Beach Birthday

For my birthday, we rented a car and took a road trip down to Virginia Beach for the day.

Before we got there, we stopped at this downtown Newport News park.  The Panda said this was a battleship.  I didn't believe him.

The ugly pile of coal (I think) that was being loaded or unloaded on the waterfront.  I forget we live in coal country.

On the boardwalk - Virginia Beach.  Holding up the turtle at the Neptune statue.

The pretty Atlantic Ocean.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel that connects Virginia to Maryland...

...like this.  A crazy string of alternating bridges and tunnels.  It cost $12 to cross.

On the far right and far left you can see the bridges.  Between, under water, is the tunnel.  Or one of multiple tunnels.  This bridge, tunnel thing is crazy long.  And a little bit frightening, if you stop to think about it while descending into one of the tunnels.

Rural Maryland sunset.  Almost to Annapolis, then home.

Beautiful birthday flowers that my Panda had delivered special on Sunday.

Kite Flying

The blossoms are long gone, but the festival must go on!  It is the 100 year anniversary after all.  The festival event I had planned for us this weekend was the kite festival.  Even without blossoms to see, there were plenty of things for the tourists to do -- like rent out all the paddleboats at the tidal basin.

Last year it snowed the morning of the kite festival.  This year it was much more pleasant.

Many more people and many more kites.

Looking toward Lincoln Memorial - all the dots in the sky are kites.

The trick and competitive kiting station.  Yes, flying a kite can be turned into a competition.

Looking back toward the Capitol.

One of the only stands of pink blossoms that is near the tidal basin.  It was crowded with babies and couples and grandmas getting their picture taken.

This tree is right near our house and is not a cherry, but the blossoms are crazy cool.  The branches and trunk are covered with these little blossom poofs.

Cupcake Tasting

The Panda's cousin was in town.  She wanted to go cupcake tasting, professional research, and I was an all too willing participant.  First stop - Red Velvet Cupcakery.

Oh so good.  My fave was the yellow birthday cake with chocolate ganache on top.

Next stop:  Sprinkles in Georgetown.

They had cute t-shirts.  And this marshmallow filled chocolate delight.

We also tried the cherry blossom special - with fresh cherries and another lemony flavor.

Resting our feet on a bench, with some icy drinks and more cupcakes.  These were from my previous favorite - Baked and Wired.

Lastly, we went to a new shop, the Sweet Lobby, recommended to us by the first shop owner.  A sibling pair from MIT that decided to go into the cupcake business.  They successfully unseated Baked & Wired as my favorite shop.  All of them were delicious, but my favorite was the bottom right - sweet potato cupcake with toasted marshmallow top.

Blossom Aftermath

We had beautiful, warm, sunny weather last week that brought all the blossoms bursting forth.

Then we had two days of stormy, windy, rainy weather.  By Monday, most of the blossoms were no longer in the trees; instead they were blossom rafts floating around the edges of the tidal basin.

There were still a few of the pink blossoms that were just starting to peak out.  The tourists wandering with vacant expressions in search of blossoms were swarming these few trees.

Alas, most of the blossoms were floating.

Tourists, tourists everywhere, but nary a blossom to pose in front of.

A poofy pink dress photo shoot.  Probably blossom related, right?

So the little tulip garden was packed. 

Finished Bridge

On the way...the cherry blossoms outside Nationals stadium.

I walk through the Yards park pretty frequently.  They have been working on this bridge connecting the stadium over to the park for quite awhile.  It's finally done!  Lovely and wide, it's a shame how few people I encounter while crossing it.

Projection

I met the Panda for friday night dinner out.  On our walk home across the mall, we came across this projection on the exterior of the Hirshorn Gallery.  It was a bunch of different people singing "I Only Have Eyes For You" in different settings - like in their car, in a truck stop, etc.  We happened upon it on its second night, but it will be playing into May from sunset to midnight.

It was pretty cool to watch.  But also fun to be part of a spontaneous crowd that was staring up from the darkness of the mall, equally mesmerized.

Blossom Picnic

As the blossoms began winding down, we decided a picnic under them was in order.  Waterfront sunset on the walk over to meet the Panda for picnic blossom dinner.

A muted pink sunset at the basin.

Looking across to the cherry trees along the opposite side.

Then evening fell.

The Panda holding down our picnic spot on the steps, with the hundreds of other tourists.

Enjoying the view.