The first day of summer arrived earlier this week and brought oppressive humidity and rainstorms to the DC metro area. Fortunately, my mom had planned her recent 10-day visit to see us right before spring officially ended, and we had plenty of near-perfect weather to enjoy the fun activities this area offers in spring. Although both V and I were too busy at work to really take time off, and I was in the middle of SIP bidding, I can’t say the days at home were boring! They were more for recovery, as we packed in plenty of fun non-working hour events and made new memories with my mom. I shared with her my dad’s joke from his 2018 visit with my stepmom to us in Australia: “I’m going to have to leave your place in an ambulance.” She laughed because we still have limited chill when it comes to entertaining visitors.
Her visit was also a good reminder to us both to better embrace the touristy benefits of being posted to DC for a domestic tour.
Mount Vernon Estate Summerfest ~ Enjoying live music while sampling three dozen beers and ciders from 20 participating local breweries ~ Alexandria, VA
Enjoying Italian and Greek dishes on the garden patio at Mamma’s Kitchen ~ Alexandria, VA
I will need multiple visits to absorb all the exhibitions at the National Museum of African American History and Culture ~ Washington, D.C.
A delicious Balkan meal at Ambar Clarendon ~ Arlington, VA
Blues legend Buddy Guy at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts ~ Vienna, VA
We sang “take me out to the ballgame” and enjoyed scandalously overpriced beer and hot dogs @ Washington Nats vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park ~ Washington, D.C.
Hedonism and pure joy as we tried to avoid heatstroke at the first annual Taste of NOVA, Northern Virginia Magazine’s taste of culinary excellence featuring almost 50 of northern Virginia’s very best restaurants, wineries, and breweries ~ Segra Field, Leesburg, VA
Neighborhood walks ~ Alexandria, VA
Arthritis Foundation’s 2023 Walk to Cure Arthritis ~ Washington, D.C.
Cooking at home ~ Alexandria, VA
Embracing the small-town life on a short visit to historic Clifton, VA, one of Virginia’s most charming towns. Featuring upscale local shops, colonial homes dating back to the 1770s, and a population of less than 300 people only 21 miles from Washington, D.C.
2023 Capital Pride Parade, which lasted for hours and reportedly drew a crowd of 600,000 people ~ Washington, D.C. #lovewins
Collecting Postcards 
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