Virginia Road Trip 4/4 - Week 2 - Jake's Birthday

It's Jake's 34th Birthday and our last full day in Virginia.  Nicole likes to make surprises so she didn't tell everyone what the plans were for this special day.  She is a thoughtful and kind person who is also generous.  I am so happy she is my daughter-in-law!  I was given a little hint earlier about the event but the boys only knew that we were going into Washington, DC again for the afternoon.

The morning was again very relaxed and comfortable in their lovely condo.  My gift to Jake was his refurbished Janosik figure that my mother had given him when he was a little boy and he kept in his childhood room.  Hanging on the figure's arm was a flash drive that contained several hundred scanned photos of Jake I made from the day he was born until he was going to school at age six.  I also made three music photo albums so he could view all the photos pleasantly with three different songs; two from the time periods. We all watched the music photo albums together and I'm sure Jake and Nicole will come back many times and revisit Jake's early years.  I also included the Slovak folklore story of the Janosik and a video about Vienna, Austria where my father was born.  I hope Jake will get to know more about his mother's side of the family by learning about the past history through folklore and about his grandfather through the eyes of a man making a video for his children about the history and culture of Vienna.

Keith and Jake on Jake's Birthday Morning

Jake and his Janosik 

Keith's birthday gift to Jake was to take everybody out for brunch before Nicole's big surprise.    I don't recall the name of the restaurant but it was very popular and had an art atmosphere with poetry readings and literature and art objects all around.  The food was very good and we all ate well.  We got to experience a new concept in transportation I had never heard of…Uber Ride Sharing Service.  What I know is that Nicole got online and within 5 minutes a driver showed up both to and from our destination!  The location of the surprise was across the street from the George Washington University in Washington.

So it was now time for the big surprise!  Nicole treated us all to an event called PaintNite.  This is where people get together and drink creatively!  Nicole thought of everything when she even arranged to driver service so we all could partake in the wine.  There is an instructor and materials provided to paint a subject chosen  by the instructor for the occasion.  The wine and the acrylics flowed freely.  It was such  a unique concept and so much fun!  I am happy we have this wonderful and creative memory to share.

Keith and Jacob take a break.

Keith, Nicole, and Jake in progress while I take the photo.

Jake and Nicole having a good time!

Keith is happy with his creation.

Nicole has a fine painting.

I like my water the best.

This is the painting by the instructor of the US Capital Building we all were painting to our own interpretation.

Here is all our group with our masterpieces and with the instructor in the middle.  

Here's all our masterpieces side by side

Nicole, Jake, and Keith afterwards across the street at the statue in front of George Washington University.

Beti and Keith

Time for another meal so I treated everyone to dinner at another new place that Jake and Glencora had not tried yet in the area.  Toting our masterpieces in hand, we walked into Founding Farmers restaurant and had wonderful down to earth meals and desserts.

We got back to their condo in Arlington very quickly through the Uber service again.  It was a memorable day for Jake's birthday and we all were full from food and festivities once again.  I am so happy and thankful to have shared this day with loved ones!

The next day we all were up early as it was a regular work day for Jake and Nicole and we were packed and out of the building all at the same time.  The two-day drive home was a repeat of the trip out and we had no problems.  Bobi Kitty was settled in his special place in the back seat and he knew we were on our way back to Missouri this time!  It was a grand experience full of family and fun but there's no place like home!

Virginia Road Trip 3/4- Week 2

It's Thanksgiving Day morning and the rest of our vacation we will be staying at my son and daughter-in-law's condo in Arlington, Virginia.  We packed up the car and set the GPS and we we off on another adventure.  We were greeted at the condo entrance by Jake and he helped us get settled.  It is a 12-story building in the city and they live on the 11th floor.  The new roots that Jake has planted in his new life has grown quite tall!  Nicole's decorating style shined in every room and was both tastefully modern and warm and comfortable.  Her talent in design was obvious!

Of course, we got Bobi Kitty settled first thing.  Their sweet little dog, Cleo, graciously gave up the prime spot at the window for her guest.  They got along cautiously at first, then tolerance, then sort of friendly as Cleo was seen licking Bobi's ear for about a minute until Bobi couldn't take the tickle anymore and shook his head which stopped the mood.  They both got along fine for a cat and a dog.

Bobi Kitty is on top of the world!

Soon we were given the tour and were quite impressed with all the amenities available in this 400 unit complex.  We saw swimming pools, tennis courts, paved walking paths with a waterway and woods, well-equipped exercise room, pool table and game room, huge entertainment rooms for parties which includes big screen TV, and a grand lobby.  A really nice place to live!

Cleo and her Jake

View from condo looking towards Alexandria where I was born and raised.

 We had a wonderful morning visiting with Jake and seeing where he and Nicole live now.  Nicole was busy in her kitchen making the stuffing.  About noon, we got ready to drive to Nicole's parent's home in Gainesville to spend the rest of Thanksgiving Day.  What a wonderful time we had with such warm and hospitable people in a beautiful home!  We had so much thanks to give and we all took turns sharing what we were thankful for and got to know Jake's in-laws a little more in Jake and Nicole's second year of marriage.  Keith and I are so happy to know Jake has such a nice family away from where he was born and raised.  It is obvious that Esther and Nicole love to cook and put on an extraordinary feast!  The rest of the afternoon and evening were just as satisfying as we relaxed and enjoyed each other's company.  Our hearts and tummies were full!

Thanksgiving Dinner at the in-law's - Esther, Nicole, Bill, Gary, Andrew, Jake, Keith,
(I'm taking the photo)

The day after Thanksgiving was a quiet one with more relaxation and enjoying each other's company at  Jake and Nicole's lovely condo.  Later we drove around Arlington and got to see some of their neighborhood.  It is a fine neighborhood not far from historic monuments.  Nicole is close to her workplaces as she is in the navy.  Jake has a 45-minute commute to Herdon where he is an accountant.  They are in the middle of everything!  We tried a new cafe, Boccato, and I treated everyone to empanates, coffee, and gelatos.  We drove around Shirlington, a place my mother enjoyed eating out in the 1960's.  It has been majorly renovated but there are still many modern restaurants to choose from.

Keith & Beti at the monument of Iwo Jima nearby 

View of the Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, and Capital from the Iwo Jima Monument in Arlington across the Potomac River.

We parked across from the Arlington National Cemetery.

This special weekend is not only for Thanksgiving but also Jake's 34th birthday!  On Saturday, Nicole treated Jake and her in-laws to a Cupcake & Macaron Tour in Georgetown which is in Washington, DC.  I had not been to Georgetown since I was 17 and it brought back many memories and made many new ones.  The tour started at The Old Stone House, the oldest (1765) unaltered building in Washington, and we walked about a mile to the different shops with our group of about 10 and informative guide.  We saw the tavern where John Kennedy proposed to Jackie and his bachelor's pad.  The tour guide had many interesting facts along the tour and e stopped at about a half dozen shops for sweets included in the tour and put us ahead of the long lines.  What a fun birthday memory with non-traditional birthday cake!

Jake & Nicole and Keith in front of the Old Stone House in Georgetown

Beti & Keith in front of the Old Stone House in Georgetown

View from the backyard of the Old Stone House in Georgetown

Bridge over  C&O Canal with the Potomac River and Key Bridge at the center top of photo in Georgetown.

Famous Georgetown Cupcakes - the line was at least a block long!

Dean & Deluca Market in Georgetown where I found a delicious Cinnamon Babka!

Jake is eying sweets at Sprinkle Cupcake

This was a fudge shop where the tour stopped and sat for awhile and taste anything and everything!

This is our tour guide as we left Olivia Macaron.  The macarons were heavenly with so many different flavors and colors of this meringue almond delight.

A little bit of Missouri in Georgetown as about a hundred peaceful demonstrators loudly made their way down the street with police escorts protesting issues related to the recent Ferguson, Missouri events.  

Although we had many sweets this afternoon in Georgetown, we were ready that evening to drive back to Ashburn where my brother, John, and his wife, Corinne, invited everyone, including Jake's in-laws for a lasagna dinner in honor of Jake's birthday.  Good food and great company!

Ashburn, Virginia  Birthday Dinner in Jake's honor - Nicole, Keith, Beti, Corinne, John, Gary, Esther, Jake, (Bill took the photo).  We also connected by phone with Kristen in California and Ed in Iowa.  So sorry to have not heard from Sarah on this special day.

What a wonderful day full of family and food and fun!  We made it back to Arlington late that evening and slept well that night.  The next day was actually Jake's birthday and our last full day in Virginia before our road trip back to Missouri.  The next blog article is about that last special day in Virginia Road Trip - Week 2 - Jake's Birthday.

Virginia Road Trip 2/4 - Week 1 - First DC Trip

 And so the The National Mall adventure begins...

The Smithsonian Castle

The Capital Building with the dome restoration ongoing

Football playing on The National Mall with the Washington Monument

The National Gallery of Art  is where we spent 5 ½ hours in one wing.  This was the main objective of our visit.  Keith and I were so excited to be in so many rooms full of our favorite Impressionist artists!  So much to see in one day that we didn't rush and just enjoyed thoroughly our favorites.

It was so great to be able to be so close to these masters' work.  So close in fact that there were museum guards placed in every room carefully watching to be sure no one harms the paintings which were open and without glass coverings.  I got scolded several times for being too close but I couldn't help myself as it was so wondrous to see the masters' strokes.  I was also amazed that photography was allowed in all but one gallery which was one that was on loan and was well posted not to take pictures.  I have included some of my favorites here but I apologize for the flash spots occasionally as I got so excited when a shot opened up, that I snapped when I could.  Please look on the website for much better quality photographs, if you are interested.  It is so worthwhile to study and enjoy each on its own instead of rushing to do it all!  For free, the museum provides a device you can plug in some numbers by the painting and listen to the interesting story of each.  I love that! 

The Japanese Footbridge by Claude Monet 1899

The Artist's Garden at Vetheuil by Claude Monet 1890

Woman with a Parasol - Madame Monet and Her Son by Claude Monet 1875

Girl with a Watering Can by Auguste Renoir 1876

The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissaro 1898

At the Water's Edge by Paul Cezanne 1890

Keith with 3 Cezanne's

Roses by Vincent Van Gogh 1890

Green Wheat Fields by Vincent Van Gogh 1890

Beti with 2 Monet's and a Renoir

Beti with Self Portrait by Vincent Van Gogh 1889

The Riders by Edger Degas 1885

Odalisque by Auguste Renoir 1870

Augustus Saint - Gaudens,  Shaw Memorial 1900

So many doorways to so many art worlds…

It was late in the day by the time we left the National Gallery of Art but we wanted to at least breeze through the US Botanical Garden not a far walking distance before it got dark which was early this time of year.  We could tell this was a place that would truly be awesome during regular growing season as the grounds appeared to be end-of-season like everywhere else in late November.  We spent less than an hour here and got a taste of what will bring us back for more another time.  There were many rooms of different climates and plants from around the world.  I took several photos of the  monument reproductions made of natural materials that were in the process of decorating for Christmas.  Here are just a few...

United States Botanical Garden - outside entrance

United State Botanical Garden made of natural materials - inside the building

The Capital building made of natural materials inside the US Botanical Garden

The White House made of natural materials inside the US Botanical Garden

The Smithsonian Castle made of natural materials inside the US Botanical Garden
(see the first photo in this post for comparison to the real thing)

We had vowed that we would leave Washington, DC before it was too dark and we made it safely back to my brother's house in Ashburn before 8 p.m.  It was an awesome day!  There would be two more day trips into Washington, DC but with my son and his wife to celebrate my son's birthday weekend.  That will be in another blog post.