Washington DC on the way

We drove to Washington DC on Friday. We'd heard it takes about 3 1/2 hours.

That's such a lie.

Especially with a baby.

We arrived over 7 hours after our departure.

Garrett had racked up Marriott points over the years and we decided this weekend was a good time to cash them in. Here's Max in his first hotel room. He made himself right at home.

We signed up for the hotel near the Navy Yard. That's the Navy Yard in the background. We took this picture on our walk to dinner that night.

Now, I'd heard that this area was not known for being the safest, so I did my research. I read reviews online. I emailed my cousin Kent, who lives in Alexandria and asked him about it. Like the information I found online, Kent said that the area was experiencing a revival and was supposed to be fairly safe now. It's where the new baseball stadium is. If anyone plans to go to a game, I highly recommend staying at this hotel because you are right by the stadium and just a block away from the Metro. Plus, the people there are all really nice.
When we checked in, we asked about a place to eat dinner--because, yes, it was dinner time, not lunch time, as we had anticipated. The guy at the front desk recommended a place a short walk away. I asked him if the area was safe. He looked at me seriously and said, "No. I was mugged two nights ago." Then he laughed and laughed and laughed. He assured us police patrolled the area and it was well lit.

He was right.

We saw several officers on our way to dinner. One of them had pulled over a convertible driven by a chipper, pony-tailed blond. The two young ladies in the car were chatting him up. I think their crime might have been being too cute.

We also saw military guards. Not only did we pass the Navy Yard, but we also walked by a Marine base. Uniformed marines were on each corner. I felt very safe. Plus, a uniformed military guy usually adds to the scenery, and this was no exception.

At the restaurant, we sat outside right by the sidewalk. The staff kindly and quickly offered us hot water when I stood to locate the bathroom to warm a bottle for Max. The food wasn't bad, either.

The man at the table next to us held court. The staff seemed to know and revere him. Suited men on the sidewalk paused to shake hands with him and offer their services if he ever needed anything. Even when Garrett and I juggled Max and our dinner, he observed it all in stride as he sipped a martini. Later, I caught him making goo-goo eyes at Max. Then, he correctly guessed Max's age and weight. When I mentioned that I hoped we weren't disturbing his dinner because of (a teeny-tiny, short-lived bout of) fussiness, he told me never to apologize for a child because he was perfect. There was something about the way he spoke to us and held himself that made me understand why people reacted to him the way they did. I'd love to know who he is.

El Azteca

When we first moved here, I craved Mexican food and couldn't find it. Eventually we found a Taco Bell that sufficed. It wasn't fabulous, but it was Taco Bell.

A few months ago a little place opened down the street from us. Garrett and I recently ate there and enjoyed it. Last night we went again with my mom, freshly arrived from Oklahoma, and our friend Stephanie, freshly returned from her honeymoon. We weren't disappointed.

A deli sign advertising sandwiches still hangs on one wall from its previous owners. On another wall hangs a black, bespangled sombrero. Another wall is shelved with all sorts of groceries with Spanish labels. Three tables and 8 chairs fill the floor. Two stools hug the window.

The owner is friendly and proud. His personality alone makes me want to keep going back. He told us that he has lots of relatives in Oklahoma, but he didn't want to be around tornadoes.

Yeah, we understand.

The food is authentic. While we were there, lots of customers came in and out. This place has the freshest salsa anywhere. Since we raved about it last night, he brought out guacamole to go with it. We have enough leftovers to last a week.

I may be at the end of my pregnancy, but it's nice to finally have found good Mexican food.

Very bueno.

Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps

My mom's birthday was last Monday. She arrived here on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I took her into the city to celebrate her birthday.
We watched The 39 Steps, which is rife with verbal and visual allusions to Alfred Hitchcock's movies. Just as he made an appearance in all of his films, his silhouette even slipped into the play. I knew it would be good, but I hadn't anticipated how funny it would be. The actor's capacity for physical comedy was impressive. Three men and one woman performed a large cast of character. In one scene five characters had a conversation played by only two men. One of the guys had a hat on his head and a hat in each hand that he switched for each persona. Hilarious.

Note if you're planning a trip to NYC: It's hard to know Broadway performances some men will like, but this one can be enjoyed by even the most theater-reluctant.
Before the show we ate at our favorite restaurant Langan's. I ordered the Maryland crabcakes and she ordered the porkchops. We split them and they were divine. After the show we stopped by Maxi's (I think that's the name of it) for dessert--crepes--before getting on the train. I hope she enjoyed her birthday treat as much as I did!

Bellydancing

Last night we met some very nice people from Garrett's office for dinner at Lisa's Turkish Kitchen in Ridgewood, NJ. Not only was the food delicious and the company delightful, but also the entertainment was priceless.

I wish I would have taken my camera.

Garrett was the first to accept an invitation to the dance floor. His enthusiasm was admirable.

Again, I sooo wish I had my camera.

Eventually, Josh, Phil, and Mike shook their moneymakers. I think they could all manage some dancing gigs on the side.

Even I finally gave in and danced a little. The Max and extra twenty-plus pounds that comes with him have made me less than agile, but it was still fun. Emily, the only other gal at the table, managed to graciously avoid the dancing. Smart girl. I could probably learn from her.

Our Perfect Day

Yesterday was one of the reasons we moved here. It was one of our favorite days that we ever spent in New York City.

The day began in an exciting way as we watched in awe as Max moved around in my belly. We saw him shake me like an earthquake. At one point, he rolled over and we saw his rump then his shoulder slide along my tummy. Then again, we don't know exactly which parts they were, but I felt a definite kinship with the movie Alien.

We rode the train and arrived in time to catch lunch before the show. We went to Langan's, one of our favorite restaurants in the city. Not only is the food tasty, but also the waitresses speak with a charming Irish lilt. Both entice us into returning after all these years. We were in a bit of a time crunch, so we each ordered something less fancy than we usually do. Garrett enjoyed crab cakes while I had a traditional fish and chips. The best thing we've ever had there, though, was fish (snapper?) with carmelized cabbage. Yummy.

For my birthday, Garrett bought us tickets to see November. It's a political spoof on a presidential election. Nathan Lane plays an ultra-conservative president. See... it's funny already, isn't it? Laurie Metcalf is nominated for a Tony for her performance. Dylan Baker, Michael Nichols, and Ethan Phillips shared the stage to create a funny show. After having the picture taken above, we saw Metcalf signing autographs. We had incredible seats and were impressed with the beauty of the Barrymore theatre. It was built in 1928 and holds the glamour of the time. Afterward, we dropped by Starbuck's and spent a few hours in Central Park. From a bench, we watched the people, squirrels, and giant pigeons. We walked a bit before sitting on a rock to watch the children play in the enormous playground. Then we stood in line for the porto-potties--THAT's an experience I never want to repeat. Afterward, we watched a baseball game where the Randy's were kicking Los Cocos' butts, and the latter's catcher, Diablitos, was not a happy camper. Eventually, we moved to another bench and watched the cyclists and carriages and skateboarders.

We wandered to a nearby mall at Columbus Circle. Garrett said the building is where CNN tapes each morning. I was thrilled because they had an Aveda shop and I was able to purchase Rosemary and Mint shampoo and conditioner. I love the smell of that stuff!

Throughout the day, we popped into wine shops to ask them if they carried any non-alcoholic wine. I'd just seen an article about several brands. Really, the only craving I have during pregnancy is for a good red wine. The article seemed fortuitous. Sadly, most of the workers greeted my question with a look implying I was a silly girl who should just go find some grape juice.

We then took a bumpy cab ride to Little Italy. It seems that they have a lot of festivals there in the summer, and we were not disappointed. We ate at Novella's and I still get happy when I think of how tasty it was. We dined alfresco, so we had a good view of everyone at the festival. We also were easy access for the nun who was collecting for St. Anthony. She made her rounds to all the diners. Maybe that was the purpose of the festival??? The tour busses rolled by on a regular basis, and Garrett smiled for the cameras. There were so many flashes, it was like a red carpet shindig. I think Garrett likes the idea of being in so many photo albums. We realized that we'd enjoyed our time past meeting the train, so we made our way to Port Authority Bus Terminal. We'd never caught the bus from NYC to NJ--and it was not easy! When I was almost in tears and had totally given up, Garrett pressed on. Eventually, the guide I'd printed off the internet gave us enough information to find our way. Believe me, we would have asked for help, but the information booths were closed with signs directing us to the other closed information booths.

When we got off the bus, we dodged a few raindrops. Once under the safety of our stoop, the skies unleashed the rain.

It was a good day.

Easter Weekend

This Saturday we drove to the Jersey Shore. Point Pleasant Beach was calming, beautiful...and cold. As if going snow skiing, we bundled up with layers of clothes and our warmest coats. But it was so worth it. Minus the warm sun, watching the ocean was everything I love about being on a boat in an Oklahoma lake. The waves came and went, lulling me into peace and relaxation.

When we first arrived, we drove up and down the street nearest the beach. It was fun to see all the old beach houses. Some of them were so enormous, they must have housed 20 bedrooms. I loved the wrap-around porches. It was easy to imagine bathing beauties of the Victorian era with all their pals heading to the beach to cool off.

Many of the shops were closed for the season, but a good portion of them were open. We stopped at this one and enjoyed a seafood feast while looking out at the docks, the seagulls, the ducks, and the working fishing boats. I think Garrett was trying to retrieve this anchor from the ground out front--but you'll have to ask him to be sure.
We didn't actually make it to the boardwalk, but plan to return. I'm drawn to the carnival atmosphere. All sorts of rides entice me, but I'll have to wait until Baby arrives before I try 'em out. Hopefully, they have corndogs. A corndog would make me happy. Going back will be easy. It's about an hour and a half drive (if that) and we noticed the train station stops just a short walk from the beach. Train tickets would definitely be cheaper than parking.

For the weather being so frigid, people were plentiful on the sand enjoying the bright day. We even saw toddlers with their Easter baskets collecting seashells. Adorable.

Garrett is on the pier holding our little sack of collected seashells.

On Sunday, we went to West Point to share Easter dinner with our friends Alison and Paul and their baby girl Ellery. It was nice to have a holiday with loved ones when family is so far away.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

Boston Day One

We began our journey to Boston early on Saturday morning with a 0515 wakeup call. After waiting briefly in the train depot in Park Ridge, we headed toward Penn Station to catch the 0803 Amtrak Express to Boston. I found the train ride to be surprisingly enjoyable despite sitting across from two very giggly fourteen-year-old girls. The train followed the coast, and I found it very relaxing looking out toward the harbors and the ocean. I passed my time listening to audiobooks while enjoying the scenery. Brandi read and slept. As far as I am concerned, the journey seemed to fly by.

Leaving the train station we were greeted with 25 degree, bone chilling air. As we walked toward what we thought to be our destination. In hind sight I know my mistake.... --G

Brandi's note: Garrett left off the previous draft and asked me to finish it, so....
In hindsight, the mistake was that he entered 198 West Brookline Avenue instead of 198 West Brookline Street into his Blackberry to give us directions to our B&B Clarendon Square. As a result, we wandered the city for an hour and a half with Garrett toting his backpack and my small suitcase. They had assured us it was a five minute walk from the train station, so we were both a bit suspicious about our direction. I was exhausted and must have looked about to drop because Garrett ordered me into a Starbuck's when we finally reached our "destination" and the street numbers jumped from 196 to 200 and it was decidedly not in the neighborhood of Victorian townhouses we expected. Garrett clicked away on his Blackberry in search of the proper location. We exited the building and returned for him to click away some more. I was hungry and tired, so I leaned over and interrupted two guys who were listing off the traits they desired in a man. They were very helpful and soon figured out that we meant to be in the South End. Yes. And that we were decidedly far away from it. They told us where a taxi stand was and we were at the B&B in fifteen minutes.

Once there we were shown to our lower level room that opened out to its own terrace. It was all decorated with an Asian theme.

The innkeeper showed us a map and made dining recommendations in the area. After just a short walk we arrived at The Garden of Eden and enjoyed lots of food. Due to our long walk earlier in the day, I was totally exhausted and climbed into bed for the rest of the afternoon--a precursor to the untouristy weekend we were about to have. Garrett spent a lot of time updating his music list.

That night we attempted to eat at a French restaurant called Aquataine but they were packed. However, the host called their sister restaurant Metropolis Cafe across the street and got us in. We luckily walked past a line of waiting people and were immediately seated. The food was divine.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

We rode the train into NYC. It was Garrett’s first ride, and I felt pretty cool that I knew how to get us places. We listened to the iPod as Garrett played some appropriate tunes such as “New York, New York” and assorted songs by Jersey boys Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen.

Central Park, as usual, was beautiful. We sat on a bench in the sun and marveled at how people simply gave their money away. Michael Jackson’s music blasted from a portable stereo system. A guy in a silver sequin jacket and hat called out to the crowd and said things like, “Okay, here we go!” and “Let’s start this show!” while three guys dressed in green tees and sweats looked like backup dancers. People walked by and dropped money in their bucket without even watching. Eventually a crowd formed and they did a little break dancing. A few blocks away, a team dressed in red were doing the same thing—but they danced a little better.

We bought some birthday and baby gifts. We ate at Sarabeth’s. We dropped in on our friends Steph and Josh in the East Village. We walked a lot.

Subway sighting: No rats were visible this time, but a lone umbrella lay between the tracks.