Saturday, May 20
I went to the gym first thing this morning. I've only been rowing since we arrived, no squats or barbells or anything else. It felt great to sweat and push my muscles in a different way. There is strength training on the water here. On Wednesdays, Bob hands out bungee cords to wrap around the hull of the shell. This creates drag and makes the boat very heavy. It takes a lot of muscle and proper technique to move the shell in the water. But I still miss the gym.
After breakfast we headed out. We wanted to see the Hirshhorn, Smithsonian's modern art museum. We visited last year but new exhibits have come up since then. We saw an installation and movie from John Akomfrah, a collection of photography from Chinese artists over the last three decades, and this room installation. I cannot find who the artist is, but I love this piece. It's enveloping, disturbing, and invigorating. Great work, Hirshhorn!
We grabbed some bikes and headed for the Kennedy Center. We have tickets for the matinee of Spamalot. I've never been to a Broadway show and I'm excited to get into one of the theatres at the KC. The show is funny, the sets are insane, and the actors are phenomenal. While I've never been one for musicals, even the songs are great. Wonderful first Broadway experience. Two thumbs up!
We leave the show and head home. On the way, we pass through the Fiesta Asia, a block party with performances, food, and shopping on Pennsylvania. There are several outside parties and events today. It's gorgeous out and the perfect May day for it. We had several things on the agenda to try to pass through, and we got a quick glimpse of this one.
Melanie is having a dinner party at her house and we've been asked to bring some of Mike's homemade wine. We feed the cats and make it over to the south part of Capitol Hill just a few minutes late. Melanie introduces us to Sally and Matt. They met in watersports and also have a love for the river. Melanie has magnificent friends and I'm not surprised that our evening is filled with laughter and great stories. Sally is in charge of the restoration project at the Capitol. We tell her about our tour a couple weeks ago and the Speaker's balcony. Yes, she says, her crew built that balcony to maintain that window to the best view in the city. Dinner is lovely (thanks again, Melanie!) and after lots of wine and laughs, we head out.
Feeling a touch peckish and looking at the map, we see Ledo Pizza on 8th and stop in for a bite. Pizza quest is still in full effect. Ledo is simple interior, no beers, but serving pizza since 1955 so it has to be good. And it is. Thick dough, crispy bottom, and great, stringy cheese. It's messy but delicious. We devour it and walk home. We need the walk now. I'm not at my normal 10k+ steps for the day today, but it's been an exciting and delicious day.