Grandmama's house was magical. She made sure it was stocked with anything we could possibly want every time we came over. If she didn't have it, we went out and found it. This isn't to say that I required anything other than her company; her company was all I ever needed. Regardless, she typically had a stock of Hot Tamales (my favorite candy), pringles, mashed potatoes whenever possible, my favorite Disney movies, and books. Of the books, my favorites were always the Choose Your Own Adventure. Spontaneity and I are in love—we have been for quite some time. Thus, the Choose Your Own Adventure books were the best. You are in control of your plot. You have options every step of the way. Anything can happen.
There is nothing more thrilling to me than traveling without an agenda. I still find myself giddy over getting on a plane, bus, or train to a new place with no plans and minimal funds. (Okay, maybe I would be okay with a little more funds.) I need to find a way to travel and experience culture professionally. I could be like Anthony Bourdain—but with the arts and less scruff and snark.
I've had an overwhelming need to blog over the past couple of days, but have had absolutely no time...until now. Let me bring you up to speed on what I've been up to. Cabaret closed on Sunday night (which now seems like an eternity ago.) I start working from 9am-11pm everyday all summer in two weeks. I just graduated from college. All of these things added up in my head to vacation. Due to my incessant vicarious online traveling searches, I learned of a program AirTran has for people ages 18-22 where you can fly standby one-way for $70. Not bad, right? The three places you can get to from Dallas for $70 are Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, and Orlando. Since Atlanta isn't terribly appealing, I don't have enough money to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, and I'd never been to Washington D.C., I figured now was the time. It also happens that several of my idols (Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, and Elaine Paige) were in a production of Sondheim's Follies at the Kennedy Center. Why wouldn't I try to go to D.C.? I texted my pal Truett (whom I've known since birth but who happened to be in the same theatre program I attended at SMU) to see if she might want to be my traveling companion. She, too, had never been to Washington D.C. (she was supposed to go the year of 9/11 with school; I transferred the year to Hockaday the year after they went and the year before St. John's went.) She had also not taken a vacation since junior year of high school. We were both concerned about funds, but through the graciousness of my mother, the travel-budgeting-smarts she instilled in me at a very young age, some determination, and some graduation money, we made it work. We packed Monday night, took a brief nap, and headed to DFW airport at 3am in the morning. The first flight to Baltimore was booked, and our AirTran attendant informed us that all flights to Baltimore were oversold—as were those getting to Atlanta. She didn't seem to understand that I was going to go on this trip. Do not mess with me and my mischievous plans. After some negotiating, she begrudgingly put us on standby for a 7:00am flight to Atlanta and then a 10am flight to Dulles International.
We made both flights.
9 hours later, very tuckered but excited Truett and Katharine trekked into D.C. and took the metro to Columbia Heights where a high school friend's cousin lives. (Yep, we'll use any avenue possible.) I wish I had blogged about D.C. as we arrived—or shortly thereafter. I haven't felt as jazzed about a city as I did D.C. in a long, long while. I loved Quebec City (and would like to vacation there indefinitely) and I loved San Francisco (and have no doubt that I will return), but I now want to move to Washington D.C. It is perfect. It is the lovechild of New York City and San Francisco. For some reason, I had this strange impression that D.C. was this super corporate, distant, formal place. I was an idiot. D.C. is beautiful. Somebody up there must have wanted us to have a perfect adventure because the weather in DC was glorious. It seems like every neighborhood we visited in D.C. was more perfect than the last and I found myself wanting to live in every one of them. The city is pedestrian, accessible, diverse, friendly, but to the point. It is eclectic and artsy and not at all as serious as I had imagined. There are dogs everywhere. Ladies are either wearing jogging attire or sundresses. (I fit right in.)
After quickly settling into our basement apartment in Columbia Heights (which was adorable...and oh, wait! across from the National Zoo...) we walked to the Kennedy Center. I love walking in cities, but I occasionally pay the price. Thanks to some super cute but unfortunately uncomfortable flats Truett let me borrow, I earned the blisters of the century. They were totally worth it. And thanks to an 8 buck Payless purchase, they are happily freed in my new, kinda ugly flip flops.
The Kennedy Center is stunning. It is enormous, grand, and lavish. There are a million performance spaces, fountains, and quotes everywhere of famous people discussing how wonderful art is. I was both in awe and at home. Follies was beautiful—but it was mostly so phenomenal to be in the space and be seeing that many Broadway legends on one stage. Pretty phenomenal.
The next day, Truett and I walked the city. (There isn't a better way to acquaint yourself with a city than by walking it, you know?) We had entirely too much fun. We went to the eastern market and grabbed some farmers-markety lunch, strolled around that gorgeous neighborhood, walked to the Capitol and National Mall, did some cartwheels, and headed to the bus station.
I'm actually kind of glad I didn't visit D.C. as a 6th or 8th grader—I wouldn't have nearly the same kind of appreciation as I do now. Goodness knows I would've been preoccupied with flirting with some boy or feeling awkward about my outfit and not at all paying attention to the city that runs our nation. As a 21 year old who has actually now been able to vote and care about who resides in these buildings, I was quite in awe of them.
After our tour of the monuments/buildings/neighborhoods of D.C., we headed to the bus station. For the first time ever, I was sad to be going to New York City. I have never had that feeling before. The bus was quite an experience. We only paid $20, and let me tell you: we got what we paid for. Our bus driver was truly bizarre and most unhappy to be doing his job. He got especially perturbed by traffic. After getting lost a couple of times, some weird detours, and 6 hours, we arrived in the Big Bad Apple. (As we got off the bus, he exclaimed to us, “Man! That was pretty good, right? You wouldn't even have known I had never driven a bus before!”)
….jaw drops. And it suddenly all makes sense.
In NYC, we met up with my dear friend who is letting us stay with them, went out, came home, and got some much needed sleep. The next day (yesterday), we met up with my friend Kristin. We went to Whole Foods, packed ourselves picnics, and laid out in the grass in Sheep's Meadow in Central Park. It was beautiful. We then waited in line for three hours for Book of Mormon standing room tickets, lost, and split up in a mad frenzy to find cheap tickets to a show with only 30 minutes before shows started. Normal Heart? No go. How to Succeed? No go. Jerusalem? No go. Sister Act? General Rush. Done. Was it silly and stupid? Yes. Did I enjoy myself ridiculous amounts? Absolutely. It was a total blast and Patina Miller is so talented it's stupid. And Victoria Clark....I mean, isn't she always brilliant?
I then met up with my high school bestie, Bayla, one of her Jew crew buddies Marcus, and Kavitha, another high school friend. We explored the Lower East Side and had a magical time. After introducing Truett to the wonder of cheap, delicious Amadeus pizza, we called it a night.
So, here I am now, sitting alone on the B train downtown towards Brighton Beach listening to “I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City.” I am surrounded by people who look nothing like me all headed to a hundred wonderful places around this island. I am so incredibly happy.
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