Washington Awaits

  

    Welcome everyone to the Nation's Capital! My new home! It is only 95 degrees today and the humidity has let up enough so that Brian does not need to take two showers per day.  As I sit here typing to you, my tailbone is more than soar.  It is bruised from spending the last 10 days without furniture, and having to result to hours of sitting on the hardwood floor.  Since I do have to take conference calls and talk to people often on the phone, I need a quiet, personal place to work (not a coffee shop).  So deciding to stay home, I tried leaning against the wall, sitting on cardboard, and Brian even offered me his neck rest which he uses for sleeping on the airplane, that is actually made memory foam.  "A perfect cushion!", I yelled.  "You have been holding out on me!"...but that too didn't ward off the hard floor for much more than a few hours.  I also tried to spend as much time as possible out and about, running errands, eating out, and getting lost while trying to maneuver the many one-way streets of downtown Washington... but again not enough.  Why didn't any of my friends warn me about this?  Has no one else experienced this pain?    

    On some of our many nights trying to avoid our hardwood floor, we did have some great meals, some alright meals, and some quite forgettable. Three of my favorites so far were:...

     Toki Underground.  Toki is an authentic Japanese Ramen house, with some very funny (and entertaining, if you sit at the counter) chefs. 

 It is a hidden spot above an old pub on the H St. corridor, and while it seems hidden, it is well known among the locals.

  

Another exciting spot was Sticky Rice, which is just down the street. I was thoroughly impressed with the freshness of the sushi.  I hate to say it, but I did not have sushi once that fresh during my whole year in Cleveland.  We also had a delicious, crystal clear and refreshing Asian pear Sake.  

  We also managed to stumble upon a great pizza place, after making a run to Costco in Virginia, and again getting a bit lost on the way back into the city.  Red Rocks Firebrick Pizza, in Alexandria, is definitely worth a trip.  The pizzas are very close to authentically Neapolitan, and the toppings are right on.

 They offer mozzarella di bufala, arugula, roasted eggplant, and plenty of options for the meat lovers.  We ordered one with Greek olives, sausage and lots of arugula.  The prices are reasonable and the service was quick.

 I also saw that they have a great happy hour with $5 pizza and wine and beer specials at at the bar.  

   Well, as I am expecting the movers to bring our furniture (finally) tomorrow morning, I have to get to organizing the house and throwing out my paper plates, cutlery, and lastly my cardboard "chair".  I have never been so excited to see my couch...and my pots and pans.