My family spent a long weekend visiting our nation’s capitol…and even though it was a pretty short trip, spending time in DC is always a treat! Having in-laws living on Capitol Hill makes it easier for us to pop in for a short visit…spending time with family as well as taking in the vibrant city–from monuments and museums to the eclectic flair of common markets and street vendors! We’ve visited several times but this is the first trip that the boys really enjoyed the little everyday moments of being in the city! Walking to street fairs and playing ball in the park that’s nestled between brownstones, eateries, and capitol buildings are experiences very different to our everyday life at home! The consensus is that Washington is a place my boys would like to spend an entire summer…and I really can’t blame them! We barely scratched the surface this trip and the city didn’t fail to enamor us all once again!
everyday excitement in DC…
i find it hard to stay focused on a stroll through the streets of DC! there’s so much history and wonderful architecture…fabulous shops, parks, and markets…and plenty of fabulous people! i love all the unique row houses in the area…they have such personality!
this one had an adorable flower market in it…
this park is where my boys played ball…just at the end of the block from their grandparent’s home–so fun!
such wonderful green spaces tucked right into the city…
a couple blocks more and we enter one of my favorite places and my only request of the weekend–a trip to Eastern Market!
this section of road by Eastern Market is closed on Saturdays so wonderful vendors can sell their wares! a must stop if you’re ever in the area! it’s not so huge that it’s overwhelming but just right for an array of goods from produce to paintings…and so much in between!
a little vintage bling…Giggle heaven!
fresh produce…
cooking demonstrations…
fresh flowers…
ooh…
an artist at work…my younger son was intrigued with this man’s creations and actually spent some of his birthday money to buy a piece for his room!
after our outing at the market…we did have some time to squeeze in a quick trip to a museum! the pick of the day…Natural History! without much time left…the boys and their cousins picked out a few exhibit “must sees” and we all muddled through the crowds for some interesting sights! lovely thing about most of the museums in DC…they’re free! this helps to alleviate the pressure to see everything…and since we’ve been there before…we just revisited some old favorites and found one new!
a quick stroll through Africa…
…and a slower go through an exhibit we hadn’t explored before. the boys were all captivated with the rocks and minerals…and so was i! fascinating color inspiration!
beautiful!
even though we didn’t hit the monuments this time around…DC is always exciting and full of flavor! …speaking of flavor, we ended the day with a family meal and all-time favorite, Moroccan chicken…yum!
a weekend filled with family gatherings and simple pleasures…
a weekend well spent!