Weekend Jaunt: Washington, D.C.

My friend Abbie, who I've known since high school, moved to D.C. almost two years ago.  She's been up to New York for some visits, but I've never made it down there to see her until a few weeks ago.

I've only been to D.C. a few times: once as a kid, once on a family road trip (I was supposed to go to Budapest that year but somehow ended up in a mini-van with my sister, her husband, 2 year old Maddog, and my mom), and lastly, for a rally. This was my first time in D.C. with a local!  Another friend from NYC had recently moved down there so I was going to see her as well.

It's a weird town.  To me, it seemed so much more segregated than New York. And people there are very preppy, straight out of a J.Crew catalog.  Probably because they all work in politics.  I feel like in New York, even the very wealthy and powerful look a little unkempt.  Oh, and it's very, very clean, at least in the parts I went to. We had some drinks at a "dive" bar, and although it looked more like a bar you'd find at home, it was still so much cleaner. Ha.

Ben's Chili Bowl, a Washington D.C. landmark.  We actually ate across the street, but I couldn't resist taking a pic with the bear. I actually wanted to sit on his lap, but thought I might get in trouble.

However, we did eat THIS: 

Mmmmm...sweet, sweet chicken and waffles. Damn good.

And last but not least, we went to the DC Rollerderby!!!

Abbie had joined the DC Rollergirls this season, but she had to retire early due to a most horrific injury.  She shattered her ankle into a million little pieces.  Literally.  She has so much metal keeping it together now, she carries a letter for x-ray machines.  The week I went to visit her, she had literally just gotten the boot cast taken off and could walk with no crutches. By walk, I mean limp with pain. At one point, I pushed her in the wheelchair so we could get her errands finished more quickly. (Side note: she told me I was the best wheelchair pusher she's had! Awwwww.)