What I Did Over My Spring Break - An Essay

Hey all, it's only been two weeks and here I am with another update - there is hope on the horizon!  But I warn you - its very long because there was a lot to cover.  I think you'll find it entertaining and if there is some enlightenment on the way, thank you for finding it!
 
And now back to our (ir)regularly scheduled blog:

Okay, first of all I DID NOT go to one of these places and nowhere were there any bikini clad jello wrestlers.  To be honest, I don't think I've ever been to a spring break like that although MTV would have us believe that EVERY Spring Break is like that.  Just check out this video;



or even this one from "back in the day"



No, I have to admit that my Spring Break 2011 looked nothing like that!  As a matter of fact, my Spring Break 1990  looked nothing like that either!  How scary are those hair styles?!?!  I think for Spring Break back in 1990 I was actually touring the southern part of the country looking for work as a ballet dancer.  My girlfriend Benji Taylor was amazing enough to drive me around from audition to audition in her Volkswagen Golf convertible from Dallas all the way to Charleston, S.C. and back again, stopping at many venues in between.  And the irony is that after all of that, I ended up dancing with Ballet Dallas the next year anyway.

I've never really been a spring break person.  I've always found myself working or dancing in shows while in college and after college Spring Break really meant nothing to me.  Even as a teacher now, Spring Break usually means working on the house and being annoyed that it interferes with rehearsals for the spring show.

This year was different.  After hosting Passover at our home again this year (why is this Passover different from all others?  This year it took us longer to clean up!) we decided to actually travel.  This year as a family we made a concerted effort (and by "we" I mean Amy the Cruise Director planned the entire event and all I did was get in the way - and serve as a Sherpa) to go and do something as a family.  Soooo, we traveled to Washington, D.C. - the Cerebrum of America's Central Nervous System.

The main impetus for traveling to D.C.  - and as a side note one might ask why is it called D.C. - to attend the wedding of our friends Pat and Stephen on the anniversary of their 25th year of being together.



Yes, we knew it wouldn't be their first wedding (shhhhhhh) but we knew that for them this was the one that had so much importance because it would take place on the sidewalk in front of the Supreme Court;

And yes, those are our children being kept our of a day of school to attend a wedding in Washington, D.C.  For us it is was an incredibly important lesson for them to be a part of - you should be able to marry anyone you want to, anywhere you want.  The irony was that it took place in front of a building that has these words on the pediment;

Now granted, that was the culmination of our Spring Break experience and there was so much more before that.  After a long (seemingly interminable) ride in the wetness down to D.C. we arrived at our hotel - The Hotel Harrington, Washington, D.C.'s oldest continuously operating hotel.  It's also touted as THE tourist hotel.  As we pulled up we could see this was true as it was obvious there were at least three student groups wandering in and out of the lobby with their chaperones.  We knew we had been charged for regular sized room but we asked for an upgrade and we were given a room that is usually for student groups as it had six separate beds.  Each kid had their own bed and if I snored too much I could have my own as well.  Instead, we decided to call Auntie Laurelle (who was coming to the wedding too) and see if she wanted to stay with us instead of staying at the hostel she had booked.  After checking in (and parking the car six blocks away) we decided to eat in the restaurant downstairs then head back to the room to get rested up for our first adventure.

We began our Saturday by traveling to a secret location that we didn't reveal to the kids until we got there - the International Spy Museum!

The Portal to 8-year-old Paradise!

The kids were out of their minds!  We toured the museum (sorry no pictures here!) and found all sorts of fascinating information about the business of spying from ancient times to now!  We were briefed on how to keep up a false identity and then we were told to remember the specifics because we could be stopped and questioned at some point.  Sarah did amazingly well at remembering her identity - Amy and I, with our addled and depleted gray matter, not so much. 

Following that, we had a blast participating in their Spy in the City activity!  As they describe it:

"You’ve qualified for the mission. Now see the city as a spy by taking a GPS-guided tour of DC and its neighborhoods.It’s your chance to explore the spy capital of the world. As we send you clues, codes, audio intercepts, and everything you need to complete our newest secret mission, Operation SlyFox™, or our old favorite, Operation Catbird. Armed with a Geo-Cobra GPS device, it’s up to you to uncover a world of ruthless spies. Not to mention all the history, mystery and landmarks along the way. Whether you go as a group, or as your own undercover agent, it’s sightseeing like you’ve never seen. Begin debriefing."

Once we received our Geo-Cobra GPS device we were off!  Here are my little spies in action;

"Did it say turn left or right?" "What's this button do?"

We finally completed our mission and help bring down the bad guys (or in this case, girl).  We went back in and perused the gift shop where the kids identified what they wanted to purchase.  Sarah chose a really cool shirt (which she later on the last day went back to get) which reads, "I have mad ninja skills, don't make me use them."
Following a yummy lunch of serve yourself yogurt we headed to our next adventure - The National Archives.  Little did we realize that we had to wait outside in line for a while where Amy decided to get artistic with the camera;

Ahhhh, the wrinkles of sleeplessness!

Once inside we were told we couldn't take any photos so unfortunately we really don't have anything from the inside to show, which is a real shame because I wanted to catch a picture of the kids' reaction to seeing THE actual Declaration of Independence.  We had sort of prepared for our trip to Washington by watching National Treasure and the kids were out of their minds every time we saw something in D.C. that they recognized from the movie.  We knew that going to the archives would be a big highlight of the trip so we were bummed we couldnt' take photos inside the rotunda.  However, by going to the National Archives Website and their "Charters of Freedom" page I was able to get this;

And There is NOTHING on the Back!

an actual picture of the Declaration of Independence - not the copy you can get in the gift shop!  (Which, by the way is only $18.95, not the $32 they charged Ben Gates in the movie when he stole the real one).  We also had the chance to see the original Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  Although we couldn't photograph them, you can download your own "high resolution images" here.

We did get a few cute photos on the front steps of the archives;

       

And then we all realized we were REALLLLLYYYYY hungry.  We headed back to the hotel to decide where to eat.  We wanted to get the best burger in D.C.   We made some calls and found out that THE best burger place is Five Guys Burgers and Fries.  However, we also found out by calling that getting into the place would be next to impossible.

So we asked around for the second best burger place and after considerable research (okay, we asked a couple of people and we looked in the little guide that was in the hotel room) we found out that The Good Stuff Eatery was supposed to be really good.  It is so good, that Michelle Obama rates it high on her list of good places to eat in Washington.  However, the problem was getting there!  You see, our tired but game little campers had been walking all over Washington, D.C. and their tootsies were tired.  We looked at the map and didn't think it would be too far.  Boy were we wrong!

However on the way we did get to distract them by stopping to take pictures at the FBI Headquarters;

 and at the Sailors Memorial;

Outside a restaurant we passed on the way;

We took pictures on the lawn of the Capitol;

until we finally arrived.  We were all a bit cranky (okay, me more than most, low blood sugar you know) and the line was out the door.  Yet we reasoned that if the line was out the door on a Saturday night (when people could be out partying) then this must be a good place.  The food was AWESOME (just like Barney Stinson)!  We even managed to mollify our militant vegetarian (Sarah, if you don't know) with a mushroom burger that consisted of a Shitake mushroom stuffed with cheese and then covered in a corn meal batter and deep fried!  Yummy! 

We topped off the evening by riding the bus back to the hotel (because the kids weren't walking) and getting to bed, thereby capping off our first full day in D.C.

On Sunday we had another completely full day.  It started with me getting up at 6:30 in the morning and rushing over to the Washington Monument. 

Dithyramb Anyone?

Although you can get reserved tickets, we weren't able to do that in time so we found out that if you get up early and wait in line you can get tickets for times that day.  So, being the good daddy that I am I stood in line for about an hour and a half.  I had David Byrnes' Bicycle Diaries to keep me company.  I wasn't the first in line, but I wasn't the last so I was able to get tickets in the time frame we wanted.

I then headed over to St. Patrick's Church where the family and I would celebrate Easter Mass.  As I was the designated bench squatter, I got there early (after getting some Starbucks - shhhh, I'm supposed to be decaffeinated) and spent some time in quiet reflection and gratitude for everything that I have in my life and the fact that I'm still here.  I was shaken out of my inner scrutiny by the most melodious sounds I have heard in a long time.  The St. Patrick's Choir could be heard warming up and in the echoing expanses of the church it truly sounded ethereal.  I again thanked God for just being able to experience this moment in time and waited on my wife and progeny to arrive.  The service began and I once again felt the desire to move to Washington, D.C. because here was a church that was beautiful, historic and it had a priest that spoke of love and acceptance and who had a sense of humor.  Not the kind of thing you find too often on Long Island.  We then took the annual photo at the altar;

Ahh, the joys of being with the family!

And then headed off to the hotel to get changed.  I of course needed some more coffee and the kids were starving so we stopped at the Starbucks on the way to the hotel (I think Washington, D.C. must be their Eastern headquarters - they're everywhere) while Amy went on.  It took us a long time to at Starbucks so she came looking for us.  Now, the kids had been concerned this entire time because they weren't sure if the Easter Bunny would find us.  Amy told them when she found us that they hadn't been to our room, however to the children's delight he found us!  There were baskets and chocolate eggs and even Easter Bunny poop (jelly beans) all over the floor!  Easter was saved by the bunny (she knows who she is)!

After changing we grabbed a quick bite and we went to the Washington Monument.  After only the briefest of stints in line we were able to go up and see some fabulous views of our Nation's capitol;

West

North

South

Next, we headed off across the mall to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum (and we kept phoning Auntie Laurelle who was going to meet up with us and stay in our hotel room instead of in the hostel).  But on our way across the mall we found a carousel and we just HAD to stop and ride (well, Sarah, James and I - William and Amy have found that spinning doesn't agree with their constitutions).  Sarah was in heaven on her dragon horse;

James had found himself a Pinto (which in true James fashion I think he named "Spotty");

And I just had way too much fun hanging off the side (trying to make myself sick - it didn't work);

We were still trying to connect with Auntie Laurelle but we headed over to the museum anyway.  On the way we managed to find a fountain which gave us a bit of a reprieve from the heat (and yes, we were hearing "I'm hot", "I'm tired", "I'm hungry", "I'm thirsty" in and endless litany)


Outside there is this sculpture which Amy seemed fascinated with.  She took quite a few photos all with pretty much the same theme - she is obviously finding her artistic streak (witness once again yesterday's sunglasses reflection photo);

Another Dithyramb anyone?

Inside we managed to catch the beginnings of a guided tour and we're glad we did because we did find out all kinds of interesting information.  I even got to pose next to one of the Wright Brothers original bicycles;

I Want to Ride My Bicycle (or at least the Wrights')!

And we got to see THE ACTUAL WRIGHT FLYER!!!!!  It has had parts replaced over the years but it was so cool to actually stand ten feet away from the aircraft that made history.

 I then had to leave to meet Auntie Laurelle at the hotel.  Unfortunately, Auntie Laurelle's bus was late and I had to get back to the Museum so after a gazillion text messages (and you know me, I'm a Luddite when it comes to technology, hence the infrequency of these blogs - now granted, I'm not OPPOSED to technology, I'm just not very good at it) I left a key for her at the hotel and hightailed it back to the museum to find my family - ensconced in the McDonald's food court - what a surprise!  We waited for Auntie Laurelle who finally joined us as we finished our tour of the museum, hit up the gift shop (again, big surprise) and headed back to the hotel to prepare for dinner.

Dinner was Capitol City Brewing Company because I had given up beer for Lent among other things (yes, I know - it meant I couldn't drink beer on St. Patrick's day which leads us to the joke, "Did you hear the one about the Irishman who gave up beer for Lent.....").  It was great food, fun company and that beer tasted so good after 40 days without!

On Monday we had our biggest extravaganza yet, the monument tour.  Now granted, it was also the day of the Easter Egg Roll on the White  House Lawn but we weren't able to get tickets.  We did visit the White House Information Center on our way to the memorials and we had an interesting conversation with Thomas Jefferson which was excited because we might be able to visit Monticello on our cross country trip next summer! 

The kids also became junior park rangers while we were there and were sworn in!

Then we headed to the South Lawn to try to see the White House.  Unfortunately, as a result of Egg Roll crowds we weren't able to get all that close to see the White House.  Here is where my pissiness really manifested itself.  I have never been to Washington and I really wanted to go up to the fence that borders the South Lawn.  I wanted to go to the North Side but I was overruled!  So, I was in a bad mood.

We then headed over towards the Vietnam memorial on our way to the Lincoln Memorial.  On our way we stopped at a small stand by a lake to get a quick bite and we saw a duckling kindergarten consisting of one mother duck (or teacher) and 28 ducklings that just followed her everywhere;

Next, we headed to the Vietnam memorial where I broke down in tears reading a letter about how the veterans who returned were changed forever.  In a sense, none of the men who went to Vietnam ever came back.  Some perished in the service of our country (whether you agree with war or not, the men or honorable for being soldiers) and those who returned were either wounded or they would never be the same again as a result of their experiences there.  Although he never really talks about it (although he did tell me a few stories back when I was doing research for my National Shakespeare Conservatory one person show entitled Dulce et Decorum est Pro Patria Mori - based on the Wilfred Owen poem "Disabled") I wish I knew the young smiling man in the photos I have.  The young man with the slicked back hair and rolled up sleeves who laughed with his buddies and didn't seem to have a care in the world.  I had always been aware of a certain sadness in my father's eyes around memorial day and now I know I think I truly understand why.  As we walked around Washington D.C. I saw many troops in uniform and I remembered something my dad once told me.  He told me that while back in the states during a very unpopular war he was always touched by the people who would say "thank you" to him and his buddies when they walked around in uniform.  They were thanking him for his service, whether they agreed with the war or not, they thanked them for what they were doing.  I made sure to do that to every group we passed and the kids asked me why I was doing it.  So I shared Grandpa Connor's story.  Even in the midst of the "endless" war, we should thank the people who are going out and doing their jobs as soldiers, sailors and airmen.  Politics aside, they are just following orders and they are doing it to the best of their ability.  It changes many of them permanently and for that sacrifice alone we should thank them.

We then made our way to the Lincoln Memorial where we got to stand in the exact spot that Martin Luther King, Jr. stood when he spoke the "I Have a Dream" speech. 

We took pictures inside the area of the kids being able to see one of the most famous memorials in the world;

It is so hard to believe that one of the most famous and dynamic speeches in American history is so short;

Although it had been a long day, we had one more stop to make - The Old Post Office Pavilion.  Apparently it is one of the tallest areas in the city and from the clock tower you can get 360 degree views of the capitol.  It also houses the bells of congress:

"The Old Post Office Clock Tower also proudly houses the official United States Bells of Congress, a bicentennial gift from England celebrating the end of the Revolutionary War. The Washington Ringing Society sounds the Bells of Congress every Thursday evening and on special occasions."

How 'bout them bells Quasimodo?

We saw a informative demonstration of how the bells are rung and its an amazing amount of synchronization and choreography that goes into creating songs from these bells.  It is just too bad they didn't ring for Easter, that would have been cool!

We finally made our way back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.  Unfortunately, we had a little mishap and William ended up needing to go to the emergency room because Sarah accidentally kicked him in the eye and caused a small tear in his eye (he was crying blood which looked pretty cool in a weird way but we were also concerned that perhaps something really terrible had happened).  Amy grabbed a cab and took him off to the emergency room.  While he and Amy went to the hospital, Sarah, James, Laurelle and I went in search of dinner.  On the way, James was insistent that we buy something nice for William to cheer him up for going to the hospital.  We finally (after six or seven gift shops) settled on a camouflage baseball cap with the letters FBI embroidered on the front.  We then decided to eat and found Asia Nine Bar and Lounge which had some really great sushi (Sarah's favorite).  James was in complete heaven because we ate outside and the restaurant was right across the street from the backside of the FBI building.  He kept looking up at the windows to see if he could see anyone.  We felt really bad that William and Amy were missing the sushi so we brought them back some and that (in combination with the hat) mollified our little warrior somewhat.  Then it was time to sleep and get ready for our last day in the city.

On Tuesday morning we got up early and had a quick breakfast since we had to pack, get the luggage over to the car (which was in a garage) and then get over to the Supreme Court.  We did stop at a small restaurant and had some food but they had stopped serving breakfast which bummed us all out.  We then took the metro system to the stop and got there in plenty of time - even more so since Pat and Stephen were running late.  Amy had brought bubbles (the original plan was to decorate their "pre-Honeymoon Suite" door since they were going to stay at the same hotel as us) to distribute to everyone and the kids had a great time sharing them "secretly" with all of the guests.  Finally the happy couple arrived and we had the ceremony;

Here's Looking to the Day it Can Happen in New York State!

It was a beautiful and touching ceremony where Pat and Stephen were surrounded by their loving friends.  It was wonderful for us to be able to reconnect with some old friends and make plans for future gatherings.  I was so glad that my children were able to be there to see that it doesn't really matter who you are - love is love and should not be denied for ANY reason.

We then made our way to lunch at the Union Station food court and took a subway back to our car.  Amy took Sarah back to the Spy Museum to get her shirt and William, James and I picked up the car.  Of course then James decided he wanted a hat too so we picked up a black FBI hat as well for him.  Then it was finally time for the long drive back to Long Island.  All in all it was a great mini-vacation that left our appetites whetted for a longer foray into our nation's capitol - and next time we WILL go to Five Guys!!!!!

The only bad part (and you knew I had to talk about it sometime) was that I didn't get to ride my bike at all.  Here are these huge, straight, smooth, flat boulevards with designated bike lanes and me without my speed machine!  I thought about renting a bike but without my shoes and helmet (not to mention the expense) I didn't want to bother.  Although the bike share program really looks cool and I longed to get on one of those little red bikes and give D.C. a whirl.

Little Red RentaBike!

Next time, I'm bringing Betty and I've already scoped out a criterium route that I can do a few laps on to give me some fun fitness time.  Especially considering my bike fitness is way down right now - but that is fodder for another blog.

I will say that right now we are at a very low point in morale yet again.  After the incredible fundraiser that was put on by Peter Haughwout and Damon Tommolino with their group ArtStudio85, we've had a hard time collecting any more sponsorship funds.  It may come down to my having to do this trip alone which is physically possible but I'm not sure I can do it in the time I have available.  If we can't get the funding we may have to cancel the event altogether.  I would really hate to do that because I really want to help these kids - I want to help more children have the chance to have the summer of their life but I need help.  I keep hoping another angel will come forward (or maybe a few little angels).  Please join me in sending up your prayers, positive energy and (if possible) any queries out to the universe to make this mitzvah possible.

Stay well my friends and I'll see you on the road (eventually)!

DISCLAIMER:  ALTHOUGH I STARTED THIS ON APRIL 30, IT TOOK ME TWO EXTRA WEEKS TO JUST TO GET ALL THE PHOTOS IN!  But if you liked what you read, sign up to be a subscriber - I promise there will be more on the way REAL soon!