Inauguration Day 2013
Since we're in the D.C. area and got the day off anyways, we figured we sure head on down to the Mall to watch the Inauguration ceremony. No, we didn't have any of the tickets to get access to the better viewing locations, but it would feel more like we were watching it in person if we were toughing out the cold with two kids in a mass of people rather than taking the easy road and watching it live in HD on our TV at home.
Fortunately, we had received the Baby Jogger POD
for Christmas, and we were took it to the inauguration for an inaugural run. Since it can carry two kids and plenty of supplies, it's like a little urban assault vehicle. Because the Metro access was limited, it was most practical for us to walk from Arlington Cemetery across the bridge to the Lincoln Memorial. And even though it was MLK day, we had to pass on visiting that monument because it was on the south side of the mall and we were headed north.
By the time we got to the Washington Monument, the eastern portion of the Mall was already at capacity so we ended up watching it on a big screen TV the size of a truck trailer. Which was all well and good until the audio & video started messing up. Believe me when I say that "Battle Hymn of the Republic" sounded like cats wailing, because everything was out of sync.
After that, we walked around the parade route, then down to where we watched the parade. A lady next to me had her camera on a monopod and was holding it up over the fence, which seemed like a pretty clever idea...until the police came over to ask her to put it down. Apparently, she was spotted by guy in tower and he was watching the whole thing play out through his high-power binoculars. I did get to see the back of President Obama during the brief period where he got out of the car and walked along the parade route. So, yeah, you can see how security might freak out a little bit more.
We stopped at a new place called the White Apron for dinner. They had Pelligrino sodas, complementary still & sparkling water. I told our older daughter that the soda machine was out of soda and the sparkling water was all it had left. The staff at White Apron also gave her a delicious caramel for dessert. After dinner, we found our way to the metro and the easy ride home. So glad we didn't have to drive through DC on inauguration day, as the city was still mostly shut down before we got home.
Fortunately, we had received the Baby Jogger POD
for Christmas, and we were took it to the inauguration for an inaugural run. Since it can carry two kids and plenty of supplies, it's like a little urban assault vehicle. Because the Metro access was limited, it was most practical for us to walk from Arlington Cemetery across the bridge to the Lincoln Memorial. And even though it was MLK day, we had to pass on visiting that monument because it was on the south side of the mall and we were headed north. By the time we got to the Washington Monument, the eastern portion of the Mall was already at capacity so we ended up watching it on a big screen TV the size of a truck trailer. Which was all well and good until the audio & video started messing up. Believe me when I say that "Battle Hymn of the Republic" sounded like cats wailing, because everything was out of sync.
After that, we walked around the parade route, then down to where we watched the parade. A lady next to me had her camera on a monopod and was holding it up over the fence, which seemed like a pretty clever idea...until the police came over to ask her to put it down. Apparently, she was spotted by guy in tower and he was watching the whole thing play out through his high-power binoculars. I did get to see the back of President Obama during the brief period where he got out of the car and walked along the parade route. So, yeah, you can see how security might freak out a little bit more.
We stopped at a new place called the White Apron for dinner. They had Pelligrino sodas, complementary still & sparkling water. I told our older daughter that the soda machine was out of soda and the sparkling water was all it had left. The staff at White Apron also gave her a delicious caramel for dessert. After dinner, we found our way to the metro and the easy ride home. So glad we didn't have to drive through DC on inauguration day, as the city was still mostly shut down before we got home.
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