We visited DC for a long, long weekend, leaving San Francisco early in the morning on Thursday (well, Michael left a day earlier for work), and getting home in the evening on Monday. We packed a lot in, which means if you want to see all of the blog posts of our visit, you'll need to click on "Older Posts" in the lower-right of the screen after you make it through the first series of posts.
I got into DC the night before the rest of the family, so saw these guys before Anders and Soren did.
The reunion was joyful, but quickly moving children are not always conducive to photography. These shots, awhile after the initial reunion, will have to do.
And here's a pic of the moms.
On Friday morning, we took the public tour of the East Wing of the White House.
Taking the metro to the White House.
First view of the White House, through a fence. (Construction! We feel so at home.)
At the entrance to the East Wing, there's a short video intro from the President and the First Lady, so I figured I'd get a picture with them. By happenstance, it sure looks like they are unimpressed with my trick.
The China Room, in the basement of the East Wing. We weren't allowed in, so we could only view the china collection from afar.
This hallway was roped off, but has paintings of the First Ladies. When I took this, I thought I was snapping a pic of our next president, but no such luck.
On the first floor, there are a few rooms you can walk through, including the Green Room, which has mirrors that looked a bit to me like they could be Joe Biden's hubcap collection.
The aptly named Red Room.
This state dining room had a single table with fourteen chairs, but done up with smaller tables, it can seat 140!
An iconic portrait of JFK.
The seal!
These goofs survived the tour!
Afterward, we went did a little shopping at the White House Gift Shop. The most pressing task was to get a snow globe to replace the NOLA one that broke recently. Because the NOLA one had shiny confetti in it, Anders settled on a glitter globe. Soren got a patriotic pen.
After our East Wing tour, we met up with Agreen and Asa and checked out the natural history museum.
Much learning.
Prehistoric fish.
Hope Diamond.
Big geode!
Citrine, just like Sigrid's earrings and necklace (well, bigger).
An Easter Island moai. Or maybe two?
After the museum, we ate at Shake Shack.
Friday night the boys had a sleepover and the adults went kid free. We had gin cocktails at the Gin Joint with Shona...
...more cocktails at Ted's Bulletin with Shane and Sophie (no pic, sorry)... and dinner and cocktails at Kapnos with Alex and Shona.
This was my fave cocktail, with beets and mezcal (and other stuff), at Kapnos.
We capped the night off by sleeping in our hotel without the kids. Woohoo! (Um, I mean, boy did we miss those guys.)
We went to see the Streb Extreme Action show at the Kennedy Center.
Lots of acrobatic/dancing insanity.
The boys were excited.
I got to cuddle up with Asa.
The tours of the East Wing are open to the public. West Wing tours are a bit different, but if you know someone... Pictures aren't allowed in the West Wing, but Anders and I got this picture before we went in.
And the press room is of course made to be seen, so we were allowed to take pics there.
Our tour guide.
Nixon impersonation?
Sigrid and I would like to address the nation...
...and talk about dabbing.
The White House at night.
After our West Wing tour, we went next door to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where Alex works. Still within the security perimeter, but pictures are allowed.
Beautiful view of the White House from inside the EEOB.
Cool architecture.
Trusted advisors discuss weighty issues of national importance.
It was after 8 pm, and the boys were losing energy.
