Pete’s, Royal, and McLean Family Restaurant Breakfast

Since getting plantar fasciitis almost two months ago it has put a real crimp in our routine. Since the exercises and the splints and the ice rolls weren’t doing the trick I decided to stop walking for a week. That meant our daily two mile morning walk came to an end. Aside from that my husband has been experiencing issues that require doctor visits and tests at the outpatient facility. So rather than make breakfast after having a CT scan, we went to our favorite breakfast place McLean Family Restaurant on Monday. Then we decided to take a ride to Old Town Alexandria on Wednesday and sat by the waterfront for a bit. Then we headed to Royal, another favorite breakfast place afterwards. Then our grandson - who is finishing up his internship and staying in a basement apartment in our old Capitol Hill neighborhood - said he was free for lunch. So yesterday we drove in to DC, parked in our old neighborhood, saw his apartment, then walked over to another one of our favorite breakfast places - Pete’s - right across from the Library of Congress where I used to work. We hadn’t been there since we moved to Northern Virginia five years ago but the owner still recognized us and we had a nice chat. So all I have been doing is eating and putting on weight which is the last thing I want to do. We absolutely enjoyed our breakfasts at each of our favorite spots - but not all in one week!! I need to start walking again!

Return to McLean Family Restaurant After Three Years

I’m not going to say that we moved to northern Virginia for this reason, but we used to drive every Saturday from

Capitol Hill to McLean Family Restaurant for breakfast. Afterwards we did our grocery shopping and drove back home. It was a ritual. We even gave Christmas cards to our favorite staff. So when we finally did move to northern Virginia over four years ago we really liked the idea of walking to the restaurant rather than driving when we could. We knew everyone at this restaurant and they had the coffee on the table before we even sat down. Then the pandemic came and we hadn’t been back for over three years - until yesterday. We finally decided that it was time to go back for breakfast, but this time it was during the week and not the weekend. The cashier was the same, but everyone else had changed over except for two wait staff. We were seated in a usual spot and it took a minute to remember what we used to order. But it didn’t take long to remember, including some soup of the day. After a bit we started chatting with the wait staff that was one of the few remaining. It was so nice to see a familiar face. While checking out we told the cashier we hadn’t been in for over three years and he claimed to remember us. He said he hoped it would not be another three years for our next visit. So many restaurants have closed so it’s nice to know this one survived. We are happy to continue to support it. It’s just one of those things. 

Snowing in Washington DC

As is the case every Saturday, we drive to McLean Virginia. We have breakfast at McLean Family Restaurant and then go grocery shopping at the Safeway across the street. They know us so well at the restaurant we hardly need to order! So today our typical twenty minute ride looked very different than the many we have taken over the last several months. It was snowing this morning and everything was grey and dreary compared to sunny and golden just a week ago. Having moved to DC from the Midwest eleven years ago we certainly are quite familiar with this white stuff. But it was one of the main reasons we left that cold and frigid place. I really don't like it - especially if you need to be somewhere. I suppose now that I am retired it would be different living in ice and snow - particularly when we think of all the wonderful people we know there. It makes our hearts warm just remembering them all! But all it takes is one little slip on the ice. The only thing that's remotely nice is that it looks pretty sitting inside the warm house and makes the holiday more meaningful at this time of year. But I'll take the sunshine and warm temperatures any day. 

The Not So Golden Arches

All around Washington are bridges that have a similar style. It is probably not that much different in other places, but I don't remember seeing these arches in Milwaukee. As usual we went for breakfast at our favorite place in McLean - McLean Family Restaurant. The drive there takes us along the George Washington Parkway. At any time of year it is a beautiful path, and more particularly at this time of year when the leaves shine against the bright blue sky backdrop. Passing through Arlington, Georgetown, Spout Run on the way over and then back through Independence Avenue on the way home, one passes under several arched bridges. I wanted to take an even further ride out towards Mount Vernon where there are more of these architectural gems along the way,  it we opted rather to get home and take a brisk walk around the Captiol Building. As for those other Golden Arches, I like those just as much. And when people say they prefer not to go to Macs, I don't believe a word of it. 

McLean Family Restaurant, Newt, and Chicken Soup

We were away last weekend so we were looking forward to our routine Saturday breakfast outing to the McLean Family Restaurant. We've been going there consistently over the last year. It's a great drive down the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and we like the atmosphere. Everyone knows us well enough that the coffee and tomato juice arrive as soon as we sit down. It's not unusual to see well known folks hanging out there. Today Newt Gingrich was sitting with some guy instead of Callista and several people stopped at his table to wish him a Merry Christmas. The place reminds us of Ma Fisher's in Milwaukee, a typical Greek establishment. We tend to bring our out of town guests there for a kick. My husband and I both love the chicken soup. Afterwards we planned to go to the grocery store and the wine shop, but the traffic and activity was a bit too much. After all it is the last weekend to get whatever you need for Christmas, but we just weren't that desperate. So we came home and plan to enjoy the rest of this wonderfully warm day in DC. It sure beats the cold and ice in Milwaukee, which was the best reason to move - even if it's Christmas.