The District got its first snow storm of the season today and my dogs have two completely different opinions on the slushy mix.
The District got its first snow storm of the season today and my dogs have two completely different opinions on the slushy mix.
It’s fall in Washington, D.C. and it looks like my neighbors are trying to squeeze in as much sunlight as possible during the afternoons.
Halloween may have been a bust this year, but the High Heel Race was as fabulous as ever. I attended a hilarious house party, saw some great costumes, and got to meet some very interesting people.
I’m used to seeing Trump-related graffiti around town, but Brett Kavanaugh is the new street art muse lately.
We stumbled upon a cultural festival this weekend while walking the dogs along the National Mall.
The festival is Fiesta DC — a Latino festival which features a parade of people dressed in the traditional costumes of various countries. We haven’t attempted to keep up with all of the events going on the National Mall and the Capital One Arena, so everyday is a surprise.
Ingrid, the labradoodle, is on high-alert during our evening dog walks now. She’s not worried about potential muggers or prowlers, but instead focused on hunting rats.
One unexpected challenge of walking the dogs in Chinatown is the massive rat population in our neighborhood. The parks are filled with rat burrows and the prancing creatures are a big distraction for Ingrid.
I first realized that D.C. has a rat problem one night when we decided to take a shortcut through an alleyway behind several restaurants near Logan Circle. The alleyway was crawling with rodents that were completely unfazed by our presence. The rats darted from corners and swung from trashcans.
It was the wrong type of party to be at.
I got out of the office around 10 p.m. after an all-day meeting to find a tempest outside. I was completely soaked by the time that I got home — so much so that our front desk attendant refused to give me a package until I went upstairs and put on some dry clothes.
The rain continued throughout the weekend, but that did not stop us from going outside. We took an extended walk along the National Mall, wherein we and the dogs got drenched.
Afterward there was a meandering journey to find a lunch, where we got drenched again.
While walking the dogs through Chinatown and Judiciary Square this morning, I notice that someone trashed the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. A large binder containing officer names is ripped apart and the pages blanket the southern part of the memorial.
I reflexively take out my phone to Instagram the petty vandalism, but I immediately realize that I should take some responsibility over my new neighborhood and just clean up the damn mess. The wind hasn’t picked up most of the pages yet, so it’s better for me to handle this rather than waiting for the Park Service to show up.
I tie up the dogs and get to work.
It’s LL.M. orientation week. Last year, I was in the audience listening to alumni give study and job search advice. This year, I am on the same stage talking to a new crop of students.
I don’t get through all of my rehearsed talking-points, but I do manage to avoid saying anything stupid or outrageous. I repeatedly cautioned the students that securing a job offer from an externship is completely dumb luck on my part. But I probably sound like a lottery winner explaining that buying Powerball tickets is foolish.
My best piece of advice is: “Remember that massive book of information that the career office gave you? Actually read that and follow the instructions.”
If just one student uses that advice, then the panel was worth it.
I somehow stumbled into a time warp after moving to D.C. — my workdays are packed and the weeks move by at a surprisingly fast clip. I frequently find myself glancing at my computer clock at work and wondering “How the hell is it 7 p.m. already?”
It’s Saturday, it’s muggy, and I am at a sketchy public auto auction house in an unfamiliar part of Washington D.C.
There’s a bizarre cast of characters, and (obviously) a ton of cars. An older gentleman is walking around with a cane, cursing because I couldn’t sell him my car.
What in the hell did I get myself into?
Having a Holiday in the middle of the week was unusual. The office closed early on Tuesday, which really just meant that the support staff went home early — the associates stayed as late as usual.
After work, I went to drag queen bingo at Shaw’s Tavern with Michael, Brody and Krystal. The host gave out a ton of prizes — half the time the people next to the bingo winner would get a prize as well.
Despite the generous prizes, going to drag bingo after a 12-hour workday was a poor choice. I was exhausted and totally unprepared for the shitfaced rowdy crowd. I felt like running out of the place after bingo ended.
I was in better shape Wednesday morning when we regrouped for brunch at Oz Arlington. This was our first brunch in Arlington since moving to D.C., and I now realize why D.C. people think that Arlington is such a haul from the city.
I guess I’m spoiled with my $8 Uber rides already.
Moving is always an irritating experience for me because I have to confront all of my past bad purchases. However, this move was easier than most.
We were adults and hired movers. Getting out of the Virginia apartment did take a while however because of the sheer size of the building (long hallways, etc.) and the perpetual weekend traffic jam on the bridges connecting Virginia to Washington D.C.
There was a scene on a recent episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race where one of the contestants (Kameron Michaels) does extremely well in the challenge, but still prepares for the elimination lip sync just in case she is in the bottom 2 that week.
The other contestants scold Kameron for not enjoying her success, but Kameron says that she’s not the type to prematurely celebrate achievements.
While the people around me celebrated finishing tests and reaching milestones, I preoccupied myself with contingency plans.
Even when I did accomplish goals, I still ran through worst-case scenarios and planned for what would come next. Passed the bar – What if I failed the MPRE? Got a job offer – What if it’s rescinded? Finished finals – What if I failed Partnership Taxation?
It’s felt like spring in Washington D.C. for a while now. We’ve had warm temperatures, cherry blossoms, and green grass.
Maybe winter in D.C. isn’t so bad after all…
I was in an Uber ride through an unfamiliar part of Washington D.C. one evening when I saw a massive dome in the distance. It definitely wasn’t the U.S. Capitol building or the National Cathedral, and I couldn’t think of any other landmark that was so immense.
A week later, I decided to explore and made my way to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This mouthful of a monument is apparently the largest Catholic Church in the U.S. and the second-largest in North America after the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
I am at a rooftop bar on U-Street when one of our friends introduces us to his ex, Jack. We have the obligatory “I hate asking what people do, but…” exchange, and then Jack excitedly tells us about how much U-Street has changed over the years.
Jack: “It has really gentrified. You know, the only gay bar around here was Nellies – can you imagine? I bought my place around the corner from here 10 years ago and the area was rough.”
Me: “So I’ve heard.”
Jack: “I love how much stuff we have here now. What a remarkable change! You know, if you stay in D.C. you should really buy. It was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made!”
We talk about how expensive real estate is in D.C. (it’s ridiculous.) Jack says that there are still many “up-and-coming” neighborhoods, and rattles off some names that I have never heard of.
I then tell Jack the story of my coworker from Dallas who bought a house in an “up-and-coming” neighborhood that never gentrified, so he just lives in the hood and has to ward off stray dogs and drug dealers from his property.
Jack: “Unlike Dallas, The District has a limited amount of space. The gentrification will happen. Plus, the neighborhoods are pretty safe, although I did get held up at gunpoint by my place last year…”
Everyone in our group exchanges horrified looks as Jack launches into his “when I got pistol-whipped in front of my townhome” story.
We explored Southwest Washington D.C. for the first time this weekend and came across this funky multicolored church.
The former Baptist church is now Blind Whino, a nonprofit art gallery and performance venue. It was free to look around, and there were several cool art installations.
The garden is in a building next to the U.S. Capitol and doesn’t charge admission, so I took a quick tour of the place earlier this week.
Although the U.S. Botanic Garden isn’t as beautiful or impressive as the Dallas World Aquarium, it was still a pleasant visit. The entire time I kept thinking, “My grandmother would love this place.”
We braved the rain for dog walks, bowling, happy hour, and of course, study spots. The rain also coincided with a nice warm-up, which made things much more comfortable, albeit a little soggy.