Last night I went to dinner with my high school friend, her husband, her sister, and her sister's friend at an adorable little Italian restaurant in her neighborhood, Columbia Heights. It was yet another neighborhood I hadn't been to before and was happy I got to see it. The more I see of a location, the better. Right when I got off the train, I could tell it was definitely a neighborhood going through some gentrification, as the usual signs were there. There were lots of young families with strollers but at the same time lots of low-income folks as well. In fact, that evening I saw not one, but two people public urinating. Ahhhhh, made me feel right back in New York. Good thing stuff like that doesn't phase me at all. Dinner was great and it was so wonderful to catch up with everyone and socialize a bit. Because I travel alone, I rarely get to interact with many people outside small talk with strangers. When dinner was over I took the train back to my hotel and again, fell asleep around midnight with some sore legs but a big smile from the awesome day. The vacation version of me is very different than the normal version of me with my sleeping schedule. It's as if I am a totally different person while away not really caring too much about sleep because of excitement from the day I just had and anticipation for the upcoming day.
I started this morning the way I like to start many days, with SoulCycle. My high school friend was also joining me for her first SoulCycle ride ever. That's right, we were going to pop her SoulCycle cherry. She was just as nervous as I was. On a normal day, I wouldn't be nervous for class at all but since this was going to be my first real workout post-injury and I was unsure how my body would react. Would my hammy pop mid-class and I'd have to stop and leave right in the middle? Would it just be sore the whole time? Would I be able to keep up after not working out for two weeks? All serious questions racing through my mind. Even though I was scared of all that, I still booked my bike front row and center just the way I like it. I feel I get more out of my ride when I'm up there helping lead the pack. I had heard amazing things about the instructor whose class I took, Wayne. He is the instructor that teaches class when Michelle Obama's takes it so you know he's gotta be the man. And he lived up to his hype. He also happens to be friends with my favorite NYC instructor, Trammell and if he was halfway as good at Trammell, I knew the class would be awesome. I signed up for an hour survivor class and it unsurprisingly flew by. Wayne's music was incredible and his energy, which you know is a HUGE factor for me, was just electric. He was positive and energetic and just had an all-around good vibe. It also didn't hurt that he was super sexy. Swoon. Class was amazing and my friend loved, loved, loved it as I promised her she would. I left class totally soaked in sweat, high on endorphins, and pain-free in my hamstring. All in all, a successful and fun SoulCycle class. I needed it badly and it came through.
After SoulCycle I went back to the hotel to shower, pack-up and check-out. My bus wasn't until 3:30 so I had some time to walk around before I had to leave town. I decided to head to Capitol Hill to see the Capitol building in the daylight. I walked there when I arrived Friday night, but didn't go yesterday. It is still under construction so there was still scaffolding which always annoys me but I'll live. Better to see it with scaffolding than not at all. I wandered a bit around there then decided I had to head over the National Mall area and get one more up close and personal glimpse of the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. It's always kind of surreal to me to see these two iconic structures in person because of their meaning and even though I saw them yesterday, and had them all to myself, I had to go back one more time today! This time, they were mobbed with tourists and locals alike. There were adult rec league softball, soccer, and flag football games being played on the lawn by the monument which was awesome. I wanted to join in the football game so badly. It all looked so fun and just my speed. I sat down by the WWII memorial and just kind of people-watched and relaxed a bit, once again, taking-in and appreciating just being there. After a while, I walked back toward the Capitol building stopping in the Smithsonian Museum of American History and taking a quick peak of the "Dresses of the First Ladies Exhibit" and doing a couple loops in the museum before leaving. I was basically in and out in fifteen minutes. I walked through the Smithsonian Sculpture Gardens as well and then made my way back to the Capitol one more time before gathering my stuff from my hotel, grabbing a quick bite to eat, and going to catch my bus.
This time the bus was packed and the ride was stormy. We made it back to the city around 9:15 which was over an hour late. As per usual on Sunday nights, I'm always sad the weekend is over, but this was one I had been looking forward to for a while and now that's it's gone, I don't know what's next for me for trip-wise. There could be a big one. Or a few smaller ones. Or one giant move to Chicago. All is still very much in the air. Sigh. Lots to still think about. I know one thing for sure: few things make me happier than traveling. I wish I had the funds to do more of it, but I think I make due with what I've got. I have a tremendous amount of gratitude for all I'm able to see and do on my own hard-worked dime and so happy I have the opportunity to do it. As for what's next on my travel agenda, we can only wait and see...
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