Travel: Washington D.C.

For those who don't know me, I haven't been out of California too often- really, ever. Except for this one trip to Idaho, that resulted in a mad dash dream of a trip to Yellowstone, but that's another story. Here is my trip to D.C., as a part of the larger Model United Nations trip in March.

I LOVED visiting Washington D.C. Dani and I ended up going to visit my friend Taylor before she graduated and moved back to California for grad school. In some ways, it was a culture shock- I'd never been on an airplane before (I KNOW!) or, consequently, been so far from home. Following the attacks in Brussels and Ankara, security was stepped up considerably in and around D.C. I've never seen police with anything more than a handgun, so that was an unnerving experience for me.

This is the amazing view coming into DCA in Washington. The blossoms, the Washington Monument, everything was stunningly gorgeous. However, if felt too incredible, almost like a film set. Some otherworldly jewel nestled on the Potomac. The region is obviously steeped in a rich history, so it was a joy to see that in the architecture and the atmosphere.

The first place that we went to in D.C. was Zorba's, and then on to Kramerbooks. The food was delicious. I had chicken kabobs, falafel, and their house wine. Honestly, it was incredible, and popping into the bookstore at 11pm was a trip. There is a cafe in the shop (Afterwords) that is on my bucket list to return to. Word to the wise? Take the metro!!

It was SO incredibly easy, especially having taken public transit in San Francisco (honestly, how many companies nowadays even make the entrance gates? It's identical.) Though there isn't a train into Georgetown, it isn't a bad taxi ride, or a bad walk. We walked A LOT. 15 miles in one day while monumenting!! So metro to traverse a part of the town? Totally worth it.

Take a picture of the map- it was helpful for reference en route, and helped me feel less like a tourist, because everyone was involved with their phone. Everyone.

The White House!!

The theme of the trip was to "Go Outside & Play" (Thanks to Graphic Anthology for the awesome tote bag & mantra) and play we did. The White House felt shockingly small compared to the rest of the buildings in D.C., but was incredibly humbling to view in person. Oddly enough, I felt more moved viewing the back of the White House, though the front is such #architecturegoals. FYI, both tops are vintage Anthropologie and the leather bag is Nordstorms. The tote is Graphic Anthology.

The FDR memorial was hands down the most moving monument. As someone committed to social justice and uplifting our nation, the memorial highlighted for me some of the best that America has to offer.

While monumenting, we soaked in the cherry blossoms, at the height of their bloom for the spring Cherry Blossom Festival.

Overall, I was absolutely enchanted with Washington D.C., and I can't wait to go back again!