Running into D.C. celebs during the shutdown

We ran into some political celebrities today.

Michael’s shirt didn’t survive the bowling alley food on Sunday, so we made our way to Union Station after our league finished. We found a suitable (and cheap) replacement shirt at Uniqlo, and then decided to stop at McDonald’s because apparently our diet resolutions don’t apply on weekends.

The Union Station McDonald’s was an unexpectedly strange experience because Kellyanne Conway and her son were sitting at the table next to us.

Kellyanne kept looking around the restaurant to see whether people noticed her. One guy came up to Kellyanne and thanked her for her service, but people mostly ignored her.

Although we posted about our Kellyanne sighting on social media, we decided not to take any photos out of respect. Plus, the architecture of Union Station makes for much more interesting Instagram posts.

The ceiling of the main hall of Union Station.

The statues lining the main hall of Union Station in Washington D.C.

A close-up of the Columbus Fountain in front of Union Station in Washington D.C.

Kellyanne wasn’t our only celebrity sighting today.

Our next stop was the Capitol Building and the National Mall. The government may have shut down on Saturday, but the museums and parks were supposed to be open through Sunday.

We never made it to a museum however, because a woman in front of the Capitol told us that it was open for visitors. Congress is still in session due to the shutdown talks, and the Congressional sessions are open to the public.

The front of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

House of Representatives wing of the U.S. Capitol.

After going through multiple layers of security, we sat in on a speech by Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington). We also saw Tammy Duckworth, Mitch McConnell, and a gaggle of bored pages.

It’s easy to forget that politicians actually work down the street (and eat at McDonald’s, just like the rest of us!) Hopefully the government reopens soon so the Senate gallery isn’t the only open attraction at the National Mall. 🏛️

The front of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

The Senate wing of the U.S. Capitol building.