Originally uploaded by .bandit.
I've just returned from a long weekend in Washington DC as Certain Someone's guest. He has a conference this week there , and thought it would be nice to return to my birthplace . I haven't been "home " in a long time. With both of my parents gone, I have little connection. We arrived on separate flights late Friday afternoon and checked into the Washington Hilton and Towers. This was where Reagan was shot many years ago. My father had offices right across the street at the time. After a quick nap we walked around Dupont Circle. By this point I felt like a stranger in my hometown, but it was nice to rediscover it with my sweetie. We had a late dinner in a Osteria and returned to the hotel. On Saturday I called my dads best friend from his American University in Beirut days and we all met in Chinatown. My how that had changed as well. I remember my first job out of college in the old Woodward and Lothrop store. Chinatown was a little grittier and real back then. Now its very commercial and developed with Bed Bath and Beyond's alongside the eateries. Nevertheless the Dim Sum at Tony Chengs was the best I ever had. A tourist told us upon entering ,she had dined there twelve times on her visit as she rubbed her belly. Daddies friend and Certain Someone hit it off and I felt Daddy would have approved. He dropped us off on M St in Georgetown where we leisurely shopped,walked around the "new" waterfront ( another new concept to me ) by the canal, pigged out on ice cream and pizza at Paradisos. The Hagen Das shop was there when I was a teenager, so that was nice. Along the waterfront we witnessed a seedy fashion photoshoot. A boat owner let the girls hop on his craft as they posed and contorted for the camera. Certain Someone and I loved to people watch. Sunday we decided to rent a car and visit my old high school in Potomac and a house I lived in prior to my parents divorce. He was quite impressed with the all girls campus and ritzy real estate around my school. White Pickett fences and stables were the norm. We ate lunch in Potomac Village and drove out further to North Potomac. I was a little disappointed. The houses where I grew up did not seem as impressive as when I was a child. I saw a lady come out my old house( which looked the same , just smaller) and told her I was the first family that lived there. She said hi, and drove her car down the driveway and into a ditch. The craziest thing I ever saw. All the neighbors came out to try and help. I recognized one and he called his wife out. She invited us in for coffee, but we politely declined. Time sure does fly. We caught up for a few moments and left. Tom Wolf was right,'You can never go home again". I felt I closed a book on a long chapter. We drove to Great Falls and walked some miles along the C&O CANAL,viewed the dams, took photos, and just enjoyed the flora and fauna. A nice way to wrap up the day. I had one last treat remaining. We went to the Dancing Crab where I indulged in my favorite Maryland crabs cooked in Old Bay. Certain Someone tried one, but I felt they were to much work for him. He ordered a huge seafood platter. I ate like a happy kid with my bib and wet dirty hands covered in spice. We came back to the hotel and watched Kill Bill 1 and 2 like a old cozy couple. After breakfast we kissed goodbye and I drove the car back to the airport. The end our mini vacation. It was the best weekend ever! Thank you sweetie for making this happen.
