2010 National Book Festival vs The International Spy Museum

On Saturday, Sept 25th we made plans to head to DC for a day out. Our first destination was the 2010 National Book Festival  at the Library of Congress.  After scanning the official website and looking over the authors in attendance, I decided to purchase a book for signing by one of my favorite National Public Radio correspondents- Michele Norris. The week before, I had heard her discussing her new memoir The Grace of Silence on her radio program All things Considered.

  This program was normally on the car radio on the days I was returning from work in Florence AZ. If I wasn't particularly interested in my current book on tape, borrowed from the Apache Junction library, I would always tune into NPR.   I became aware of NPR during  Desert Storm , shortly after moving from Portland to Mesa.  I found the station while making the long commute from Mesa to Glendale and vice versa while working for the Glendale School District. I found the coverage of Desert Storm fascinating and  also  found  other programming  that I liked. My favorites are A Prairie Home Companion, Wiretap with Jonathan Goldstein and Fresh Air with Terry Gross.  http://wamu.org/

Tom thought it would be a swell idea to park at his office in the Foggy Bottom area and walk to the book festival. I put my complete faith and trust in him. It seemed like a good idea- free unencumbered parking and no trip on the sure to be crowded Metro. It seemed like we walked forever. Tom did comment that it seemed closer when he rode this distance on his bike the other day. Hmmmm, glad I didn't bring my sweater, left it in the car. As it turned out, it was terrifically humid that day, very unpleasant.  We finally made it to the festival which was housed in various white tents set up to accommodate the authors and spectators.  We made the trip from one end of the tents to the other twice before finding an event volunteer who could point us in the exact direction of the Borders book selling tent. The tent was stifling hot with no ventilation. The sweat was showing through the back of my shirt and my hair was frizzing-ugh. I don't know how the folks at the cash register could stand it, but they were full of good cheer and we finally made it to the front of the queue.
http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/

Literary fans making their way  through the purchasing lines.

Our next objective was to find Michele Norris' book signing line- #10 was  easy to find and one of the shorter lines. Some of the lines stretched on forever- Ken Follett and Richard Meltzer (The Book of Lies) Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games Trilogy) were signing at the same time.

After a quick wait I was able to meet Ms. Norris and she was very approachable and gracious. She said I had a very familiar face (?)and we had a nice discussion about being newcomers to the DC area. She encouraged me to come down to the new NPR headquarters and take a tour-which I plan to do  sometime in the future.
I have started her book and it is beautifully written and and moving. A genuine pleasure to meet her-first objective successfully completed!

http://michele-norris.com/

By this time, we were tired of walking and  very hungry so we decided to have lunch and head to the National Museum of Crime and Punishment. in Chinatown.  Originally, we had planned to go to the American Indian Museum, but after finding out it was national Free museum Day I was excited to get free tickets to the Crime and Punishment Museum. I was surprised that Tom wasn't excited at the thought of seeing the exhibits. After talking it over, I realized he had earlier expressed interest in seeing The International Spy Museum-oops!  Spies, murder and mayhem- what's the difference?  We decided to make use of our free admission and  headed down to Union Station to catch the Metro to the museum.

Union Station is beautiful - we had a great lunch and even ran into the Obama's while we were there. They asked if they could have their picture taken with me and I obliged ,of course.


Some local fans of my blog.




We were talking with a store clerk at a barber shop and two unkempt men came rushing past us dropping the F bomb with raised voices and great enthusiasm.  The clerk noticed our startle response and said "this is union station, get used to it- they are just cuckoo-bananas". Okay. Stores and restaurants were plentiful and many of  the food court restaurants  take cash only- a common phenomenon in the downtown area.

Lunch at Union Station

Awesome architecture of Union Station

We got on the Metro train that would take us to The Crime and Punishment Museum- oh the humanity!  It seems we weren't the only ones who wanted to see the exhibit for free!  The line was out the door and as it is an interactive CSI type place, we figured  the wait wasn't worth it. Tom wasn't enthusiastic anyway- saying it would be "creepy" to see serial killer Ted Bundy's Volkswagen. I scoffed at this but was paid back with a nightmare that night after the Spy museum-(picture a toenail removal scenario). I think he was right- it probably is a ghoulish type set-up, but will reserve judgement for now.

The International Spy Museum was only a few blocks away so we decided to head there and see the exhibit.
Well, we didn't get in for free, but we did get our military discount and found out it offers a free night to the community the last Wednesday of the month with special activities. The Washingtonians are not used to paying for museum admissions as the Smithsonian's are free and many others are as well.
http://www.spymuseum.org/

The spy museum was a pleasant surprise- we could have spent hours there and probably will make a return trip. The exhibits were interactive and very interesting. It offered historical perspective on espionage as well as popular culture  figures popular during the cold war- The Man from Uncle, Get Smart, 007.  There is also a gift shop and spy cafe- I do recommend this- a fun activity for all ages.

We took one more trip to a Metro station and returned to point of origin. The Metro was under repair and there was an usually high volume of riders due to the book festival and free museum day. We were glad to get home. I took a hot Epsom salts bath and a three hour nap. Tom headed for the pool. Ahh, we made it- another adventure in DC under our belts.

They Have Stores Here!

"I heard they have stores in Virginia"- ha ha, I must have heard that remark from my husband Tom 50 times in the months leading up to our departure for Alexandria.  I felt compelled to stock up on some of my favorite items in case I couldn't find them here. Well, as you might have guessed- there are stores here and plenty of them. CVS are plentiful here as well as Walgreens- my two favorite drugstores. Apparently I didn't need to hoard boxes of root touch up in my shade. Well, they were on sale.... and I had coupons. I don't regret stockpiling my peelu licorice toothpaste and other alternative toiletries though.  I miss Sprouts and Fresh and Easy!!!

This leads me to my quest for the perfect grocery store. My other objective is to find an affordable yoga studio. When we moved in we found two cans of diet  and regular coke in the refrigerator- courtesy of management apparently.  A good start, but real food was needed especially since we had eaten every meal either on the hood of the car or in restaurants for a week en route to VA.  Our new across the hall neighbor was kind enough to discuss local grocery stores and point us in the right direction. We decided to try Giant which is huge here- almost as plentiful as the Walgreens on every corner in Mesa.  The store was not really to my liking- older with a faint odor of the seafood counter wafting through the store. I was in search of not only good healthy fruits and vegetables but also a bottle of bourbon.  Bear in mind I was still dealing with the shell shock of driving on the Capital Beltway a day or two earlier.  After choosing our food, I made a beeline to the coffee aisle and then to the beer and wine and hey, wait a minute where's the liquor?  I was pretty sure I had just overlooked it so I asked a clerk where the alcohol was and she sent me back to the beer and wine. It dawned on me that VA must have  liquor stores like they do in Oregon. Nertz!  

We decided to try Safeway on our next trip- my favorite local store in Mesa. A nice place- comforting and familiar, but a long haul on  a busy road.  The price of produce here is extraordinary- very high.  I will have to be clever enough to find some farmer's markets in the area.

It seems we are making frequent trips to grocery shop- starting from scratch to stock the pantry and refrigerator is expensive and we are always thinking of  things we are lacking. Ironically, I dislike grocery shopping intensely- but it my only fun on some days, as I am without a car and Sandy is suffering from separation anxiety. We bought a shopping cart at Trader Joes to ferry our purchases from the parking garage to the apartment. Geez. it sounds like all we do is grocery shop. Lucky for me Tom is patient and loves to eat, so he quite tolerant of these outings. Anyway, the first time we shopped we loaded up the trunk of the car and when we arrived at the apt we realized we would have to carry in the groceries-shocking! We kind of just stared at each other and then loaded up with grocery bags and that's when we hatched a plan to get a folding shopping cart to keep in the car- another lifesaver in our adjustment to urban life.

Costco was a nightmare- crowded and boisterous.  I was shocked at the up selling at the checkout care for an executive membership (hard sell) or how about a packet of forever stamps-only 40.00 and the price is increasing soon.  A petite lady with a carpenter's apron was going from checkout to checkout with her stamps and her sales pitch. I had to stock up on my staples: TP, Kleenex, frozen salmon and protein powder. I asked for a box and apparently that is a special request.  I won't be making regular trips as I did in Mesa.

Since we have no Sprouts here I tried Whole Foods next. Wow- only organic produce. Holy cow- we spent $200.00 for not a lot of food and the checkout clerk and I had a "discussion' on whether I was purchasing a rutabaga or a turnip. Not that I care, but the price discrepancy was  an issue. If the store clerks are inattentive or  borderline rude- they almost always send you on your way with a cheery-" have a good day or have a good weekend." There have been plenty of really friendly and courteous people here too- especially in restaurants.  We did find a great restaurant "Chicken Out" and an ABC liquor store at the same strip mall as Whole Foods- so the trip was worthwhile.

Harris -Teeter was our next venue , chosen primarily for the location and the advertising font is similar to Sprouts. I like this place!!  A good selection of "health foods" and mainstream food items with good prices. I signed up for another store card  and my wallet is beginning to bulge with my membership "VIP" cards.

The commissary at Fort Belvoir was our latest shopping trip and I must say I have been missing the boat. Tax free shopping with just about everything we would want.  Oh well, the best is usually what you find last.  We loaded up the cart and actually bought meat and real food and spent less than anyplace so far. Lesson learned.  We will have to be strategic and shop in the evening when it is less crowded- probably after trying a fitness class at the recreation center, killing two birds with one stone.

Well, it is Friday and  we are off to try another yoga class tonight and  tomorrow we will spend the day in DC at the Book Festival and check out the  Smithsonian  Native American museum. We are hoping to find time to take a trolley tour of the capital mall monuments at night. I hear it is especially striking to see the Lincoln Memorial  bathed in light. We might stop at the grocery store on the way home.....

Travels With My Sister

I am lucky enough to have three beautiful sisters who have enriched my life in so many ways. As the year progresses I hope to get a visit from each of them. As I write this, I am listening to my favorite radio station in AZ on the computer and I hear it is in the 70's this morning. Better get your winter woollies out you AZ folk.

My sister Kathleen was in town for  a work related conference and we had the pleasure of hosting our first guest- the new aerobed was a big success!  She is the eldest and a true first born- gregarious and extroverted. Myself,  on the other hand will hang back and take my time getting comfortable with people I don't know.  I remember playing  pioneers with my sisters as a kid and she always got to be the Mom (boss) and I was simply a pioneer child subject to the whims of the two "leaders" ahead of me in the pecking order.

In short, I love all my sisters for all their different attributes and personalities. We are a true mixed litter with different personalities and appearances for that matter.

Kathleen used to live in Alexandria some 20 years ago with her husband Robert and son Zachary so she is familiar with the area. Work brings her here at least once a year as she is the  Executive Director of  Oregon Commission for Voluntary Action and Service. She is a specialist at networking and meeting folks from all different walks of life. 

I had the pleasure of accompanying her to the 65th Annual National Conference on Citizenship at the Library of Congress. It coincided with Constitution Day- what a great day to be in the district. It was interesting to see the hustle and bustle of the DC powerhouses with their laptops twittering  and blogging away.  Folks are in a hurry here, anyway you slice it. They drive fast, walk fast and watch out boarding the Metro if you are poky!

 I got to see Judy Woodruff, Richard Stengel-managing editor of Time magazine and best of all- Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. I attempted to get a picture of her on my phone, but it is too teeny tiny to see. As it happens Justice Ginsberg is teeny tiny herself. It was truly thrilling to hear her speak- down to earth, but so eloquent and interesting. 

We spent some time exploring the Library of Congress after the conference, but you could spend days there and will have to make a return trip in the future. The National Book Fair is this weekend and I hear it is a must see. Over 70 well-know authors will be in attendance and will do face to face encounters with the public.

I was tutored in changing stations for the Metro and took the Sullivan Place shuttle with her for the first time. She was really a good egg to show me Union Station (awesome) even though she had two huge blisters on her "Allen pinky toes".

We had the chance to meet her in-laws in Bethesda MD, tried a new church and  made a trip to Kohls  to find comfortable shoes for the airplane trip home. I guess you could say we were busy!

 We were treated to a seafood feast at the Old Ebbitt Grill, just blocks from the White House and a favorite hangout of Teddy Roosevelt. It was beautiful with fantastic food (reasonably priced) and exceptional  service.  Thanks Kathie for the great find. http://www.ebbitt.com/main/home.cfm?Section=Main&Category=About_the_Ebbitt
 After dinner we walked to the back of the White House- just a few blocks away and it was amazing how great the view was.

We spent an afternoon at Arlington Cemetery exploring the The Women's Memorial  which honors the service of  military women from the time of the Revolutionary War to the present. Our Grandmother Louise Jenkins  served as  Navy Yeoman (female) in World War 1. Our Mom registered her and we were able to look up her registry and print it. 

As we were browsing at the gift shop, we happened upon a beautiful soul who was exceptionally friendly and outgoing (like my sister). They immediately struck up a friendship and found out they have a common love for Jerome AZ. It turned out, he was a Tuskegee airman and a "good deed doer". Not to drop names, but apparently he is quite well known in the area and is on the board of many  philanthropic foundations. He was kind enough to give us a ride to the Metro in his SUV and it was a memorable encounter.

All in all a great visit and with love and admiration- that's all I have to say about that. Except to say- take good care Kathie and don't work too hard.

Our First Trip Into The District



 On Labor Day, We took our first trip into the Capital Mall. My first ride on the metro system which Tom had broken in on his trip to return the rental van to Reagan National, our first weekend here. I was able to master the ticket system with a small amount of tutoring and the help of my reading glasses. How handy that the red arrow that you insert into the turnstile is visible without my glasses!  It seems similar to the Metro in Paris which I visited very briefly with my daughter Holly in 2000.

It was a quick 35 minute ride to downtown from the Van Dorn station to the Federal Triangle stop. Due to holiday it was not too crowded and we even scored free parking at the park and ride.

Tom convinced me to wear my athletic lace up shoes for the trek.  I was not happy to give up my flip flop sandals I have been sporting continuously since last April.  In the end, I am sure it was the right thing to do- but I couldn't wait to shuck my shoes as soon as I got home.  It was a warm day, but not too hot due to a pleasant breeze. 
.

It is indescribable to see with my own eyes, the monuments and buildings that I have seen throughout my life in textbooks, movies and TV shows. We took a trolley tour and made a circle around the The Mall and made mental notes of our wish list of things to see. The tour guides, were excellent-knowledgeable and friendly.We plan to see the outdoor monuments first ,while the weather is good and reserve the  indoor venues for the colder days ahead.

I must see the Ruby Slippers and Archie Bunker's chair at the Smithsonian as well as Julia Child's kitchen. I know, I know- there are many other things regarding our American history that merit my attention too. But what do you expect from the triviaprincess? So many historical documents and artifacts to see- it is a mind boggler. Thanks to my friend Sharon H for the great downtown map, my brother in law Robert for all the tour books and Linda and Dan for the maps-we should be all set for our weekend trips.



We are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to see a motorcade whiz by. Fascinating to see the police shouting at poky drivers to "GO-GO!" An elderly lady attempted to cross the street just ahead of the motorcade but was scolded politely by a an advance motorcycle escort. Not sure who was in the motorcade- but it was close enough to the White House to make you wonder and feel a thrill.

In the future I hope to learn to wear sensible shoes, a hat and carry water. A kid's meal at the cart vendors is $9.00. But that's a topic for another blog-cost of living on the east coast.

We plan our next trip to Arlington national Cemetery and return home to Sullivan Place tired, but exhilarated at the prospect of exploring our new state and vicinity.

Our New (Sullivan) Place

We arrived at the Sullivan Place apartments on the 28th of August and were happy to be checked in quickly by the concierge.  The complex is in Alexandria Virgina- not too far from the Van Dorn Metro Station.

The furnished apartment is modern and clean- one bedroom and about 800 square feet. We decide to unload the car and van and put things away as we go. A good plan, but it didn't last too long. I just finished the closet yesterday after multiple trips to various stores for hangers and closet organizers. We are starting to stuff things under the bed now and I realize that I did bring too many items of clothing........

There is a fitness room, swimming pool with hot tub and theatre room. This is not like any apartments I lived in 30 years previously. The bathroom is bigger than mine in AZ and we have a great walk in closet. The stackable laundry unit is in the bathroom and I am thankful for this convenience.

The kitchen is cute and serviceable. We did bring some of our own dishes and gadgets. Somehow we managed to squash the juicer and waffle iron into the van for the trip out. Everything is furnished and we are happy.  We did have to buy a small set of flatware and  a crockpot on one of our many shopping excursions. I am spoiled by Mesa, where all my shopping haunts are a very short drive.



There is an adjacent area to walk Sandy and she is getting used to having to wait for us to take her out. This is fine for now. But I am thinking about the coming winter months and perhaps I should have worked out a shared custody agreement with my ex-husband. I think Sandy should spend the winter with him in Illinois- he is used to cold weather and I am not- so it only seems right.



We have a parking garage and the place is sealed up like Fort Knox. You must have a key to get into all areas of the complex.



There is a Shell station with a Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins inside. We also have a Panera restaurant at the complex...oh boy, temptations abound. I will have to make good on my vow to get on the treadmill and find a handy yoga studio.



All in all, a great 11 days here at Sullivan Place. The weather is cooling down and we missed the worst of the humidity. The mornings and evenings are cool enough for a sweater and I am loving it.



We do miss our family and friends and the wide open spaces of Arizona- but I think we are going to be very happy here.

Getting There

Once again I am leaving all that is familiar, to be with the man I love. This is my fourth move in this scenario: Age 19 to Illinois, Age 35 to Phoenix, Age 51 to Portland and now at 55 to Alexandria Virginia. My husband of two years, SFC Tom Dryden is serving an active duty deployment with  the CID (Criminal Investigation Unit of the Army). I met Tom in 2004 when he was deployed to Iraq.  I know very little of the  military way of life, with it's unfamiliar acronyms, regulations and benefits.

We prepared for the trip from Mesa AZ to Alexandria by renting a passenger van to move our personal belongings. The van was stuffed full- we have overpacked I am sure of that, but I don't know what we will find when we reach our furnished apartment in Alexandria.

Day One: August 21st     Mesa AZ to Page AZ

We take a detour to beautiful Page Arizona to see our dream retirement destination. The vistas of Lake Powell are incredible. We found the patio homes we had given up on previously and even toured them with a local realtor.  Something to dream about in the future, but more attainable now that Tom has sold his townhouse in West Linn Oregon.

Day Two:  August 22nd  Page AZ to Albuquerque New Mexico.

 The scenery is beautiful with a clear blue sky and big puffy clouds.  We are surprised by the Native Americans who approach us at stops in Winslow AZ and Gallup New Mexico asking for money.We do help several out, but they just keeping coming and we can't help them all. The experience left me feeling sad and guilty.  We have so much that we take for granted.

Day Three: August 23rd  Albuquerque to Clinton Oklahoma

 A very long day, but the driving is easy and I try to stay engaged and energized following Tom in the Honda. There doesn't seem to be enough coffee and sugar free Red Bull to keep me going, but I do. The books on tape I bought in Portland with the help of my brother in law Robert at a library annex are a welcome distraction.  Sandy, our dog, is restless in the van and tries to climb  into the back. She is old- about 12 years we think and she has two bad  back legs from being hit by a car before we adopted her. Our vet was leery of giving us dog sedative due to her age and the fact that she takes two medications for her hips. He gave us 5 pills and suggested using Benadryl instead.  We gave Sandy a Benadryl that afternoon and she calmed down.  After arriving in Clinton Oklahoma- very friendly folks, we settled in at our motel.  I ordered my first official senior dinner at Denney's-wahoo!  Now I really am a cheap date!  Upon returning to our room we noticed Sandy seemed lethargic- exhausted we thought.  She got up on the bed and slept there for an hour or two. Then, something horrible happened- she actually slid off the bed on the slippery bedspread! (It actually seems funny now-but not at the time). We were horrified- she could hardly walk and had her tongue out.  Tom and I were quite sure that the trip must be too much for her and we were guilt ridden.  I cried for an hour and we were sure we would wake up to a deceased dog in the morning.  Fortunately, the next morning, she woke up and was much better.  We decided to forgo the Benadryl in the future. Sandy was moved to the back seat of the Honda which meant reconfiguring the packing of the van by moving the items from the Honda to the front seat of the van.  A better arrangement for all. Except now, I have Sandy panting in my ear-oh well.

Day three:  August 24th Clinton OK to Little Rock AR

 Tom gets word from his real estate agent, that the sale of his condo is ready to be finalized.  We make plans to meet the notary at the downtown La Quinta.  We decide to go to McDonalds for dinner because it is within walking distance and we are leery of leaving Sandy alone for too long.  We  decide to go elsewhere after an inebriated man pesters us and Tom spots a large roach on the wall. Later, the real estate contracts are signed and it is the end of another exhausting day.

Day four: August 25th  Little Rock to Nashville TN

Another long day of driving fueled by frequent coffee stops and subsequently frequent bathroom stops. We eat lunch everyday on the hood of the car in the most convenient fast food parking lot we can find. We try to find a shady spot and Sandy eats with us as it is too hot to leave her in the car. She get a plain hamburger for lunch and now decides she doesn't want to eat dog food.  I want to stop in Memphis at Graceland and at all the tourist spots in Nashville- but we have Sandy and we are anxious to get to our destination each evening.

Day five: August 26th   Nashville to Radford Virginia

The disintegration of organization started about the second day of our trip.  We hustle every morning to pack our belongings and begin cramming dirty clothes and toiletries into the plastic laundry  bags supplied by the motel.  We start each morning with the high carb free breakfast at La Quinta.  We have lost track of the power cord for the laptop, various personal items and our marbles.  We are ready to be done with this. This will be our last easy day of driving and tomorrow we will be driving in urban areas.

Day six: Radford to Waldorf Maryland

We set off for Waldorf Maryland for our last night in a motel.-hooray.  We miss a turnoff and take an unexpected two hour round trip detour. Life is not so easy now that we are not staying on the I-40.  We decide to buy a GPS and conference  with my son Taylor who recommends a text to voice model which also names the exact street/exit name-a lifesaver!!!!!  Lot's of road construction and detours today. An hour delay puts us right smack in the middle of rush hour on the Capitol Beltway- a nightmare!! Trying to follow Tom and communicate on the two way radios was very difficult. So many detours, exit closing s and fast drivers! I thought the drivers in Phoenix were pretty aggressive, but this area is the pits!  The news last night reported that the DC Metro area is number one in the country for car accidents, no surprise there. We arrive at the motel..  The details of the drive are too unsavory too think of- but picture getting separated on the freeway and trying to find each other again.  I did a face plant on the bed upon arrival and fell asleep(my usual coping mechanism for extreme stress).  I haven't driven since arriving, but hope to bolster my courage and try it again.

Day 7: August 28th- Waldorf  Maryland to Sullivan Place- Alexandria VA

Driving on a Saturday was much better and we easily found our new apartment thanks to the GPS. We made it, thanking God for a safe trip and for the experience of a lifetime in the coming year.

PS Please excuse any typos and run-on sentences (something my teachers always made note of)  I hope to make subsequent posts shorter. As my sister Peggy recommended (get to the point without the minutia.)
Hoping for a book and movie deal and my own reality TV show- wish me luck!  kidding..........