Kate's Adventures: Three Day Weekends ROCK

This last week at MC&FP has been good--I love it when I get to draft important work :0)

A couple times I felt a little ill this last week, but I kept drinking lots of water, took extra vitamins, and was able to stay on my feet!

Thursday, I got off work early (since Friday was a Federal Holiday, we only had to work 28.8 hours) and went down to the National Mall. They're currently having this huge festival out on the lawn, so I went down to walk around. I even bought some of the over-priced "folk" food--never again.

Festival on the National Mall Lawn

Friday morning I slept in until 8:30 then made homemade corned beef hash and canned cinnamon rolls. Yum! It was so nice to have a slow morning with a good breakfast. Then I headed down towards Chinatown, where my first stop was the American Art Museum/Portrait Gallery

The American Art Museum/Portrait Gallery

The floor had all sorts of folk art

The Portrait Gallery had a lot of cool pictures of Lincoln-this was my favorite

I fell in love with all of the marble statues. They look like they were made out of butter instead of stone. The pure white marble even had bits of sparkle to it

I loved all of the marble statues and busts, but her hair was amazing

This painting was huge (around 12 feet wide) and gorgeous...this picture doesn't give the painting justice

A mini statue of liberty leading into a hall full of American Art

The museum's building was even a work of art. The higher

up in the building you got, the more amazing it looked

Contemporary art was one of my favorite sections

Idaho had potatoes on every one of its screens (I cracked up)

I don't know what it was supposed to be, but it was cool

This had so much detail and was over 20 feet wide

The top floor had their restoration area with glass walls

Bob Hope made out of wood

I was shocked when I came across this area-rows and rows of art in storage, but housed so that you could still see it

Computers allowed guests to look up works of art and then find the correct row

After the American Art Museum/Portrait Gallery, I walked toward Chinatown and ate some yummy Kung Pao Chicken. Then I went over to the Spy Museum, where I went on the cheesy but fun interactive spy adventure. While I was at the Spy Museum, a friend invited me to a Nationals Game.

We were in the nose-bleeds, but had a great view of the whole field

Chris and I at the game drinking strawberry daiquiris--Chris is lives in Alexandria and is interning at the White House

At the end of the 4th inning, the Nationals game has the

presidents race--it was hilarious, and everyone was cheering

After the games on Friday nights, they have fireworks. We had the perfect view

The 4th of July:

Saturday Morning I went and got my hair cut. My hair had been too long and annoying me and the cut was long past due, but I really like the way it came out.

For fireworks I decided to brave the crowds and head down to the National Mall. After changing my mind multiple times about where to go, I took a blanket, some water, a book and a subway sandwich toward the Lincoln Memorial. Chris came with me, and I even ran into Amy (my roommate).

I got down to the Lincoln Memorial around 6 and found the perfect spot right next to the reflecting pool. Half of the reflecting pool was blocked off, because they shoot the fireworks right there next to the Washington Monument.

Amy and I with my amazing view of the Washington Monument

Chris and I with the view in the opposite direction of the Lincoln Memorial

I couldn't resist showing off my amazing patriotic outfit

Fireworks weren't until 9:10, but I had fun sitting out on the lawn. It was about 75 degrees and overcast with a slight breeze-perfect weather. As it got darker, the monuments lit up beautifully