It took me awhile to finally post about the Fourth of July, but I DID IT. Eventually. (I mean, it’s only six years later). We love a delayed sense of patriotism. This was the Fourth of July 2019, and it was supposed to be special. Celebrating our nation in the nation’s capital had been sitting on my bucket list for years. I imagined fireworks, history, vibes. What I did not imagine was tanks and a very aggressive “Salute to America” announcement turning the whole thing into a political spectacle. But listen. I did not care. I was there for the fireworks. I am
Tag: united states
Why the World War II Memorial Is the Most Powerful Monument in DC (and Maybe Ever)
Listen. I’ve seen a lot of monuments. The Lincoln Memorial is dramatic, the Washington Monument is a literal and figurative point of pride, and the Jefferson Memorial has that “philosopher-king” vibe. But the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.? Hands down my favorite. Ever. No contest. Here’s why this one hits different. First, the Basics Completed in 2004, the World War II Memorial sits smack dab between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, like the quiet middle child who actually holds the whole family together. It honors the 16 million Americans who served during the war, the more than 400,000 who died,
Tortilla Coast: Where the Quesadilla Brings the Drama
Let me set the scene for you. You’re in Washington DC. It’s sunny. You’re hungry. You’ve just walked past approximately 47 restaurants with the exact same exposed-brick-and-small-plate energy. But you’re not here to play tapas roulette. You want cheese. You want carbs. You want something aggressively satisfying. Enter: Tortilla Coast. The Vibe Tortilla Coast is that Tex-Mex joint that looks like it’s been around since Congress still had a decent approval rating. There’s sunshine pouring in, the décor screams “spring break energy with a law degree,” and the air smells faintly of sizzling fajitas, melted cheese, and decisions you’re going to
The Smithsonian American Art Museum: A Roasting in Oil Paints
If you’re in D.C. and want to feel both deeply inspired and mildly haunted, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is your jam. It’s like wandering into America’s attic: some pieces are gorgeous heirlooms, some are historical oddities, and some are the kind of thing you stare at for five minutes wondering if you’re the problem. Spoiler: you’re not. Let’s break down some of the highlights. The Seasons of Life: Your Entire Existence in Four Frames The Seasons of Life paintings are so beautiful they should honestly come with a warning label: “Will cause an existential crisis by the third cavas.”
I Accidentally Time-Traveled in Washington, D.C.: Ford’s Theatre and the House Where Lincoln Died
So, here’s the thing about history: sometimes you read about it in textbooks, nod sagely, maybe even ace a quiz on the date, and then promptly file it away in your brain’s “Random Trivia for Jeopardy” folder. But sometimes (if you’re very lucky), you stumble into the actual physical space where it happened. And that’s when your brain short-circuits because the ghosts of the past are suddenly real estate you’re standing in. That was me at Ford’s Theatre and the Petersen House (aka “the house where Lincoln died”). Spoiler: I was so dumbfounded that I completely forgot to take pictures at the Petersen House. Whoops.