Last month I joined Ben on a family trip to Washington DC.
The Glenn Beck Rally was in bold and at the tippy top of the itinerary, which I won't lie, I was a bit apprehensive about. Although I did start a ridiculous "Things I Learned From People in Glenn Beck Shirts" list which was, in full disclosure, slightly snarky and facetious in nature, but I was otherwise well-behaved. I am also pleased to announce that besides one slipped comment about Palin's tendency to use words of the not real variety, I blended in with the conservative crew pretty well, or at least appeared to be more like an aching thumb than a sore thumb.
Instead of attending the rally, I took the opportunity to visit two of my oldest friends, Heather and Eagan, who have been living in the DC area for the last few years now.
They took me to breakfast at The Founding Farmers, which was magnificent. It's always great to be able to catch up with these two. They are witty and charming and I am honored to call them my friends. They recently celebrated their ten year anniversary, which is impressive to say the least. There's is a relationship all couples should strive for. We later met up with Ben and because we're gluttonous fools, went up for a dog at the famous Ben's Chili Bowl. It wasn't just a stop for their famous half-smokes, but also to visit a historic landmark. During the riots of 1968 after Dr. MLK Jr's assassination, Ben's was a place of refuge for activists, local citizens, policeman, firefighters and others trying to return peace to the neighborhood. It was one of the few places left standing in decent shape after all the chaos and violence from the riots. I was glad to have a reminder of what Martin Luther King Jr should be remembered for among all of the uproar with Beck choosing the same date as King's I Have a Dream speech. The tasty chili dog and milkshake weren't too bad either.
Ben's brother just returned from serving a mission in Germany. It was lovely to meet him and even more enjoyable to be able to watch the four Craghead brothers interact. I'm pretty sure they communicate on a different wave length. I'm happy he was able to spend some quality time with his family and I the chance to get to know them all a little better. Entering a family vacation with a family that is not yours can make for an unsettling adventure, but luckily the Craghead Crew were welcoming and kind, not treating me as an outsider in the least. Another thing the Cragheads are really good at is making adorable little rug rats. It was fun to play with Ben's niece and nephews, although it did make me miss Liam, Elsie and Molly in a dreadful way.
We were sight seeing machines!
Tatum, Me (apparently as Boy George), & Pacen
View from the top of the Washington Monument
Ben, Reuben, Whitman
Cather & Tatum
Ben, Will & Reuben
The 5 kids in tow were champs!
the heat... it does things to my brain (& hair).
Jarom, Evan & Ben
Learning about wheat at Mt Vernon
a group of regular ol dandies.
Ben & Mom Carol
Junk mail in Colonial Williamsburg?! fail!
traffic cone & coke at mt vernon?! double fail!
Other findings:
Will & Reuben flew out of Baltimore, so we took a day trip back to Ben's seasonal stomping ground from last year. After a groundhog day's experience of being denied a crab cake with Faidley's being closed, we stopped for lunch at the sensory overload diner, Paper Moon. I love this place. I wrote plenty about it in January, but it made for a nice consolation prize to missing out on the pure joy that is a faidley crab cake.
paper moon decor
It was a quick trip, but a memorable one. I'm already looking forward to my next DC visit to see Brady & Dani... which will hopefully be sooner than later.
5 comments:
We loved having you there with us! You were super well behaved about all the "Beck-y" stuff. I did see a few cringes and disapproving smiles, but I was watching for your reaction, ha ha! I do have to disagree with you about one thing, because who would I be if I didn't. Even though Beck chose to do his rally on the anniversary of "I have a Dream" speech, I think he was very respectful of the situation. He did his best to make sure Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy was not diminished
Thanks for playing so much with my kids. It was a huge help, especially when Reuben was gone.
You're sweet, it was fun to spend time with you-- your boys are darling. You and Reuben really ought to go on a weekend trip with Ben and I.
I should clarify that I wasn't accusing Beck of diminishing MLK's legacy, only that it created a controversy. It's not whether or not he was respectful with the situation, but that the situation was created in the first place. I think the attention the rally received was more about the date and location than the actual subject matter. Which is why I dislike Beck. He says his intentions are one thing, but can't seem to act on those intentions without dramatics and elaborate run arounds. It's as if to get from point A to B, instead of being direct, he goes to Z, S, takes a stop to mind a few P's and Qs, throws in some numbers for kicks... and eventually *maybe* ends up at B. Or maybe C, which is sometimes close enough. It's all so distracting. Not to mention I just find him to be generally obnoxious. That being said, I'm glad he has a few fans that are respectable individuals, such as you and Reuben. If he's encouraging you to be a better person, than that's fantastic. Thanks for being understanding of my different beliefs and view points and sharing some of your restored honor with me, even if I'm an undeserving Beck hater. As my mother always told me, it takes all kinds. :)
Aww, thanks for the nice compliments! It was a pleasure, as always, to see you and Ben. We had a great time hanging out with you two. Thanks for making time to see us. We look forward to the next time you come out.
you made a very long comment there - but i didn't read it all.
Sounds like a great trip - good girl for being well-mannered. And
***** (5 stars) for your great foodie finds as always! So fun to see your photos :)
xo
it's official, your blog is by far my favorite to read. i miss you! -em
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