Currently: planning future fun
I've been in the area for quite awhile. It's difficult to believe that I am now most undeniably a long-timer, because sometimes I still feel "new" to town. My big pile of restaurant matchbooks and business cards, however, as well as my ever-revolving friend set (2nd? 3rd set? People that have left are starting to come back!) attest to my geographical longevity. Now that I'm firmly ensconced (heh, try, "for the past 4+ years") with a decent job and an indecent mortgage, it's probably time to face facts and plan for the near long-term future; including, of course, the fun things I still want to do. Even though I've made a pretty good-sized dent in the myriad of entertainments available around here, there's still quite a list of activities that I've never quite gotten around to, such as:
-Strolling to Hains point on a perfect sunny day and clambering all over The Awakening. (Yesterday was fun!)
I've been in the area for quite awhile. It's difficult to believe that I am now most undeniably a long-timer, because sometimes I still feel "new" to town. My big pile of restaurant matchbooks and business cards, however, as well as my ever-revolving friend set (2nd? 3rd set? People that have left are starting to come back!) attest to my geographical longevity. Now that I'm firmly ensconced (heh, try, "for the past 4+ years") with a decent job and an indecent mortgage, it's probably time to face facts and plan for the near long-term future; including, of course, the fun things I still want to do. Even though I've made a pretty good-sized dent in the myriad of entertainments available around here, there's still quite a list of activities that I've never quite gotten around to, such as:
-
(Not my picture - I have now seen this! In the sort of
creepy, but totally awesome, metal flesh!)
- Climbing to the top of the National Cathedral.
- Going to an organ concert at the National Cathedral.
- Wishing I could put out a cigarette on the floor of the National Cathedral, whilst shaking my fist at God, a la Jed Bartlet in The West Wing. (Maybe I could pretend?)
- Participating in the Messiah sing-along with the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center.
- Touring the White House. Or even better, going there for work, etc.
- Same for the Capitol building.
- Touring Arlington National Cemetery.
- Browsing through the National Archives.
- Hiking a significant portion of the C&O Canal.
- Biking along the Mt. Vernon Trail.
- Oh yeah, also checking out Mt. Vernon.
- Going to a performance of The Capitol Steps.
- Figuring out if I've hiked parts A, B, and C of the Billy Goat Trail, or if I've just done part A a fragillion times.
- Watching an Imax movie at the Smithsonian. Then trying to watch an Imax movie without getting sick.
- Sitting in on proceedings at the Supreme Court.
- Finally getting to one of the Library of Congress' free concerts.
- Summoning up the courage to go to the Holocaust Museum.
- Summoning up the absurd fee (spoiled by the Smithsonians, for sure) to go to the Spy Museum.
- Summoning up the will to fight the crowds on the National Mall on July 4th.
- Catching some summertime jazz in the Sculpture Garden.
- Going ice skating and hot-chocolating in the winter Sculpture Garden.
- Catching a bell concert at the Netherlands Carillon.
- Attending a Twilight Tattoo.
- See the view from atop the Washington Monument.
- Going to an event at an embassy.
- Finally seeing a movie at the AFI Silver.
- Kayaking somewhere along the Potomac.
And a bit further afield:
- Hiking in Shenandoah National Park. Maybe driving down Skyline Drive if it's not too crowded.
- Taking a trip out to Manassas Battlefield Park.
- Playing in some of the caves around here, possibly even the cheezy tourist caves, such as Luray Caverns.
- Going back to W&L. I can't believe I haven't been back since graduation!!
- There are vineyards in Virginia that are just begging for me to come visit...Once upon a time, I was supposed to go to Barboursville, but unfortunately, insanity intervened :(
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Anyone out there have other ideas? It's going to be a busy (few) summer(s)!!!
7 comments:
Wow, I hadn't realized I'd done so much in my 7 years in the DC area :) (of course, there were still things I never got around to--like the Spy Museum and the Washington Monument)
Well, I think my list of "been there, done that," (hmmm, perhaps, another list?) is longer than my "must do" list, but I tend to find some fun things and then keep going back, ya know? For example, I've been to the State Theater and Wolf Trap umpteenth million times, but I still (these should have made the list) haven't been to The Black Cat, the 9:30 Club, Jammin' Java, Blues Alley, and Madam's Organ, among other venues (all of the big places, like Verizon Center and the Merriweather Post Pavillion), which is kind of pathetic for an avowed music lover.
Which things on this list have you done? Anything you wish you would have hit before you guys left town?
Also, I've never been to Rock Creek Park. How absurd is that??!!
Oh, and I keep missing the High Heel Race in Dupont.
And Silverdocs and the screenings of the Oscar shorts.
Also, I've never protested (on purpose)! Somehow, that seems wrong.
Things I've done on your list (kind of):
- Been to Arlington Cemetery (although not a formal tour, just walked around and played Go on a bench)
- Visted Mt. Vernon (They were supposed to open up a new visitor's center pretty soon)
- Saw "Capitol Steps"
- Watched "Apollo 13" in the Air & Space IMAX theater
- Watched July 4th fireworks on the Mall at least twice
- Went to the New Zealand Embassy (although for a completely unrelated function; I think my ECO "internship" organization was able to rent out the room)
- Saw "The Godfather" at the AFI Silver
- Drove down Skyline Drive (in the winter, so much of it was actually closed)
- Went to Manassas Battlefield
- Went to Luray Caverns (ugh)
- Went to Merriwether Post Pavilion twice
Never protested myself, but I have *watched* a protest up close and personal and kind of got shunted into it for a little while (we got out as soon as we could).
Things I wish I'd done (aside from aforementioned Spy Museum and Washington Monument):
- Tour White House, if possible (don't remember if it's open for public tours)
- Going up in the Old Post Office Pavilion
- Hiking the "other" parts of the Billy Goat Trail
- Walking up to the Supreme Court (drove by it a few times)
- Going to the new non-Smithsonian science museum
- Watching free Shakespeare
- Hiking Old Rag Mountain
- Watching a movie at the Cinema and Drafthouse
I'm sure there are more!
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