Tuesday, August 6, 2019 to Sunday, August 11, 2019
Washington, D.C.
Back in 2019, when I was working for the water and sewer district, I had a chance to go to Washington, D.C. for a conference. The conference was scheduled for Wednesday through Friday, but I was able to pay for a couple of days on my own and fly home Sunday instead. I always love when that is an option!
I was in conference sessions for full days when I was there, so I really only had the evening hours to explore during the week. But I made the most of my time! The conference hotel (the Hyatt Regency Capitol) was right downtown near the Capitol, so I was able to get to several nearby places by walking! When my flight arrived, I took the subway to Union Station, which was about a half mile from the hotel, and then I walked from there. The first evening that I was there, I had dinner at the hotel, and enjoyed a glass of wine.
Union Station
Me
Wednesday at the conference I met a friend, a lady who was there from Kansas City. We decided to get dinner afterwards and do a little wandering. We found The Ministry Wine Bar down the street and had a delicious tasting of sparkling wines, along with my wonderful beet salad. It was so good! After dinner we walked over to the Capitol building and checked out the outside of the building, as well as the Supreme Court Building. No matter how you feel about politics in our country, it is humbling to see where the work of our government occurs, and the site where men and women come together to interpret our laws and our Constitution.
Thursday after my conference, I walked over to the National Portrait Gallery to see some of the artwork. It is open until 7 pm, so I had some time. They have many portraits of former Presidents, including my man Abraham Lincoln! They also have portraits of fictional characters, like Barbie! It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours that evening, and it was less than a mile walk from my hotel.
Friday was the last day of my conference, and that evening, I met up with Alexis, a girlfriend that I went to high school and did 4-H with. She had another friend visiting too, so it was a party! We met at the Hill Country BBQ market, a delicious BBQ restaurant about 3/4s of a mile from my hotel. It was a fun evening and a nice walk to and from the restaurant.
Sliders at Hill Country BBQ
Saturday I went to the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument. This home has an incredible history, but notably, was owned by the National Women’s Party beginning in 1929. The Party was integral in the fight for women’s suffrage, and the Equal Rights Amendment. I toured the home; so I will share more about it in a separate post.
The Capitol during the day
That afternoon, I met up again with Alexis and her friend for lunch at the Old Ebbitt Grill. Old Ebbitt began in 1856 as a saloon and boarding house, and become one of the iconic political hotspots in Washington, D.C. It has moved several times, but has been at its current location since the 1920s. If you hang out there, you are likely to see some politicians! Of course, we were there on a Saturday, and there were no politicians to be found, as far as I knew. We did have a fabulous lunch, and I had the shrimp and grits off their brunch menu with a glass of white wine. So delicious!
Old Ebbitt Grill
Shrimp and Grits – Old Ebbitt Grill
After lunch, we walked over the W Hotel and went up to their rooftop bar. It is nice to have a local friend to show you around! The hotel is kitty corner from the White House and has incredible views! The cocktails there are quite spendy, so it isn’t something I could afford to do all the time, but it was fun to check out how the other half lives, and look out over the White House!
The White House from the W Hotel
Me at the White House
From there Alexis, her friend and I parted ways, and I went to go check out the Smithsonian’s National Gallery of Art. It was fun to spend a few hours checking out the exhibits. Of course, there is so much to see there that a repeat visit will definitely be in order! That evening I had dinner at the hotel bar, and had a delicious chicken Chop salad, and spent the evening relaxing before my flight the next morning.
Sunday I flew home and it was once again back to the daily grind of work. I had such a fun trip to Washington, D.C. The conference was interesting, and I learned a lot, and I was able to fit in a lot of sightseeing into my free time! I hope I’ll be able to get back there again soon.
Wine and History Visited 