22 inches of snow in D.C? The word etched everywhere in everyone's minds was SnOMG! and it was found all over the nation's capitol. Now, given that I'm from the coasts of the Golden State of California, snow and I aren't well acquainted to begin with- let alone a snowstorm that shuts down a city.
Walking in a winter wonderland was a song, never a reality and so it was as we walked out our door in Georgetown today- everything covered in white, pedestrians taking over the roads, cars blanketed in snow and going nowhere, flurries aflutter and yet Obama still had speeches to make...
Headed to Dupont Circle to catch the red line metro, on a mission to see the frescoes atop the Library of Congress (fingers crossed that they wouldn't be closed).
But first thing's first on a wintery day, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do- catch snowflakes!
The stairs were closed off with yellow cautionary tape but I just followed the plowers to the basement entrance hoping, hopping, slipping and sliding in my cowboy boots. The doors were locked but I turned to see this image and was grateful to be there any way.
The building was ominous and exuding such a sovereign strength in the snow, I felt a deep peace standing at its base and I took a reprieve from the increasing snow dust.
We trudged on, sinking into the deep snow paths making our way to The Mall, as it's called, to find the sights of the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian buildings, the Capitol Building and the White House.
Women on skis, dogs in sweaters running sans leash, kids throwing snowballs and packs of people with make-shift tupperware lid sleds were everywhere!
The sight to be seen were the sledders and snowmen builders on the lawn of the Capitol Building, which had the biggest slant to sled.
I walked, literally, down Pennsylvania Avenue for miles, colder than cold but smiling at the rare treat- this had only been possible in December 2009 and 1922! Where's my horse & buggy now!?
My boots soaked up the sludge and I stopped being able to feel them, so shortly after this moment (and being rushed past the White House by security, again!!, we headed home for a warm up. My speech was beginning to slur and the ice was hardening into a harder tread to trek. About an hour later we made it to the subway entrance at the Smithsonian where I was just two weeks earlier....
Check out the difference from the image from early January here and the video at the same spot today:
Finally, we arrived back where we started six hours prior to a sunset sky! The snowfall had stopped and the skies cleared, the light at the end of the storm, ended our day in a snowed D.C.
But wait, there's one last sweet order of the day in! After my toes thawed, I decided it was time for gelato, because no matter how cold I am my heart will warm at the idea of Italian, well anything. Thank god for Griffin Market keeping open and stocking Vanilla Bean Gelato!!!
Three scoops are my three cheers for my magical, once-in-a-lifetime-day in D.C. What a wonderful send-off!
Off to curl up watching Groundhog Day, it's a doozy and then off to Charleston, South Carolina tomorrow when the streets open up. Ta-ta for now!
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