(note: see http://www.flickr.com/photos/brittanypiehl for photos)

no, i did not forget about blogging already. i was in DC for most of last week, all of last weekend, and part of this week. it was the most glorious vacation of my LIFE. needless to say i want to go back, as soon as possible.

neil and i flew in wednesday around 8ish at night. we stayed at this really nice place, the hotel lombardy. it's a building on the historic register and has one of those old fashion elevators - operator and all. that night we dropped our stuff off at the hotel and headed to an awesome place - kramer's books and afterwords cafe. cafe / bookstore. AWESOME. and the food was good. crab cake. i had so much freakin' crab cake while i was there. then we walked around dupont circle taking some really nice pictures. it was awesome being there again. knowing where most things are, knowing how to use the metro. i remembered everything again, very quickly.

thursday we spent all day at the US capitol and the holocaust museum. that was rather exhausting, but also awesome. it's rather interesting going to museums now - after having my first to quarters of grad school. it gives you a completely different perspective on many things. that night we went to my favorite mexican place - lauriol plaza. it also happens to be one of bill clnton's favorites. though he was wasn't there, just pictures of him and the staff on the wall. after that we walked to the adam's morgan neighborhood and went to a hookah bar.

friday we met with jess!!!! and went to SAAM and the national portrait gallery. i left neil and jess (they went to have lunch with our friend tim) and had lunch with my old co-workers. it was nice to catch up with everyone. after that i met jess and neil and we did a monuments walking tour, which resulted in much pain. note to self, sneakers are worth it. friday night neil and i got dinner at an indian place and then drinks at a dive bar near our hotel.

saturday - brunch at luna's bar and grill. after that neil and i went to the national gallery, which was amazing but exhausting. after that we made a quick run around the american history museum before it closed. that night we met tim and jess for dinner at the tabard inn. the food was SUPER good but we were so tired from walking around all day.

sunday we got up and headed to eastern market, one of my favorite parts of DC. we walked through a bunch of vendors booths and had brunch at montmartre. where i had what i now declare the best eggs benedict of my LIFE. it was SO good. also, the waiter tempted us three times with a mint infused fruit salad. we declined but have regretted it ever since. WHY? on the way back to the hotel we stopped by the white house and took some photos. sunday afternoon was spent at the international spy museum. it was fun but super glamorized. sunday night we had dinner with jess and tim and then headed back to the hotel to pack.

monday - our flight wasn't until 3:30 pm so we took advantage of the morning. we went to a greasy spoon that neil desperately wanted to try - cf folks. more crab cake and definitely the best i had during the trip. after that we swung by the renwick gallery quick. then finally headed back on the 6-7 hour flight to san francisco.

all in all an AWESOME vacation.