A Beer Pong Weekend in the City

Well, it had been a while since I have played Beer Pong, many years in fact but after this last weekend I have been able to hone in on my "mad" skills with an all day Beer Pong fest in honor of Memorial Day. Thanks to my friends Michelle, Boston, Mike, Jimmy and Matt I was kept occupied all evening Saturday and most of Sunday with the occassinal break for BBQ food!

Earlier in the day on Saturday I took my second of the nine exams I have to take to call myself an architect. I will find out in 6-8 weeks how I did but until then I have decided to try and convince myself I passed. I feel as though I didn't study enough, or maybe that is my subconcious trying to tell me to get another exam in before I find out my slacking didn't affect my score. All I know is that I have 7 more exams to complete and 1 year to do it in. The catch though, if I don't pass one, I have to wait 6 months to take it again, so really I only have 6 months to finish the 7, hoping of course that I pass each the first time.

On Monday, I was a guest at Tom and Mercedes's house in Reston, VA. The backyard BBQ was amazing and just the perfect way to spend the holiday. Tom is actually a coworker of mine who commutes to Minneapolis on a weekly basis. It is really nice having people out here like Tom, Mercedes and Michelle to keep me out of trouble and well fed. Ok, maybe not out of trouble!


So, since I have been here I have been pressured by my coworkers to join the co-ed softball team. And thanks to some of the more serious players we currently have an awesome record, 6-1! (See photo) The men were less inclined to pose!

From L to R: Charity, Keli, Latha, Pam and Rhonda. And just so you know, that is beer in those water bottles, just one of the many great reasons to play on the team!

Eastern Market

Eastern Market in SE D.C., otherwise known as Capitol Hill, a very up and coming neighborhood. It is filled with these wonderful little coffee shops, eateries and the most outstanding market (flea, farmers, crafts, antiques, etc.) you will find in the area! On Sunday, the 18th, in a mad search for a gift for my Mom's birthday I headed down there with my friends Michelle and Mike to have breakfast and search for the gift I had in mind for Mom. I found what I was looking for and more! More coffee, rain, purses, jewelry, produce, and did I mention rain, than I ever thought was possible to find in one place. After a relatively gray morning and some shopping the three of us popped into a sidewalk bistro for brunch and out second cup of coffee when it started to rain. As we ate it stopped so afterwards it was out for more shopping and a third cup of coffee. By this time I was wired and Mike decided he wanted to sit and listen to the folk band playing on the coffee shop's patio. So we sat, and not five minutes later it started pouring! Umbrellas were up! Need less to say I will be back! After the outdoor market excursion we decided to get out of the rain and get under shelter, so we went to a movie and spent $8.50 each for the cheap tickets, but then again we were in Georgetown, former home of American Royalty, the Kennedys!

Michelle and Mike, having our second cup of coffee (@11am) and listening to the neighborhood folk trio!

The Eastern Market neighborhood, which looks a lot like some parts of Savannah!

My apologies for very few posts lately, I have been forgetting my camera on my trips into the city and my new Blackberry is a little bit more challenging to operate than my Razr, for cell phone pictures. Also, I have been studying for my second of my Architectural Registration Exams, Pre-Design, which I am taking on Saturday! After that I am hoping to get out a bit more and see more of DC, like Alexandria, some museums, and maybe go up in the Washington Monument! I will be back in Minneapolis for my birthday in exactly 2 weeks and am looking forward to seeing many of you when I am home. Until after my test...
Au Revior,
~Meg

City Tour

Well, on Saturday I was able to sleep in for the first Saturday in quite a while, which was great because it left me rested for my long adventure later that day. I took the metro into downtown and walked from the west side of town to Georgetown (photo below). I visited a few shops there, like my favorite the GAP and Dean and Deluca (to get lunch); I stopped to eat in a small courtyard and enjoy the afternoon sun. Then I proceeded to walk from Georgetown along the C&O canal and Rock Creek to where they feed into the Potomac. From there I passed Watergate and the Kennedy Center walking along the river. Rock Creek Parkway follows the Potomac to the Lincoln Memorial and then on down the Mall!

The East facade



The Jefferson Memorial from across the Tidal Basin



The Washington Monument



The Smithsonian Institute

Our Country's Capital

After all that, 12.6 miles, I met a few co-workers for a few beers and bites near Union Station. I took Sunday to rest up for my next adventure and did a little retail therapy. Although I did not accomplish as much on Sunday, I did do two very important things... locate the nearest Caribou Coffee (15 miles away, in a mall) and go to Target, again! Until next time!
Au revoir,
~Meg

South of the Mason Dixon Line, Again!

On the drive down, I thought about stopping in Sandusky to visit Tommy Boy.....

Hey y'all,
Well, I made it! I arrived in D.C. (Gaithersburg, MD, South of the Mason Dixon Line) about 11:30 Monday night after a grueling 11.5 hour drive from Madison, Wisconsin. Below are a few photos from the drive; I got a little bored so I had to have something to do. Many thanks to all of you who kept me occupied with phone calls and text messages.



The Allegheny Mountain Tunnel in Pennsylvania

Once I got here I got right to work; Tuesday morning I went to the site, but forgot my camera, of course. I got checked in at the office and got my new laptop and then was hoping to take a nap in the afternoon. Low and behold, I got a call from my friend Michelle, who lives in the city, who wanted to have dinner! So, I thought, I might as well head into the city, I am only here for 6 months! I took the Metro down to Dupont Circle to meet her for a drink and then we headed to Chinatown to meet some of her friends for dinner. We ate at this great place call the Matchbox, which I'm sure will become a favorite; mostly because we are able to skip the 45min wait because she knows the owner! After dinner Michelle and her friends took me around the Mall and then over to the FDR memorial (see photos below). At the end of the night, about 11:00, I climbed onto the Metro, with blisters on my feet, good food in my belly, and great memories in my camera!

The Washington Monument with the Tidal Basin in the foreground.

One of the any water features at the FDR Memorial!

Another water feature!

The copper wrapped colums and wall with decorative reliefs!

The copper columns and yet another water feature!

Stay posted for photos from the site!
~Meg