Washington, DC - Trains and The Mall

Finally, it is time I wrote about my trip to Washington, DC in late July. Yes, if I am only writing about this now, imagine what other things I have failed to talk about in the past month or so! It is a disgrace, I know, but fortunately, grace exists as does forgiveness and understanding...right?

Aaron lived in DC for the summer while he was an intern at the Cato Institute. Given that I had not been to DC since junior high and this was my only chance for a "vacation" over the summer, I snatched up the opportunity. In speaking to a friend at church, she reminded me of a method of travel oft forgot - trains! I researched a little, did some number crunching and discovered that, were I to purchase a train ticket to DC a month in advance before the ticket costs went up, it would be cheaper for me to get to DC by train than car. Hmm...riding on a train, where someone else has to worry about directions and I can read or driving my car, trying to convince myself I really am driving to DC and not Kentucky? The choice was simple. And a fun one, at that. I think the ride ended up being about an hour longer than a drive would take, but it was worth it.

Both reading and watching Virginia go by through the window of the train was a pleasant experience. The people on the train were quite diverse - I sat next to a school teacher; across from me sat two men in their 40s or 50s, brothers taking a vacation together (they were on my train coming back as well); families going to reunions; Marines going on weekend leave from Quantico.

Upon reaching DC, Aaron and I found one another and decided to walk around the National Mall before meeting some of his friends for desserts later that evening. It was a nice walk, but a little heavy given I was carrying my suitcase/backpack with me, and he carrying his computer bag. I think the views made the load worth it - DC at sunset, what a sight.



We were able to see the Capitol Building, White House, Jefferson Memorial, and a bunch of random statues (Pershing, Sherman, Hamilton) before dining on some creme brulee and s'mores cake. Our feet hurt, we probably did not smell like roses, and it was time to sleep. On the Metro we went and out it spat us near Aaron's attic for the summer. Yes, attic. Aaron and one of his longtime friends who was also in DC for an internship rented a lady's attic for the summer. An attic without central air, on the third floor of an antique house, complete with creaky floorboards, bugs and a bathroom that smelled like black mold would smell, I imagine. It was an experience, both for me in my short time there, and for Aaron over the summer. Everyone quickly fell asleep in their respective beds and air mattresses, gathering energy for the grand trek of DC tomorrow.

The Once and Future King

On my recent by-train trip to Washington, D.C. (details coming soon) I decided that The Jungle is not appropriate reading on a train. Watching people eat hamburgers while reading about how hamburgers were made at one time does not make for comfortable reading. So, I turned to my bookshelves for a remedy and I rediscovered a wonderful book, The Once and Future King.

I first was introduced to this book at the very beginning of 9th grade; it was the first book I read as a new high schooler at a new school. The book is actually comprised of four smaller books, and my class only read the first two - book one focused on King Arthur in his youth (think the adventures in The Sword in the Stone) and book two focused on Arthur's half-sister's family. I had always intended to finish the book, but would start and stop repeatedly over Christmas breaks.

This book is wonderful. I think it has about everything a person could want in a book - murder, politics, intrigue, fights, fantasy, sociology, history, romance, ethics, betrayal - it appeals to just about everyone, male or female, young or old. The story following Arthur as he goes from being Wart the kitchen boy to King Arthur of England. Merlyn teaches Wart about how different governments and societies work by transforming Arthur into an ant, badger, goose, fish and other creatures. In each society, he learns the pros and cons of most main types of societies - monarchical, democratic, dictatorship, communist, etc. Of course, Arthur does not see that Merlyn is teaching him these things; he only sees them as great adventures or school lessons.

As Arthur becomes king and begins building his Round Table, he is faced with the question of whether people who are raised in an "evil" culture are, by their nature, evil. Or can they be reshaped to do good? This is most clearly seen in his dealings with his half-sister and nephews, who were raised to be jealous, violent and possessive people. They are of the mind that "might makes right" while Arthur believes that power through force only leads to greater dissension. And so, he attempts to lead fairly and justly, as a husband, friend, diplomat and warrior. Does Arthur's ideal society work? Is he able to treat everyone equal and fair, without bias? I guess you will have to read the book. Sure, it may be a little long (about 650 pages), but the moment you finish, you will want to turn back to page one and begin it again.

Olympics are here!

...and I could not be happier. I have always loved watching the sports, no matter how mainstream or obscure. Thus far, I have watched: fencing, beach volleyball, soccer, swimming, beach volleyball, cycling road race, gymnastics, equestrian, and water polo. Favorite event so far this year? Far and away is swimming, because it looks like something anyone could do, but then I realize just how freakin' fast they are going. Speaking of...

Men's 4x100 relay. Holy. Moley. Did you see this? Please say you saw this. I stayed up until midnight watching it and rewatching it. I have never seen such a grand display of athleticism from so many people in such a short amount of time. Not only is it impressive that the U.S. won by a fingertip (literally), but then to hear via the announcers that, though the U.S. broke the world record (obliterate is more like it), so did the 2nd through 5th place teams. That is 20 men swimming faster than ever before. It is in these moments when I think the Olympic spirit shows in full force, because it is not solely about who took the gold; it is about a group of men or women pushing one another to new heights and lengths physically. In the words of Morgan Freeman on the Visa commercial - Go world.

Insectile Carnage!

This article had a coworker and me in stitches. While I respect those who choose to be vegans, this commentary on whether honey is vegan or not points out how ridiculous/difficult it can be to be a hard-line vegan. A sample paragraph...

"The hard-liners argue that beekeeping, like dairy farming, is cruel and exploitative. The bees are forced to construct their honeycombs in racks of removable trays, according to a design that standardizes the size of each hexagonal chamber. (Some say the more chaotic combs found in the wild are less vulnerable to parasitic mites.) Queens are imprisoned in certain parts of the hive, while colonies are split to increase production and sprinkled with prophylactic antibiotics. In the meantime, keepers control the animals by pumping their hives full of smoke, which masks the scent of their alarm pheromones and keeps them from defending their honey stores. And some say the bees aren't making the honey for us, so its removal from the hive could be construed as a form of theft. (Last year's animated feature, Bee Movie, imagined the legal implications of this idea.)"

When cakes go horribly wrong...

Click the picture below and prepare for uncontrollable laughter. A coworker of mine cried with laughter... My favorite cake? It was a tough decision, but I am going with the plaid wedding (?) cake. You'll know it when you see it, and then wish you hadn't.

Brand Loyalty - Kashi

As anyone who has been my cashier or bagger at the grocery store can attest, I like certain brands just a little more than others. Or a lot. Okay, okay, I obsessed with specific brands. And, as a natural progression of said loyalty, I wish to share one brand with you today - Kashi. Kashi is whole grain, organic (at times), all natural food company that makes a variety of products and are known for incorporating "7 Whole Grains" into everything they make. Here are some I have found and loved...

Breakfast

GOLEAN Crunch, in both Honey Almond Flax and Original were my go-to breakfast cereal when I was working in Austin. I would mix some in with yogurt and chow down while reading my work emails and sorting through the to-do's of the day. However, now my breakfast of choice is...




Cinnamon Harvest rocks. By far the best cinnamon cereal I have ever had. And I am not the only one who feels this way. They stay fairly sturdy in milk and do not disintegrate to mush like other shredded wheat cereals can do. The cinnamon flavor is not overpowering or overly sweet. Two spoons up!


Honorable mentions: Blueberry and Strawberry Flax waffles. These were buy one, get one free so I have been munching on them for Saturday breakfasts and they are delicious. I like the blueberry better (even though they lied to me) because there is a little tart that cuts through the syrup. The strawberry waffles are just a tad too sweet with syrup.

Snacks

I eat one of these granola bars for my snack every work day. I switch between the Peanut Peanut Butter and the Cherry Dark Chocolate. The Peanut is crunchier and heartier feeling than the Cherry. The Cherry, on the other hand, has huge dried cherries and mini dark chocolate chips. Should Kashi endeavor to make a Peanut Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate bar, I would be all over that.




Fire Roasted Vegetable crackers are the perfect compliment to hummus. The garlicy hummus plays well against the slight spice from the peppers in the cracker. They are also good with little slices of cheddar, or cheese in general. The Ranch is also great, but made to be eaten alone rather than with dip or a topper.





Country Cheddar is my new obsession. I love love these crackers. They are like Cheese Nips, only a bajillion times better. First off, they actually taste like cheese rather than taste like cheese flavoring. Second, they are flaky and light, not dense and greasy. Third, they have those seven whole grains Kashi manages to get into everything it touches. Fourth, they made a cracker into a cow on the box - what's not to love? Warning: Eater may be tempted to eat whole box and have a decreased desire to share.




I use the Stoneground 7 Grain as a "tray" for my tuna salad. It is not too flavorful, in fact it tastes rather earthy. But its grit and crunch is nice with the fish...or the chicken salad. Whatever.





Lunch/Dinner

I have a Kashi frozen dinner about one lunchtime a week. Usually toward the end of the week when I am too lazy to make a sandwich or ate all my leftovers. I have tried most of the dinners, and my favorites are: Chicken Florentine, Lemon Rosemary Chicken, and Pesto Pasta Primavera. The Black Bean Mango is also good, but it has a bit of a kick, so that is an occasional lunch for this gal.



The Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza is phenomenal. The roasted garlic sauce and crust make the pizza. Chewy but not rubbery; crisp without being crunchy. The chicken is seasoned with something good so it comes out in a bite beside the peppers and garlic. Also good reheated, which I think is the true test of a frozen pizza. Does it turn to a hockey puck upon reheating? The Mediterranean is also good, but not as yummy as the garlic chicken.


I tried the thin crust pizza, too, and it is not as good as the original crust pizzas. The toppings tended to slide off along with the cheese when I bit into a slice. The flavors were not as sharp, and the crust was too crunchy.

Dessert

Oatmeal Dark Chocolate cookies. They are as big as a coaster and you only need one to be satisfied. The chocolate is not hard, but melts in your mouth. The cookie is chewy and hearty and does not fall to pieces after the first bite. These are a once in a blue moon treat for me, and since one cookie is all you need, they last quite some time. Which is a hard thing for cookies to do in my presence.


And, in case you were wondering what those 7 grains are exactly, here you go! They are: oats, hard red winter wheat, rye, barley, triticale, long grain brown rice and buckwheat. Don't you just feel healthier reading that? And to think that you can eat it and it not taste like cardboard or dirt. It is possible with Kashi!

Now, if only Kashi would start making doughnuts...

Rules for Family Reunions

Roland Martin came out with Roland's Rules for the Holidays - Summertime Edition today. While his rules may not all apply to your familial circumstances, I am willing to bet some of them will or you know someone whose family needs these rules. Happy Fourth of July! Eat some grilled meat! (But not hot dogs or hamburgers or portabello mushrooms - Roland says they don't count.)