i planned a couple of things but for the most part i just went with the flow. i did exactly what i wanted - no interruptions.
i ordered breakfast at one of my fave spanish bakeries. but i don't go in there for the typical spanish breakfast, pan, (pan is for us what muffins are for americans. except pan is much larger and sweeter. most people dip their pan in their coffee. soggy goodness.) i go in for a torta. mmmmm....torta. this is something that i surely can't eat everyday, unless of course i want to work out and we know that's not gonna happen. so i enjoy a torta every now and again. a torta is basically a sandwich, but better. it's on freshly baked bread - more like a mini loaf - with mayo, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, and your choice of ham, chicken or beef. and finally the sandwich is grilled.
the bread is a mix of soft inside with the crunchy just grilled exterior. the cheese melts into the mayo. the avocado and tomato mix together into a veggie galore. this "sandwich" makes your mouth water and biting into it is a little bit of food goodness. food that makes you dance a little when you eat it.
i took my breakfast sandwich and drove over to one of the local parks. i sat, ate and watched the birds dance in the sky. my favorite part of the morning at the park is the silence. people glanced at each other with mild smiles. you hear the soft passing of cars. the birds chirping. the soft breeze. the morning is still wet and slightly cool. the sun hides shyly behind small clouds. perfection.
after the quiet, almost meditative breakfast. i head over to the subway. i park my car and decide that if i will be traveling to various parts of the city, going on the train is my best option.
sometimes letting someone else take you to your destination is relieving. all you have to worry about is getting off and on the right stops. growing up in the city, you learned to ride the train before you knew how to ride a bike. it's just something everyone did. owning a car was rendered useless. of course, once my family moved to maryland, that no car concept changed. i rarely ever take the train. so it was enjoyable taking a seat and reading a book.
dc is great because of all the places that there are to see. and if it isn't a place there's always an event. seriously if you ever see the tourism site for dc there's something to do every single day and night! having a dull day is almost impossible. i also believe that its a borderline sin if you live in or near the city and have not seen any of the historic sites, monuments or museums!
i visit my favorite museums at least once or twice a year - they are always changing the exhibits. however, there was one that i hadn't visited in quite some time. the National Museum of Natural History. as a child this was the first museum my mom took me to and it changed my whole concept of life. you know that the world is large and vast but coming here made me realized how great this world is and how immense knowledge is. it boggled my mind and forever changed me. this place was the foundation for my drive and thirst for knowledge. this place truly changed me and coming here was like meeting up with an old friend. and i always feel like i'm going on a expedition when i enter this place!
after spending a couple of hours here, i finally decided that i wouldn't be able to see the whole place but that i would return another day. i walked out to one of the food stands, bought a Nathan's hot dog and coke. i picked out a nice shaded spot under a tree, laid my jacket over the grass, sat down and enjoyed the view and food.
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| This view can't be beat - the Capitol on the left - the Smithsonian in the center - and the Monument on the right |
After a nice break, i decided to go shopping! Yes, shopping! Seriously, am a woman how could i resist the temptation of shopping. A couple of hours later and a few new items, i went to one place that i've been trying to go to for some time but never had the time, District of Pi. i had passed this place dozens of time and it's hard to ignore it and the wonderful, tasty aroma seeping through the doors. However, until me day, i never had the time to go in. so needless to say i was rather excited to finally get a chance to try the pizza.
I was immediately offered a seat either at the bar or table. I wanted to relax and enjoy so I sat at a table. My waitress was so helpful and attentive. i had the Caesar salad and the south side classico pizza. this big portion of salad was tasty and full of creamy Caesar dressing. but of course my main purpose for this visit was the pizza. when this deep dish pizza was placed on my table, i knew immediately that i wanted to eat all of it but i wouldn't be able to. firstly i ate my entire salad and even though i ordered the regular size pizza, the thing was quite massive. so of course this makes me happy. my first bite and i could taste the richness of the thick tomato-y sauce. then the layer of the sausage, cheese and veggies mix in together. and not too many people like pizza crust, this is not me. the crust was crunchy and crispy. i absolutely loved it. overall i was beyond happy that i finally made into this place. i am a pizza fanatic, seriously i can have it like 2-3x a week and never be bored of it. but this pizza is a new level of pizza making. i won't call it gourmet because this pizza is not pretentious, it's inviting. except it's different, tasty and rich with fresh ingredients. this is a big recommend. so i ate about 3 slices and saved the rest for leftovers for P.
after all the sights and food, it was time to go home. me and my boxed pizza walked over to the subway station and took the train home. as i walk out of the station and headed towards my car. i remembered that i still had one more place to visit, the nail salon. a perfect way to end the day, a relaxing mani/pedi.
i truly suggest that everyone takes at least one day to themselves, do whatever you want. my goal was to see places i hadn't in a long time, relax, take my time and eat. and i did just that. you would think that i would be exhausted from all this running around, but truth be told i was refreshed. i needed this time strictly to myself. and if a thought of "oh my goodness, i forgot this or that" entered my mind, i kindly reminded myself that it could wait till my day was over. it was liberating.
this day was the fresh breath of air that was much needed. it was perfection.
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