Whirlwind Weekend

My brother and sister in law came to visit from Arizona on Thursday. I took the day off on Friday to join them in their tourist adventures. We started our morning off with an East Wing tour of the White House guided by Brendon (I love excuses to see him during the work day). After that we walked over to the Holocaust Museum for a history lesson. We underestimated our time and nearly ran all the way to the Capitol for a tour at 2:00. I know, I know...we coulda' shoulda' have taken a cab...but we didn't. I think I have some sort of strange phobia of paying for cabs and I only take them if it's absolutely necessary.

For dinner we took advantage of DC restaurant week and met up with Brendon for yummy steaks at District Chophouse. I even managed to find a parking spot on the same block as the restaurant...I think that was my most significant accomplishment of the day.

(Justin, Trina, & Gracie on their West Wing tour)

Saturday morning we woke up early and headed back into the District to take in some Smithsonians before heading to The Kennedy Center to see My Fair Lady (see earlier post). Saturday was another day of rushing, and after the show we hurried over (in a car thankfully) to the White House for a West Wing tour, then raced to Marrakesh to make our dinner reservation on time. All the while shivering! DC was freezing this weekend!!

Dinner at Marrakesh was such a cool experience...I can't believe I'd never eaten there before. The restaurant door is unmarked in a somewhat seedy area of town on New York Ave. You knock on the door and are ushered in to your seat. Everyone in the restaurant starts dinner at around the same time. You are seated on low couches around a small round table. Your waiter comes by and washes your hands for you and then your delicious seven course meal begins. All seven courses with the exception of the couscous you eat with your hands out of a common serving platter. An extremely talented belly dancer also entertains you while you eat. For only $30 it really is quite an experience!

Sunday we saw the changing of the guard at Arlington Cemetery, and drove Justin and Trina around to all the monuments so they could hop out and see them. Brendon and I stayed in the shelter of the warm car with Gracie because it was something like 7 degrees outside with the windchill. Brrr!

It was quite a fabulous weekend. Sometimes it is nice to have visitors to force you to be a tourist again and take advantage of what your home has to offer.

Brendon's favorite activity this weekend was making fish faces with Gracie's chubby cheeks. If we could read her mind, I'm sure she is thinking "Real mature Uncle Brendon".