Washington, D.C. – Alero

 

I wanted to stay close to the hotel at Dupont Circle. I used Urbanspoon to find a Mexican restaurant close by.

 

Alero was good. Completely different from “Mexican” food in Alabama. The ones I have been to everything is kind of bland. Don’t get me wrong, I love that bland covered in cheese dip taste but it can get old. The chicken enchiladas I ordered tasted fresh and the beans weren’t mush. I ordered a small strawberry margarita.

 

 

 

On the walk back to the hotel I came across this beauty. Anna had told me about a painted elephant she had seen on her walk to the conference. I was super excited to get to see it for myself.

Washington, D.C.–Sei

We went to Sei for dinner one night while in DC. Sorry for the grainy poor quality photos. I used my iPhone and it was dark. Plus I was trying to be very discreet.
 

The sushi was good. I ordered the California and the Crispy Shrimp rolls. The ambiance and décor were very calming and interesting. Everything was white and matched. The menu matched the barstools and chairs which was a cool detail. This is a fun yet slightly expensive restaurant. I did notice they have some good happy hour deals on drinks and appetizers. Definitely worth trying out if you are in DC if for nothing else but seeing the décor.
 

Washington, D.C.– Chinatown

We stopped by Red Velvet Cupcakery in Chinatown. I got a Southern Belle cupake which is an amazing red velvet cake with whipped cream cheese icing.

Washington, D.C.– Georgetown

Georgetown has lots of great stores. It was probably a good thing I had to fit everything in my carry-on or else I might have bought way too much.

I love Georgetown. I would love to live in a neighborhood like this. So cute and close to lots of shops and restaurants.

Of course I had to get a cupcake from Georgetown Cupcakes. I ordered the Chocolate and Vanilla cupcake. It was delicious. Possibly my new favorite.

Washington, D.C.–National Zoo

 

After walking around the National Zoo all morning I was thirsty and starving. I walk around for about 15 minutes looking for somewhere besides McDonald’s or Chipotle to eat when I stumbled upon Open City.

 

 

I ordered a glass of the seasonal iced tea, berry hibiscus. It was so fruity and fresh tasting.

 

 

For lunch I had the chicken salad sandwich with an order of fries. The chicken salad was made with pulled roasted chicken, dried cranberries, celery and chives on a ciabatta bun. It was delicious! I ate alone at the bar and it was a very enjoyable experience. The waiters were all very nice and helpful.

 

Washington, D.C.– Behind the Scenes Look

While we were at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum, we got a behind the scenes tour of the largest shell collection in the world. Anna’s friend did his fellowship at the Smithsonian this summer so he gave us a look into what he studied. There were rows and rows and more rows of shells. It was unbelievable the number of shells in there. Also, I took a picture of his office. It overlooked all of the National Mall. I would never get anything done here. There are too many people to watch out those windows.

Washington, D.C.–National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History