Oh My, It's July

We had the most beautiful weekend here-low 80s, a cool breeze, and nary a drop of humidity in the air. It was heaven! It's the kind of weather that when it happens anywhere, it teases you into thinking it would be a great place to live for a long time. (But I now know you east coast/mid Atlantic weather-you aren't tricking me!)

Last week we took our dear friend and neighbor to visit the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, where we went this time last year, and while it was early in the season for their lotuses and lilies to be in full bloom, it made for a great day outdoors.

I also took Henry to his first live theater experience, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," in Bethesda, MD, (a great production!) and he really enjoyed the entire theater experience-from the live action to the sound effects, lighting, music...and of course snacks. We've also had plenty of water time and a pool playdate with dear friends.

 For the Fourth, we opted to attend the party at the White House again, which was fun, although not nearly as magical as last year. Kids had a great time though and will still be cool to have spent two Independence Days on the south lawn.

As I previously mentioned, this past weekend was spectacular. I took the kids to Seven Oaks Lavender Farm, which is an hour's drive from DC into the heart of Virginia. We picked lavender, Henry had a ball chasing and catching butterflies, we dined on lemon lavender cupcakes, the kids played in a darling playhouse and sandbox, and we watched bunnies prancing around in their pen.

For the nearly two years we've lived here, I continued to be humbled by living in this metropolis but having such close access to country life. It's certainly been great to experience so many options of culture, recreation, and beautiful sights.

Resident Tourists: The Kennedy Center

While I was certainly familiar with The Kennedy Center and its fame as a world-class performing arts venue, my dear friend Ashley, who lives in Washington state, sent me some great information about free nightly programs on their Millenium Stage, as part of a "arts for everyone" initiative, that she read about in her Rachael Ray magazine. So thanks Ashley and Rachael for sharing!

I found a performance that looked like something Henry might enjoy on a night we were free, and so a date night was put in the books.

Henry and I hopped on the metro and then walked about a half mile through the Foggy Bottom/George Washington University neighborhood (my date had some whiny moments as we were sans stroller) to the Center, which is quite grand-and that was after I started walking up to the Saudi Arabian Embassy, its next door neighbor, on accident. Whoops!

Since we had the show to catch, I wasn't able to take in much of the Center's features and know they offer daily tours, that I'd really like to come back and enjoy.

The performance featured an Italian troupe from New York City as part of the "Kids Euro Festival" that performed Italian fables and stories in both Italian and English, which was fun to hear.

At the risk of sounding like a total snob, the show was so-so, but did a great job being a guinea pig for our first trip and to check out the venue itself, transportation, and to gauge Henry's interest. The free nightly programs range from music to dance to theater, so no doubt we will be back for something else as much as a headlining performance in their main theater. My fingers are crossed that this Christmas, they or another theater will feature the Nutcracker, as Henry loves Tchaikovsky and the Nutcracker's music specifically, so allowing him to see a children's version of the ballet would be a total holiday highlight. 

Following the performance I discovered there was a free shuttle to and from the metro so my date didn't have to walk back to the subway-he seemed pretty grateful for my ability to read, and discovering such conveniences!