Old Town Alexandria Christmas

Every year around this time we always take a drive to Old Town, Alexandria. Aside from that we drive in about every month or so for a morning walk since we moved to northern Virginia almost five years ago. Many years ago we stayed in Old Town for Christmas because we were visiting family who lived in the area. That was before we moved to Capitol Hill seventeen years ago and Old Town became a favorite lunch destination. We love walking along the waterfront, and then return to the car via the beautiful historic streets. All of the townhouses and row houses are lovely. And they are decorated so nicely for Christmas. One can only imagine what has gone on in this place. George Washington had a home here along with so many other prominent figures. So it’s a treat to meander down the sidewalks and cobblestones and get a glimpse of time gone by. And at Christmas time it is worth the visit. 

Christmas Eve Day in Georgetown

Since it was too cold to walk outside yesterday we took a turn in the condo garage. It takes about eight times around the three story structure to reach two miles. But it is rather dreary! We always like to take a short ride after the walk but decided to wait until later in the day to see if it would warm up at least a little bit. The sun was brilliant so it seemed better than what it actually was. And since we were getting anxious from being cooped up we decided to give it a whirl. We started out heading in the direction we usually take on a Saturday. But rather than turn right towards Arlington we took the bridge over the Potomac river and drove to Georgetown - a place we haven’t been to for quite some time. There were plenty enough people milling about on M Street - including the Grinch with a big red bag slung over his shoulder. We turned down Wisconsin avenue and saw Martin’s Tavern - famous for the “famous” people who frequented it. We have been there several times for brunch. I actually got my first pair of glasses in DC at Georgetown Optical. The overall vibe always felt like a tourist trap to me, but it is definitely worth seeing. It has all the inconveniences of Capitol Hill which we are all too familiar with. The homes are really lovely but impractical, and obviously much more expensive than we could ever afford. And of course you can’t leave town without checking out the steps made famous in the Exorcist movie where M street and the Key Bridge meet. After that we drove through thee  Palisades down to Clara Barton’s house, then turned around and started home. It was nice way to break up the day since we don’t have any plans to see anyone this weekend. Holidays can be a two edged sword - some are better than others. 

Christmas in DC

It’s too cold to take a morning walk on the National mall. It feels more like Wisconsin than Virginia. That’s one of the reasons we escaped from the Midwest sixteen years ago. Today we walked in the condo garage just to get in at least some exercise. But over the last few weeks we have visited Capitol Hill to take in the Christmas decorations. We lived there for thirteen years and have visited many of the same places so many times before. Even before we moved to DC we visited those same places. So today’s blog is a compilation of images of some of our favorite spots. The Christmas trains at the US Botanic Gardens are always a treat along with the monuments made out of plant material in the main conservatory. Believe it or not the gardeners are still planting winter pansies around the Bartholdi fountain in these cold temperatures. Of course the Capitol Christmas tree is a favorite. We haven’t had a chance to see it at night yet - maybe before New Year. At the Smithsonian gardens there are always decorated fountains and Santa’s made of greens. Inside the castle is another tree in the main lobby. Near the White House are the tin soldiers at the entrance of the mainstay Old Ebbitt’s Grill. At the White House is the White House Christmas tree and the Menorah. All of the states and territories also have their own trees surrounding the main one. The White House and executive office building have wreaths and garlands. We had so many delightful strolls this holiday season. It’s hard to believe we can still enjoy all of the seasonal sights. But for today looking at the photos is about the best we can do. Merry Christmas!