independent

i celebrated the nation's birthday in the nation's capital thusly.

(and i apologize in advance for the total lack of pictures. i am feeling a little self-conscious these days about taking pictures of everything. like, i don't want to be the crazy new girl with the camera all the time. but, for you, i'll try to get over it.)

1. no work friday!

2. rode the mt. vernon trail. the mt. vernon trail takes you to, well, mt. vernon (natch), home of one george washington, who is pretty popular 'round these parts. the mt. vernon trail also takes you to near starvation if, for some reason, you think it is only 25 miles round trip instead of nearly 40 and don't bring any extra food. riding on the banks of the potomac, past all the monuments and through enchanted forest offers nearly full compensation.

3. ck came to town! i have missed her so. (and i know she is a good friend because she didn't even get a little bit mad that i got lost on the way to every place i took her. every single one.)

4. sleeping in!

5. kayaked on the potomac with emily and co. amazingly, renting a kayak (on the potomac) is cheaper than a movie and about 1 billion times more fun. weather was perfect, view was stunning, drunk boaters were minimal. ck and i did some paddling, but mostly floating. perfection.

6. took my first trip to georgetown cupcake, a local dessert hot spot. (even owen wilson has been spotted there recently. for reals.) i ate two cupcakes on the spot. (lemon berry and chocolate coconut, for those inquiring minds out there.) perfection. and totally worth waiting in the out-the-door line.

7. barbecue at kemmit's. good food, good people, good conversation. minimal mosquito attacks.

8. fireworks at the base of the washington monument. stunning. they were so close it felt like you could reach out and grab a sparkle. the reflecting pool and lincoln memorial in the background made even me swell with patriotic pride. the over-the-top security did not. neither did the jam-packed metro ride home.

9. dinner party for ck. my first at the bennett homestead, d.c. edition. (bob and joyce were out of town so a sunday afternoon rager seemed in order.) good food (homemade ice cream!), good people, good conversation. no mosquito attacks.

in short, a capital fourth in the capital.

the only thing that could possibly have made it better was a little of grandma's potato salad.