A Capitol Fourth

There is no better place to be on the Fourth of July than our nation's capital, Washington, DC. Yesterday, Rachel and Michelle and I went to Eastern Market for breakfast. The iconic red brick building that is the centerpiece of the market was recently re-opened following a terrible fire last year that ravaged the interior of the building and led to a complete renovation. Breakfast there is the stuff of legend, and patrons--including us--patiently stand in line for upwards of an hour for a plate of pancakes (their signature dish), French toast, crabcakes, or an omlet, all of which are well worth the wait.

I got the blueberry buckwheat pancakes, aka "blue bucks," with a side of bacon. Mmmm, bacon. We ate outside at a table with a bright red umbrella.




After breakfast, we checked out the fresh produce in the farmers' market area (I bought some succlent fresh blueberries)...



... and browsed the arts and crafts produced by local artisans.



In the evening, after a movie and some excellent holiday eats at Jenny's, Rachel, Ben, and Rochelle and I went downtown to listen to the concert on the west lawn of the capitol building and watch the fireworks on the National Mall.

Ben pulled off a truly awesome parking job, with inches (or less) to spare on either side.

Front bumper

Rear bumper

The highlight of the concert for me was the fabulous, inimitable, and oh-so-cute Barry Manilow, particularly when he sang "Copacabana." Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of the middle school kids in matching red t-shirts doing an exhilirating running dance during Barry Manilow's set. Other performers included powerhouse Aretha Franklin, Michael Feinstein, some "Sesame Street" characters who turned up for a little fun, Natasha Bedingfield, and President Obama gave a pre-recorded speech to celebrate the holiday. Although there were trees between us and the stage, we were still able to hear the whole concert.

The capitol looked majestic in the sunset.

A little after 9pm, the fireworks started--a spectacular, 20-minute-long display of exploding lights set off near the Washington Monument.

I love DC! Happy 4th of July, everyone!