Almost Home

In honor of today being my second to last full day in D.C., I thought I'd share some things I will miss about my job and this wonderful city!

1. Touching History

I will most definitely miss how close I have come to some of the most interesting books and documents I have ever seen. Today I got to observe the hyperspectral imaging of 2 such documents, both written by Abraham Lincoln. One was his draft of the Emancipation Proclamation (pictured below), and the other was a copy of his first inaugural address that was typed/printed with many handwritten notes/corrections attached that flipped open to reveal the original text below. It was SO COOL to be so close to something that good ol' Abe had ACTUALLY written in his own hand...definitely one of the highlights of my time here! And, of course, there is the gorgeous Ptolemy atlas that I have been working on all summer, as well as many other cool things that some of the other interns found and exhibited.




2. FOOD!

There are some seriously yummy restaurants here! Those of you who know me well know that I tend to get incredibly specific and intense food cravings for a particular dish from a particular restaurant. Unfortunately, the following D.C. institutions are not very easily accessible from Chicago, and so if a craving strikes I will be pretty much screwed....lol. Good Stuff, We The Pizza, and Firehook provided me with some deliciousness that I will definitely miss (especially the milkshakes made from homemade gelato.....soooooo good!)! I will also miss the convenience of Eastern Market, and all of its quirky vendors. I hope to find a farmer's market back home, because Eastern Market's delicious local produce has definitely turned me into a farmer's market devotee!









3. Things to see and do!

One great thing about DC is that you are never too far away from something cool! The free museums and monuments, as well as the events put on by these institutions, provide almost endless entertainment options that are almost always free! Even though Chicago/the suburbs has tons to do as well, I will miss the Botanic Gardens, the National Museum of the American Indian, taking walks around the Capitol Building and down the Mall, and of course the Library of Congress's beautiful Jefferson building and all of its exhibits.

Spring!

The storms we had last night have given me hope that perhaps spring is finally arriving!! When I think of spring I think of many things, but I especially think of flowers. And when I think of flowers, I think of one place: the United States Botanic Garden.



It is part of the Smithsonian "complex" of museums, and is free to the public. I think it is one of the most under-appreciated museums in D.C., because it is GORGEOUS!! The last time I was there with my roommate, they were doing a large exhibit on orchids that was so beautiful. It is one of my favorite places in D.C.! Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure :)

Busboys & Poets

Due to my massive french toast craving this morning, I thought I'd share with you all a little bit about a cool place that my roommate and I visited the last time I was in DC! This place had delicious french toast. It is called Busboys & Poets, and it's super neat! Here's a picture to give you an idea of the "vibe" of the place:

via The Fab Empire

It was this cool cafe with a little store inside that had tons of books and other fun stuff, like bowls and bracelets and blankets and other things that start with "b", but all of the merchandise in the store was fair-trade and locally sourced. I really liked this place and have not yet found a replacement french toast that I enjoy quite as much....luckily this place can serve as an acceptable substitute for my REAL favorite restaurant in DC, Bread and Chocolate, which is sadly no longer with us :( booooooo!!!

Anyway. I get attached to restaurants :) happy Friday, everyone!!