There are museums you go to, and then there are museums you experience. The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. is firmly in the latter camp. This isn’t just a building full of dusty artifacts. It’s where the Wright brothers’ sketchy little plane rubs elbows with a freaking space shuttle. It’s where you suddenly find yourself whispering, “Okay fine, humanity has done some pretty cool things.” The Vibes Walking in, you’re immediately hit with the kind of awe that makes you want to slap your own face and say, “Remember this moment!” Planes dangle from the ceiling like oversized mobiles, rockets stand upright
Tag: washington dc
Touring the U.S. Capitol: Democracy, But Make It Theater
If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to step into the literal beating heart of American democracy, the answer is… surprisingly like stepping onto the set of a very high-budget historical drama where everyone has memorized their lines except you. The U.S. Capitol is not just a building, it’s an architectural flex, a stage for politics, and the ultimate reminder that marble is apparently the official building material of freedom. Whether you’re a history nerd, a political junkie, or just someone who wanted an excuse to wear sensible shoes in D.C., here’s what it’s like to tour Congress. Step
Thought the Reflecting Pool Was a Giant Swimming Pool. I Wasn’t Totally Wrong.
You know how you grow up with these weird mental images of places you’ve never been? Like, you hear “Mount Rushmore” and picture four giant heads just chilling in a field like forgotten Easter Island statues. Or you hear “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” and imagine everyone in New York constantly tripping over inflatable Snoopy. For me, it was the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. I had never been, but I was absolutely convinced that it was the biggest swimming pool in the world. Not “reflecting” like “thoughtful,” no. Reflecting, like, “the sun glints off my goggles while I do a killer backstroke
A Brief History of Washington, D.C. (aka how America’s capital became a hotbed of monuments, scandals, and overpriced sandwiches)
Washington, D.C.—that politically-charged swamp-turned-status-symbol where ambition goes to put on a tailored suit and yell into a microphone. But like every power player, this city has an origin story. So grab your metro card and a sensible pair of walking shoes, because we’re time-traveling through the surprisingly messy, mildly shady, and definitely weird history of America’s capital. The Birth of a City (That Nobody Really Wanted) Back in the late 1700s, America was still figuring things out. They’d kicked out the British, written some spicy new rules called the Constitution, and now they needed a capital. But choosing one? Nightmare
The Capitol – Then and Wednesday – Washington D.C.
It’s hard for me as an American to put into words the horror that was last Wednesday, watching what could only be domestic terrorists overrun the heart of my country’s government. I want to say that I’m shocked such a coup was attempted, but I’m not. Definitely shocked that the security detail was so pitiful given the obvious rage-building happening amongst Trump supporters on social media. I actually toured the Capitol on my trip to Washington D.C. a year and a half ago. I didn’t blog about it at the time partly because the pictures I took were pretty awful
National Air and Space Museum – A Museum in Washington, D.C.
I can’t believe my trip to Washington D.C. was a year ago. It seems like decades ago, an era before pandemic and a global crisis. A time when going to a museum was a fun day out and not a potential source of COVID. Le sigh. However, I can’t wax too lyrical about the National Air and Space Museum. Not because it wasn’t cool but because… I’m a terrible travel blogger. My problem is I go to museums and take a lot of pictures of crap without actually going through and figuring out exactly *what* the crap is. And being
Jewelry at the National Museum of Natural History – Washington D.C.
I didn’t take many pictures, because the gemstones were so bright they were actually blinding my camera. Check it out. Can you imagine the bling that was happening in real life? I feel like it was damaging to the eyes to look at these babies straight on! You really do have to see these gems in the flesh to realize just how brilliant they are! Obviously, we had to stop by and see the Hope Diamond. You know, the one that seems to be cursed and kills everyone. It is huge and ostentatious. There is some jewelry that I lust
The National Museum of Natural History – Washington D.C.
When we arrived in Washington D.C., my boyfriend kindly asked me what I would like to see. Like a child hyped on pixie stix, I shouted “DINOSAURS!” because the six year old kid that is my soul still wondered in awe at the behemoths that used to roam the world. “Oh yeah! Or we could go to the museum of space and–“ “But there are DINOSAURS.” “There’s that too. We could also visit the Lincoln Memorial–“ “And we could DINOSAURS.” “…That’s not even a sentence.” “DINOSAURS.” Since I had been reduced to incoherence, we decided that we should go to
Fourth of July in Washington D.C.
It’s taken me over a month to post about the Fourth of July, but I DID IT (eventually) and here it is. This was going to be a special fourth of July for me. It had been on my bucket list to celebrate our nation *in* the nation’s capital for a while. Unfortunately, it turned into a political monster with the announcement of tanks and a salute to America, but all I really cared about was the fireworks. I’m so basic. Everyone gathered on the lawn of the Washington Monument. There was definitely a laidback party atmosphere. Although I couldn’t