so Chris spent the day at Arlington Cemetary, which he was very moved by. We met up to spend Happy Hour with some people from my work and we went to a pub in the Dupont neighborhood called The Brickskeller. They have a ridiculous selection of beer. I was impressed, and I don’t even drink beer. Their 15 page beer list was organized by country of origin (for imports) or by name and state (domestics) – crazy! Chris got to try some new drinks, and really enjoyed some raspberry ale named UFO something or other. Anyways, after The Brickskeller, one of my coworkers (another Summer Intern) suggested a trip to a bar in her neighborhood called Tonic. We were ambivalent about going, but then heard that they had 50c tacos – we were sold. So my coworker Ellie, her friend Ayesha, Chris, and I hopped in a cab to Adams-Morgan (another nearby neighborhood). After a round of cheap tacos, and an awesome plate of cheesy tater tots, we said goodnight and headed back to the Metro – another late night out!

Spies! (Chris Day 2)

Sunday morning, Chris and I had breakfast, and hitched a ride to the nearby movie theater to watch Dark Knight. After the movie (it was awesome!), we took the bus to DC to visit the International Spy Museum. When we entered the highly recommended museum, we took an elevator up to the main entry, and were told to select an identity and coverstory for our “trip.” I was Carol Lui, a 42-year old architect from Santa Monica (I looked good for my age!), and Chris was Richie Carson, a 14-year old kid headed to Russia on vacation. We watched a short video, and were let loose into the Spy Museum. The first section had all kinds of tools and tricks of the trade: recording devices, weapons, disguises – all kinds of sneaky things! The second part of the museum was a historical look at spying. There were exhibits on early codes and cryptograms, spies during the World Wars and the Cold War, and even a section on more recent spies in the US. One of my favorite things was a cartoon they were showing about a soldier who blabbed too much about his upcoming deployment. The girl he was flirting with turned out to be a spy (with a carrier pigeon in her hat – don’t ask), and his idle chatter lead to the destruction of his ship, after which he ended up in hell. The devil even chastised him for not keeping quiet. The message was pretty clear! Anyways, the museum was really interesting, with a piece of history we don’t hear much about. Plus, they said that Washington, DC, has more spies than anywhere else. Now, anytime I’m in the district, I look around and think to myself, “Which of these people is most likely to be a spy?” It’s kind of a fun game!

After the Spy Museum, we went to my favorite restaurant (Matchbox) – yum! Then, we wandered back down to the National Mall to do some sightseeing. We walked down the Mall, past the Washington Monument, to the WWII Memorial, along the reflecting pool, and up to the Lincoln Memorial.
Chris at the WWII Memorial - He was born in Guam

We stayed awhile at the Lincoln Memorial, in part because while we were there a thunderstorm hit. We watched some great lightning shows play behind the Washington Monument, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get a picture of the lightning behind the Monument. I think I would need a much fancier camera.

Chris Visit Day 1

Friday morning, Chris arrived in DC! I rode out to meet him at the Metro station, and we rode back home to drop off his stuff and grab some lunch. We went to “our” restaurant – the Macaroni Grill – for lunch, and spent the afternoon relaxing and catching up.

That night was a birthday celebration for one of the neighbors, so we headed into Old Town Alexandria to join in the festivities. The party was at my roommate’s favorite bar, The Rock It Grill. A karaoke bar with great food and dancing, too, The Rock It was a great place to spend our Friday night. Although we didn’t stay late enough for Chris to take his turn on stage, we did get to hear a few of the neighbors, and do some dancing, which I always enjoy.

Saturday morning, Chris and I planned to go into Georgetown, see a movie (Dark Knight), have dinner and stroll through the neighborhood. We took the metro and a long walk into Georgetown, but when we got to the theater, almost all of their showings of Dark Knight were sold out. So, for a Plan B, we headed to the shopping area, and wandered down the busy streets. We stopped by Georgetown Cupcakes (YUM!) and took a chance to cool down in Subway with a sandwich and cupcake. After our snack, we decided to walk over the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and down the Mount Vernon Trail. The trail runs along the Potomac from the Key Bridge in Arlington all the way past Alexandria and down to Mount Vernon. We veered off the trail to visit Theodore Roosevelt Island, a small island in the Potomac with walking trails and a memorial to the President.

Roosevelt Island from the Key Bridge


After a brief walk on the island (enough nature for Chris), we continued down the Mount Vernon Trail. We could see the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument across the River and stopped to enjoy the view for a few minutes.



We hopped back on the metro at Arlington Cemetery and rode home. After a long day of walking, we ordered pizza and relaxed at home for the night.

A brief lull...

Sunday morning, we slept in and then Elise and I grabbed breakfast at a cute cafe (Donna's, I think). After breakfast, Elise dropped me off at the Providence train station and I enjoyed the 7 hour ride back to DC's Union Station. It was nice to finally be home, but I had to get ready for another day at work Monday.

When I did get in Monday morning, it felt like I had been away for weeks! I had a ton of catching up to do, but at the same time, it was nice to have some time away. Monday evening we had another softball game, which we lost (by 1 run!). The game started a bit late, and somehow it was nearly 10:30 before I got home. Sometimes it's tough living so far out in the suburbs.

The rest of the week was relatively uneventful - most of the time was spent getting excited for Chris's visit

Rhode Island

[I'm still over a week behind, but I'm trying to catch up!]

So I rode the commuter train from Boston into Rhode Island (not terribly exciting). My good friend and recent CGU alum, Elise, picked me up for a quick weekend getaway in RI. First, she drove me around Providence and through the Brown University campus where she works. We grabbed a bite to eat near the college at a little pizza place that had a wide selection of odd pizzas. I passed on some of the more obscure (one with ground beef, sour cream, cheddar cheese and tortilla chips, another with steak and some kind of brown sauce), and went with a piece of pesto tortellini (yes, pesto sauce and cheese tortellini on the pizza), and a piece of chicken parmagiana pizza. I was in pizza heaven! Then, we drove through some of the more exclusive neighborhoods in Providence - the architecture was amazing and the houses were beautiful.

So, the median lines in the road were decorated in different neighborhoods. In one area, it was painted red, white, and blue (presumably from the 4th celebration), in another it was red, white, and green (an Italian community) – very festive, and not something I’ve ever seen in California.

There are a lot of “firsts” in Rhode Island – the first 4th of July celebration (that one might be longest running, rather than first), the site of the first democracy on US soil, the first American synagogue, the first place to claim to be "first" of anything...

On Saturday, we headed out to Newport, with a quick pitstop in Portsmouth, where my friend grew up. Her parent's place was adorable and she even had a window seat in her (old) room that overlooked the ocean - I would have died for such a place when I was young!

Once in Newport (which is on one of Rhode Island's many islands), we parked near the marina and walked down the water front. It was a beautiful day, and although the streets were fairly busy with pedestrians and cars, it wasn't too crowded. As we strolled down the street, I got my first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean. (it looked a lot like the Pacific) We grabbed a bite to eat at the Brick Alley Pub (yum!), and enjoyed the weather at our table on the patio.

After lunch, we drove through the "nicer" side of Newport - where the multi-million dollar homes are. These houses were HUGE and some of them had incredible views of the ocean. Elise mentioned that Nicholas Cage recently bought a home in that area for something in the neighborhood of 20 million dollars (!). Our drive took us past the rocky part of the coast, and past Brenton Point, where the sky was filled with kites. I don't think I've ever seen so many kites at one time! The pictures don't even come close to doing it justice, but here's my best attempt (all of those little specks are kites):

Eventually, we drove around the island to the "beachy" section, which was packed! We decided to wander the cliffwalk - a long path winding around the coast of the island. It was a great way for me to see the Atlantic Ocean up-close (and unfortunately, smell the Atlantic Ocean up close - it was particularly stinky - Elise said it was because of the seaweed and there being no offshore windflows, or something). There was a section of ocean where there were a dozen or so surfers - I'm not sure why I was surprised - as if surfing is a solely California thing to do! Anyways, here is one of my Atlantic pictures...


After the day in Newport, Elise and I grabbed some Italian take out and relaxed in front of the TV with a movie. It was a great way to end the day!

Massachusetts

I had another conference, this time in Massachusetts. After my lengthy (and enjoyable) train ride to Chicago, I decided to take the train to Massachusetts. It was a beautiful ride, and much shorter than the ride to Chicago! We rode through Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey (not particularly nice), but when we rode through New York, I perked up a bit. I couldn’t see much across town, but I definitely got my first sight of both the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge – I am planning a visit to NY in August, and I can’t wait! After NY, we rode through Connecticut – it was beautiful! There were so many small towns on the water, Mystic, Bridgeport, New London. In Bridgeport, there was a minor league ballpark (I think) built overlooking the water – what a great place to catch a game!

After a 7 hour trip to Boston’s South Station, I hopped on a commuter train to Bridgewater, where my conference was being held. I checked into my room in the dorms – a room of my own in a shared suite. I didn’t mind staying in the dorms, but it would have been much better if they had given me an actual blanket. The blanket they provided was literally a large piece of canvas – like the kind I would throw on the ground before painting a room. But other than being a bit cold, the dorm accommodations were satisfactory.

The conference, which was focused on child and family programs and policy, was pretty good. It was fairly small, which means I could easily meet people who research some of the same things I do. I also got to see Sherylle, my supervisor at home, and we ended up taking the train back into Boston on Thursday night for dinner at the Union Oyster House. Across from Faneuil Hall, the Union Oyster House is the oldest restaurant in the country! We didn’t have much time, so we took the train in, ate dinner, and took the train back.

On Friday, after the conference sessions, I took the commuter train to Boston one last time. I made a quick visit to Faneuil Hall, in part to be a bit of a tourist, and also to visit one of the only 2 Wagamama’s restaurants in the country. When I was living in England, a new noodle bar had just opened (Wagamama’s) and I LOVED it! Now, there are Wagamamas across England and around the world – and only 2 in the US – and they’re both in Massachusetts! Anyways, I made a special trip to Faneuil Hall so that I could eat there. Love it!

After a snack at Wagamama’s, I headed back to South Station to catch the commuter train to Rhode Island. (more on that in the next entry)

Softball and Dancing

After our fun on the 4th, I had to say goodbye Sarah. It was great to have her visit and I was sad to say goodbye. I spent the rest of the weekend recovering from my whirlwind days.

Tuesday the 8th was another big day – a softball game and a trip to Wolftrap to see the Paul Taylor dance company. First, the softball game… our game was held on the National Mall at 7th and Jefferson, just between the Washington Monument and the Capitol building. It was so much fun to play on the lawn and be able to look over and see the Capitol! The pictures didn't turn out very well, so you will have to wait until next time to see the evidence...

Unfortunately, I had to leave the game a bit early to meet my roommate to head out to Wolftrap. Wolftrap is an outdoor theater that offers a variety of performances from Kenny G - to Rent - to the Paul Taylor dance company. We had box seats (thanks to my roommate’s sister), so when we arrived we visited Ovations, an outdoor café decorated with teak, serving hors d’oeuvres and wine. We relaxed in Ovations for a few minutes and then headed to our seats. The seats were great, and the venue was beautiful (you’ll have to visit the website if you want to see pictures). The weather was perfect for an outdoor show. The show itself was okay – the dance company was good, but their routines were relatively slow and not particularly moving. That certainly didn’t stop us from having a great time!

Independence Day! (Sarah day 4)

What better place to be on July 4th than our nation’s capital! I didn’t think I could bear the massive crowds on the National Mall, so Sarah and I decided to view the fireworks from the Jefferson Memorial. We had no idea how early we needed to be there, or how long it would take us to get there on the metro. The metro had a completely different schedule, with trains running on different tracks to accommodate the flow of traffic to the Mall, so we planned for lots of extra time in transit. Oddly, the car we were on was not even full, and it was a quick and easy trip to L’Enfant Plaza.

We had to go through a couple of security checkpoints in our walk from the metro to the Tidal Basin, but the lines weren’t too long and it was a painless process. I can’t say that much for the waiting time after we arrived. We decided to stake our territory on the steps of the Memorial, although the marble is not particularly cushion-y, the steps provided a little bit of back support. There were a lot of people there, but there was still plenty of room, so we picked our spot and made ourselves relatively comfortable. After about an hour, it started to sprinkle. We were prepared for rain (you have to be, in DC at this time of year), and figured that as long as we stayed huddled under our umbrellas, our spots, our stuff, and our selves would stay dry. This was a great plan, except that it didn’t account for the puddles of water pooling around us, especially on the step just above the one we were sitting on. Shortly after the rain let up, we stood up to stretch our legs and discovered that the water from the top step had seeped down the back of our shorts. Since she was in khaki shorts (and I was in dark denim), Sarah’s damage was far worse than mine, and she had to spend a few minutes in front of the hand dryer in the bathroom to help dry her pants. Fortunately, we were not the only ones to be surprised by the rain and we had plenty of wet company. Here is a shot of the crowd just before dark:


We bought ponchos in the gift shop and headed back to the steps. This time we sat on one of the ponchos to help keep us dry. Our plastic ponchos helped a little bit during the next downpour, but we still ended up a bit damp. Still, we were more worried that the fireworks would be cancelled because of the rain. Just after 9:00, the rain let up and the fireworks began. The show was great, and even though I couldn’t quite get the Washington Monument and the fireworks in the same picture, we were so close to the fireworks that they covered most of the sky in front of us. Here are a few of the better pics. Next year, I’ll watch the celebration from somewhere dry!

Thursday the 3rd (Sarah's visit 3)

Thursday morning I, once again, dragged myself out of bed and in to work. I had a tough time concentrating, with the holiday coming up and my excitement to sightsee with Sarah. I ended up leaving a bit early from work so that we could visit the Smithsonian FolkLife Festival. The festival, an annual event, celebrates three cultures with exhibits and food. This year the festival’s topics were Texas, Bhutan, and NASA. We didn’t see anything spectacular in the Texas section, but there were a number of interesting booths educating me (and everyone else) about life, arts, and culture in Bhutan. Very interesting. The NASA booths were incredible. An exhibit about the devices and technologies NASA has created, a number of new projects they are working on, and a few great pictures of our galaxy and beyond. The only problem was that it was hot. And sticky. (blech!)

We decided to take a break from the heat and watch a movie, and Kung Fu Panda was really the only option, so we sat down to enjoy it. It was cute and funny, better than I expected. We had about forty five minutes to squeeze in a trip to the National Portrait Gallery. Sarah really wanted to view the American President exhibit – one of only two collections of Presidents’ portraits (the other being in the White House). It was incredible to see paintings of our first Presidents – paintings they viewed themselves, painted at a time when our nation was just beginning to take shape, just beginning on its journey to where we are today. We were one of the last stragglers in the portrait gallery as they closed, and on our way out of the gallery decided to make our way to visit the Lincoln Memorial. Our path down the mall took us past the Washington Monument and the WWII Memorial. It is beautiful and reverent, a nice addition to the monuments lining the center of the Mall.
We had to detour a bit on our way to the Lincoln Memorial because of the prepared fireworks. The memorial itself was overcrowded with tour groups, families, and tourists with unbelievably large cameras. We climbed up the steps, toured inside the memorial, and even walked around to the back of the memorial that faces the Potomac. It was a perfect place to relax a few minutes as the sun set.



We headed back to Chinatown for dinner, and ended up eating at a great place called Matchbox. There is one other Matchbox, in Palm Springs, and although I had noticed it there, I hadn’t eaten there before. Their speciality is “vintage pizza” and the chicken pesto was spectacular. Definitely worth the lengthy wait for a table. Somehow, we were, once again, on the last train home. I shouldn’t have been surprised.

The Midnight Train (Sarah day 2)

Sarah and I left the house at the same time as I set off for work and she for the Museum of Natural History. After work, I had a softball game – finally our first game after 3 cancelled ones! We ended up having to switch fields (it’s a long story), and Sarah met up with me right before we headed over to another field in a slightly questionable neighborhood.

After winning the game (hooray!) Sarah and I headed to grab a bite to eat in Chinatown. We ate at a place called California Tortilla, an American Mexican place that didn’t necessarily remind me of California, but did have great chips and quesadillas. After dinner we headed to see the monuments – it was dark, and the monuments are particularly beautiful in the evening. We wandered past the Washington Monument, around the Tidal Basin, through the Jefferson Memorial and the Roosevelt Memorial. We completed our walk around the Basin, but didn’t have enough time to visit Lincoln. We power-walked back to the metro station, just barely catching the last train home (whew!). By the time we finished our ride and took a taxi home, it was nearly 1am!



Although we had been up late, I got up early Wednesday to get back to work. Sarah slept in and planned to make her way to the zoo, where I met up with her after work. We strolled through some of the exhibits, only to find that most of the animals go to sleep around 4pm. At least she had seen most of them earlier in the day. We had directions to a recommended place (thanks, Erica!) and headed over to the Adams Morgan neighborhood to get some dinner. Since I’ve been living in suburbia, I haven’t really gotten a great taste of life in DC. Adams Morgan was a great urban neighborhood with tall Victorian houses lining some streets, and rows of cafes, bars, and small shops on the other streets. The Diner was relaxed and fun, and it was even the night of half-priced bottles of wine. After dinner at the diner we stopped by a used book store, one of our favorite kinds of stops! Erica had also recommended a coffee shop with great desserts, so we made a stop in there before heading home. There was a jazz ensemble playing live music, and the place was packed with people – some chatting, clearly on dates or girls night outs, others working, with laptops opened and fingers typing furiously. Again, somehow, we found ourselves on the last train home and made a late entrance through my front door.

Sarahs DC Visit Day 1

Monday morning we headed back to Orange for breakfast so that the rest of our group could enjoy it. Then, we hopped on the train to Midway and caught our flight back to DC. Sarah came with me to spend the week in sightseeing in DC. Although it's a short flight, it takes a while to get from Dulles to my place, so it was about 5 by the time we were settled in Virginia.

We decided to venture out to Old Town Alexandria for dinner. It took a little longer to walk to the waterfront than I had remembered (I thought that the 15 block walk was only 5 or 6), but we enjoyed sunset on the waterfront, and grabbed a bite to eat at a great little restaurant.

After dinner, we decided to get a treat at Ben & Jerrys. We didn't realize that while we were dining, the storm of the century had descended upon Alexandria. When we stepped outside, it was POURING. Fortunately, we both had umbrellas, but in such a storm, umbrellas only do so much. Sarah was a little bit afraid of the lightning that seemed to strike closer every time - we tried to take shelter under some of the overhangs, but we still ended up soaked. Not that it kept us from our ice cream plans. By the time we finished our cones, the rain had lightened. We grabbed a drink in my roommate's favorite bar in the whole world, in her honor. It is a small Irish pub with live entertainment and a friendly ambience. After our drinks, we headed back for a good night's sleep.

Chicago: Saturday & Sunday (3)

Saturday morning I went to an interesting conference session, and then took a long afternoon break to hit up Navy Pier with my sister and Tammy. It was a beautiful day, perfect for sightseeing and lunch in the beer garden.

I went back to the conference to learn a little bit more, and after the last session, Erica, Sarah, Kelly, Tammy, and I went to Giordano's for some Chicago-style deep dish pizza. It was great! Cheesy beyond belief, but great! Then, we went to a jazz piano bar, wandered around Rush Street a bit, and headed home again.

Sunday morning Kelly, Tammy, Sarah, and I got brunch at a place called Orange. The food was creative and fresh - we tried "frushi" a fruit-flavored rice rolled with fresh fruit on top, and each got a unique breakfast dish. Tammy had pan-seared oatmeal (yum!), Kelly had Chai french toast (double yum!), and Sarah had a mushroom and oregano omlet with balsamic vinegar and almonds. The fresh juices squeezed on site were also delicious!

After breakfast, we headed to the park for a quick game of Scrabble. There's nothing better than playing Scrabble in the park on a beautiful day.

After Sarah beat me at Scrabble (by 1 point), I headed over to the last poster session of the conference. There were a few interesting projects, but there wasn't enough time to see everything I wanted to see. After the poster session, I said goodbye to my sister and Tammy - it was so great to have them join us for the weekend!

Sarah, Erica, and I went to the Miracle Mile - not to shop neccesarily, but we were headed for a used bookstore prominent enough to be on Sarah's little map. We got caught in an absolute downpour on our way around town!

So to stay dry, we stopped by a cute champaign bar called Pops. We ordered a relatively inexpensive half-bottle of bubbly and enjoyed our little splurge. It was easily the most I've ever spent on alcohol, but it definitely tasted expensive.

After our happy hour, Erica had to make a quick trip back to the hotel, and Sarah and I decided to walk through Grant Park on our way back. The park was packed with Taste of Chicago vendors and eaters, so we mostly stuck to the outer edges. I was really excited as we walked past the music stage, because one of my favorite artists, Josh Kelley, was performing! I have liked him for a few years, and got to see him once at a UCLA Book Festival Concert, and it was great that at the time we were wandering through the park he was performing! They were even pumping the music through the whole park, so I got to listen to most of his show. After we took a few pictures in front of Buckingham Fountain, it was time for us to meet up with the rest of the group, and as we were walking out of the park, Josh played my favorite song of his! Talk about perfect timing!

We met up with the rest of our group and headed to see a Second City show. We saw No Country for Old White Men, which was hilarious! It was far less structured than I anticipated and there were some great laughs. My personal favorite was a brief scene where a girl was bringing her boyfriend home to meet her dad for the first time... He tells the dad it is an honor to meet a war hero who served our country overseas. The dad gets a dazed, far-off look, and the boyfriend whispers to the girl, "Is he having a flashback?" "No," says the girlfriend, "he's having a flashdance" - and the spotlight closes in on the dad who proceeds to do a little number from the movie Flashdance. Hilarious! The cast even did a round of improv games after the show, just for our entertainment. Instead of taking random suggestions from the audience, they asked if anyone had a novel with them. The book they ended up with was "Moose: Stories from fat camp" and they would randomly open it up, read a selection, and do a scene based on whatever they read. It was a great way to spend our last night in Chicago!

Cubs, Conference, CHICAGO! (2)

After arriving in Chicago, I headed over to Wrigley Field to catch the Cubs game. Although we could only get "standing room only" tickets, the standing section was actually pretty good. Two of my friends (Amber and Kendra) met me there and we cheered on the cubbies together. Unfortunately, the cubs lost (by a LOT) to the Orioles, but the game was enjoyable and everyone got really excited once the cubs scored a few runs. After the game, my friends and I walked around Wrigleyville, and got a few drinks at a local pub.

Top: Wrigley Field: Home of Chicago Cubs Bottom: Former Rancho Cucamonga Quake: Derek Lee

Later in the evening, a few more of my school friends arrived (Dani, Erica), as did my friend from San Jose (Sarah). We all grabbed a late dinner at the only place open. It was great to catch up, but I had so much to tell everyone and so many stories to hear from them!

In addition to my CGU friends, I had what Dani kept referring to as "my entourage" who were also meeting me in Chi-Town - Sarah (from San Jose), my sister, and her sister-in-law Tammy. Sarah came to town Thursday, but Kelly and Tammy weren't due in until Friday night.

On Friday, I had my conference presentation, which went pretty well, and almost everyone from CGU was there for moral support. I went to a few interesting sessions, and ended my conference day with my poster presentation. There were a TON of posters, so I'm not surprised that I only got a few people stopping by mine to chat. After the poster session, Sarah, Erica, and I wandered around looking for somewhere to eat. Eventually we settled on a cute cafe that was mediocre at best. While we were sitting in the cafe on Michigan Avenue, my sister called to say that she and Tammy were in Chicago, but were stuck in traffic on Michigan Avenue. I looked out the window and could see her! I waved like a complete maniac and everyone in the restaurant and on the patio looked at me like I was crazy. After dinner, we met up with the rest of my entourage, went with them to get a snack and hit the sack so we could get up early.

chi-cago (1)

Last weekend I had a conference in chicago, and I decided to take the train there. Although it takes 17+ hours, I don't like to fly, so my compromise was to train there and fly back. Plus, it was going to give me a chance to see a part of the country I haven't seen before. So I left work a bit early and headed to Union Station.

I wanted to see the station a bit, but was running late (surprise!), so I basically got there and boarded the train. We traveled through DC, Maryland, West Virginia... I really enjoyed watching the scenery - it was incredibly green. My roommate has often told me how brown California is compared to the east coast, and I would always argue that California is green! It is, but because of the constant moisture (hello, humidity) the trees and fields were vibrantly green. We passed through a few small communities, nestled at the base of foothills, enveloped in trees - the picture of quiet east coast towns.

I mostly lounged in my seat and looked out the window, but I did do some reading and even a bit of work. After dark we rode through Pittsburgh. It didn’t look as bad as I’ve heard it is, but then again, I was only there for 3 minutes. I really wish it had been light a bit longer, I would have enjoyed seeing more of Pennsylvania.

Since the train ride went overnight, I knew I would be sleeping in my seat (the sleeper cars were an extra $300). I can usually sleep just about anywhere, so I wasn't worried - and other than being cold and a bit uncomfortable, it was fine. I woke up fairly early, as the sun rose over a small lake beside us. I drifted in and out of sleep and each time I opened my eyes I was greeted by another beautiful scene - a layer of fog over corn fields, a small town coming to life, it was great.

we ended up being almost 2 hours late, but overall, I really enjoyed it and would do it again - if I had 17 hours to kill.