I love a good road trip. For me, the difference between a good road trip and a bad one comes down to just a few key things: the music mix for the road, options for great food, options for good scenic running paths, and safety; being able to explore freely without fearing for your life. I accomplished most of that last weekend during my road trip to DC.

I woke bright and early on Saturday morning, eager to hit the road. I wanted to get to DC in enough time to explore the Newseum, and walk the National Mall before dark. From where I live, DC is only a short two-hour drive away. I made the trip a bit easier on myself by driving to the Greenbelt Metro stop and taking the train into downtown. The DC metro is one of the easier metro systems to navigate, in my view. Driving in and around the beltway is just brutal, so avoiding that mess all together is a wise choice.

Here’s the thing about me. When it comes to my free time, I’m not a planner. Deep down, I am a free spirit who loves to “go with the flow.”  I don’t plan out every detail of my getaways. I don’t make reservations ahead of time (generally speaking), and I don’t obsess about what on earth I’m going to do when I get where I’m going. For me, part of the fun is giving myself the freedom to be flexible, to explore and to see what strikes my fancy. Not everyone can roll like this, I realize. And this free-wheeling approach does come with some drawbacks. But for the most part, it makes me happy. And it’s simply just how I roll.

I decided to take the Metro to the Chinatown stop. I am not familiar with DC at all. I’ve been there a handful of times, but mostly just to do the tourist stuff in and around the National Mall. So, where exactly China Town was in relation to the Capitol, for example, was a mystery to me. But I was hungry when I got on the Metro and Chinatown sounded like a pretty good option for lunch.  It was the right choice!

I exited at the AT&T arena stop in Chinatown. This part of DC was bustling. It was around 11:30 am and the streets had lots of folks strolling about. There were shops and restaurants lining the streets. If it weren’t for the large Chinese Friendship Archway on H street, I wouldn’t have known I was even in this part of the city. There was a Starbucks on the corner, of course, some shops I love such as Aveda, Zara, and a few others. It didn’t look like the Chinatown I know in New York or Philly. It was less “obvious”.   I decided to head in the general direction of my hotel, which is in the area of the Capitol building. Making my way I passed by a restaurant called Matchbox. I remembered my sister raving about this place. I strolled in, parked my suitcase at the hostess stand and took a seat at the bar.

It was brunch time…which made this not-so-young lady VERY happy. I ordered a glass of wine, a house salad and a cup of their crab chowder.  Mine, a very modest lunch, compared with the plates of the patrons around me, was delicious. The crab chowder had a hint of sherry. The salad was a combination of kayle and arugula and dressed with a house made orange vinaigrette. It was perfect. The young couple next to me was sharing a pizza that can only be described as extra large. Matchbox has a wood fired pizza oven, and if you are a fan of pizza, this place will not disappoint. But pizza isn’t their only enticing option on the menu. Their wood-fired lamb sandwich looked amazing. The staff is incredibly friendly as well.  The place had a bit of a neighborhood feel to it. In fact, I struck up a conversation with the couple next to me at the bar. They seemed to be in their early 30’s. They were both wearing baseball caps, and it appeared were “recovering” a bit from the night before. Oh, I remember those days!  They ended up offering me a slice of their pizza. They ordered the small, but for some reason received the large and were desperate to have someone share their load. I decided that I would take them up on the offer. And I’m so glad I did. The pizza was delicious — very thin crust, homemade sauce that had just the right amount of garlic and fresh basil. I don’t eat pizza much anymore. So perhaps I was a bit more over-joyed than the average person by this tasty treat. Or maybe it really was THAT good.

After lunch I dropped my bags at the hotel. I stayed at The Liaison, a boutique hotel in Capitol Hill. I loved it. My room was spacious, and offered all the amenities I desired: Nespresso coffee maker, wifi, a comfortable bed with extra over-sized pillows and a full lobby bar with great wine options.

I dropped my bags and ventured for a walk to the Newseum. I was so excited to see this place. And it was as amazing as I hoped it would be. It has four floors of exhibits, all focused on the history of media, and the impact news stories have on our lives. The biggest stories of our time are featured in that place. My favorite exhibits were the Pulitzer Prize winning photo exhibit, as well as the FBI exhibit featuring artifacts like the actual car used by the terrorist who attempted to detonate a bomb in Times Square.  A part of the Berlin wall is also on display. Unlike other museums, this one is very interactive. You can get up close and personal with much of this history. I spent a total of 3 hours there on Saturday. And those three hours flew by. Ideally you would take two days to see all that this museum has to offer. There’s just so much to explore.

 

I left the museum and strolled toward the Washington Monument. The rain was starting to come down, but I didn’t care. I was enjoying the time alone, the history around me, and the freedom to simply do whatever the hell I wanted.  I strolled to the park by the National Gallery of Art. Families were ice skating, which was quite bizarre considering it was 50 degrees (and drizzling). I grabbed a cup of coffee and a cupcake and parked myself on a bench to take in the view.  I sat there in peace, feeling content and absolutely free. It was another one of those moments that allowed me to appreciate how far I’ve come on my journey back to me. I was content sitting there all by myself. I was embracing my freedom. And damn it felt good.

The rain seemed to transition out of nowhere from a drizzle to a downpour. So I ran like hell back to my hotel. Now, I am a runner…but I usually set out to run while wearing running shoes, not Nine West knee high boots. This 2-mile sprint back to my hotel totally kicked my ass. So much so that I drew myself a hot bubble bath and soaked for an hour…with a glass of wine, of course.  This pampering thing, I need to do more of that.

It was time for dinner. I did some digging around on Yelp and a few other sites and made my short list. I decided I would head to Restaurant Row (seems logical). Now…keep in mind that it was a Saturday night in DC and I didn’t have a reservation. This would cause anxiety for some, I realize. But since I was alone, I figured it would be fairly easy to snag a seat at a bar somewhere. And I was right. I found a groovy Tapas restaurant called Jaleo. It was a small Spanish bistro that seemed to draw quite a crowd. I headed to the bar and was immediately greeted by a handsome and super friendly bartender. He convinced me to try the barrel-aged gin and tonic while I waited for a seat to open up.  This drink was magnificent. It was a bit smoky, but not so much that it became tiresome to drink. He placed an orange peel and a basil leaf in the bottom of the glass, which provided the perfect balance.

Within minutes, he had flagged me down and secured me a spot at the bar. I felt victorious! I ordered two small plates: Patatas Bravas and a small chorizo dish.  I figured my 3 mile run that morning, followed by my 2 mile sprint to the hotel afforded me a dish of potatoes. Mmm…these things were ridiculous. I actually woke up the next morning craving them. Jaleo has a few restaurants; one in DC, Bethesda, Vegas and Mexico City. If you get the opportunity to experience this place, I highly recommend it.

 

I did enjoy my time in DC. Although, I will say that there were times I felt a little vulnerable. I spend quite a bit of time in cities. So I’m generally very comfortable strolling around.  But I didn’t always feel that way in DC. I don’t think I can honestly call DC a “safe” city.  I don’t feel nervous when I’m in New York, I never worry about walking to dinner alone in that city. But in DC, the vibe felt different. There was a moment when I was harassed from across the street by some very seedy looking dudes. And in one instance, I was walking from my hotel toward the Newseum and I had to walk underneath an overpass. Two young guys on bicycles passed me, slowed down, turned around and came towards me. They started talking to each other and then started yelling after me. It was unnerving. So I increased my pace and kept walking. I felt vulnerable, to say the least. This happened a few times throughout my 24 hours in that city. In fact, the concierge at the hotel was quick to tell me to avoid walking anywhere at night. She recommended taking a cab back to the hotel from restaurant row. She said “the neighborhoods along your way back turn ugly at night.”  Good to know!

Those unnerving moments aside, it was a fun trip. I felt independent, strong, relaxed and joyful. It was the first time in so very long that I took myself somewhere all by myself, with no one to visit, no one to share a meal with. It was me, all me for the weekend. This won’t  be the last time I do this. I think it’s good to spend time alone, if you can. In doing so, I discovered things about myself that I had forgotten. Like, for example, I really love soaking in a tub with a glass of wine. I never do this at home. Mostly because the bathroom I use most has a stand up shower. And my bathroom with the tub, well…the tub is old and uncomfortable.  So, who knew a trip to DC would remind me of the calming benefits of a warm bubble bath. Ridiculous, right?  I think it’s time to call Bath Crashers! Mama needs a new tub.