Snakes

Short version at the end.

Okay, so here's a long summary of the trip:

Started off in LAX, and I really hate that airport. Even setting aside from the obnoxiously long security lines and absurd volume of travelers, it just looks and feels bland. Luckily, I flew Virgin America, which meant I flew out of Terminal 3 instead of the main terminal for a nice change of pace. Lines were much shorter, but I got there super-early and the only option to eat in that terminal is this really awful sandwich stand, Starbucks and a Burger King. So it goes.

The flight actually didn't suck for a change. I'm so used to flying Southwest and other major airlines that Virgin America's plane blew my mind. Every seat had a television that also functioned as a way to order food/drinks without having to use a call button or anything of that nature. You could pay by card right there, WiFi was absolutely free, and the music/movie/tv selection actually didn't suck. Sweet.

Got to DC, met with my old roommate and got a good buzz going before passing out to get an early start while she went to work Friday. Checked out the Smithsonian museums (mostly Air and Space/Natural History) and took a gander at the memorials before meeting up with her to go to a highly-recommended bar called Church Key. Fantastic food and epic beer selection, which meant I could do 4 oz. samplers the entire night (though I only did it for the first couple of drinks) and try lots of beer that I've never gotten to before. Got super-drunk, went back to the apartment, we played some Doom and then I passed out on the air mattress while she watched Game of Thrones. Pretty typical way for us to end a night, TBH.

Saturday brought her friend's birthday party in Maryland, about 2 hours from D.C. Bought a couple of sixers of (Belgian IPA and regular IPA, Flying Dog(?) brewery) met a lot of really cool people and incredibly drunk. One girl bit my arm hard enough to bruise it, definitely chilled in a hot tub, memory goes a bit shady here as someone wanted to drink me under the table, but was also about 70 lbs. lighter than me and female. She had incredible tolerance for her size, but wasn't nearly as drunk as I was when we started (most of my beers are gone at that point). Think she won, regardless.

Had a major hangover Sunday, but Korean BBQ fixed that almost instantly. Pretty eventless day, though I did hang out with the same people for a good while before heading back to D.C., which brought on a bunch of ridiculously silly moments (I rode with 3 girls who pretty much love Asian cultures, so you know what kind of people they are), and a car ride in which Toxcicity and I Get Wet both got played at loud volumes. Of course, they all love karaoke, so singing long in as comedic fashion as possible was mandatory. These are the kind of people I like to listen to that sort of music with. Got back to the apartment after a long metrolink ride, got some delicious Peruvian chicken for dinner (incredibly juicy, meat you could use a fork to separate from bone, etc.). I could do a whole blog on the food I ate, but will pass on that. Played a lot more Doom and drink a couple more beers before finally calling it a weekend.

Dulles was a pretty good airport and easily accessible thanks to great public transportation in D.C. (something L.A. seriously lacks). No line at the check-in, friendly TSA people, though the full-body scanners that Dulles uses feel remarkably invasive no matter how many signs try to reassure you otherwise. Terminal B has great food selection, including Five Guys. They also have free WiFi, so I could pass the free time I had quickly. All-in-all, it was an entirely painless process.

TL:DR - Great food, great beer, great people, great museums, great flight. Best vacation I've ever taken (perhaps in-part because I went on a true vacation by myself for the first time since high school). 5 days just didn't last long enough.

sounds like a lot of merrymaking was had and with a great crowd of fun peeps. I love karaoke and general debauchery. Did you eat peanuts between beer tasting or is there another way to cleanse the palette before trying a different beer? If I am ever in DC I'll have to check out that bar.

Hellbent said:

sounds like a lot of merrymaking was had and with a great crowd of fun peeps. I love karaoke and general debauchery. Did you eat peanuts between beer tasting or is there another way to cleanse the palette before trying a different beer? If I am ever in DC I'll have to check out that bar.

Crackers, actually. Anything of that variety does an acceptable job of cleansing the palate. If you ever wind up going, I recommend you purchase the disco fries.

Oh God... those disco friesssssssssss