"Back East 2016!"
Our trip to the
east coast can be divided into three distinct phases. First we flew from San
Diego to Richmond Virginia where my brother Bob picked us up at the airport.
That was Monday, May 2, and we spent the next week in Williamsburg and the
surrounding area, staying at my brother’s beautiful little house in Birchwood
Park.
We Left the Burg by Amtrak the following Monday,
May 9th, for Washington DC, where we stayed until Thursday in a little VRBO flat
in the DuPont Circle area. Daughter Debbie drove down from Baltimore in
Wednesday and spent the night with us. On Thursday she drove us all to Fells
Point in Baltimore where we stayed in an “Executive Apartment” in a low-rise
near the Harbor.
We spent
the next five days exploring Fells Point, Harbor East and the Inner Harbor
areas, including a visit to Camden Yards for an Orioles game. We left from BWI
on Tuesday, May 17th, having gotten a ride in a Lyft car from Fells Point.
Our flight to Richmond was uneventful. We used our Advantage Miles for first class seats. These were very nice on the SAN to DFW leg, with plenty of room and an entertainment tablet in the seatback with free films and so on. The seats on the DFW to RIC leg were not much better than coach with slightly bigger seats and not much more leg room.
You can tell you're in Williamsburg by just looking around. If you see the Governors Palace (below) that means you're in the Burg.
A backyard in the Historic Area, HA for short.
Our first venture was to Saudé Creek Vineyards, a new Winery not too far from New Kent, and a few miles northwest of Williamsburg. We did some tasting and bought a bottle to have with our picnic lunch which we enjoyed at a corner table in the tasting room. The building was well done and the grounds were very nice. Too bad it was raining.
The entry
An impressive building!
Lunch in the corner
Out back
The Brothers Hill
Where is everybody?
Oh, here we are
Interesting sign. Does this mean that if we come back next week the wines will taste different?
This is the Williamsburg Winery which is just around the corner from Bob's house.
A nice spot to have lunch at Williamsburg Winery, if the weather is nice. It wasn't.
So we went to the shop and bought some wine!
On Thursday evening we celebrated Lorri's birthday at our favorite Williamsburg restaurant, The Fat Canary.
We sat at the bar and had cocktails, wine and dinner
I need to learn how to make these at home.
Williamsburg, home of the Tribe.
Prince George Street in the rain
We had a nightcap at a new place called "Hound's Tale"
The next day we decided to try to find a new winery out on John Tyler Highway going toward Richmond.
We first stopped at "Sherwood Forest" the former home of President John Tyler and his family. Actually his descendants still live here and for $35 each they'll give you a tour if you make arrangements in advance
Supposedly, this house is the longest wood framed house in the US at about 100 yards long
Here is a short guy ready to bump fists with you
Lorri heading toward the smoke house.
Did I mention we had rain?
Next stop was Berkeley Plantation
The highway roughly follows the James River and the old plantations dot the shoreline.
Berkeley is famous for being the site of the first thanksgiving in the US. Don't tell the Pilgrims. Also "Taps" was composed there.
We finally made it to Upper Shirley Vineyards
Another impressive edifice
It wasn't very crowded. We had a quick tasting and headed back down the road.
Too rainy to BBQ so here is how we made dinner. Stovetop seared steaks!
Corn on the cob: Boil for two, sit for ten.
Sautéed Pennsylvania mushrooms
...and of course, oven browned steak fries! All washed down with some fine Virginia wines!
Around the corner from Chez Dogwood is a Spanish Shop/Restaurant called La Tienda. And the sun finally came out!
We had a nice glass of wine and some tapas for lunch
Can't wait to get to Barcelona for some Damm beer of malt and rice.
Merchant Square on a slow morning
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This is the Wren Building at the College of William and Mary, supposedly designed by Christopher Wren, the famous British architect.
The Wren building's classroom are still in use today.
In the back of the Wren Building a soon-to-be graduate was having a photo session
The Sunday Arts and Music Festival.
On To D.C.
We took the Amtrak from Williamsburg to Union Station in DC
It took four and a half hours due to numerous stops and construction along the route.
Still better than driving, though.
Pit stop in Alexandria
Bye-bye Williamsburg!
In DC, we stayed in an apartment we found on VRBO. It was in a great location near DuPont Circle
This is what it looked like.
It was about a mile from the White House so we decided to stroll on down and check it out.
Then we strolled on back up and checked out the local restaurants.
We really enjoyed Hank's Oyster Bar and went there a couple times during our stay.
We had a White House tour bright and early on Tuesday morning. Raining again!
After a brief chat with Barak and Michelle, we were set loose to explore the East Wing, well, part of it anyway.
JT and Lady Di! I swear that's Ronnie Reagan and Nancy in the background.
Library. "The room is used for teas, meetings, and press interviews." Well, why do they call it the Library?
Jeez, who cares about Grace Coolidge's dog?! I guess this goes to show that posting pictures of your dog started long before facebook! At least we won't have to look at another picture of "Rob Roy", ever.
East Room.
East Room Selfie!
The original Gilbert Stuart portrait of GW (the one Dolly Madison saved from being burnt by the British during the War of 1812) hangs in the East Room.
The Green Room
A view of the Washington Monument from the East Wing
John Adams in the Blue Room
Lincoln over the fireplace
The Old Family Dining Room
A portrait of each President is added in the White House after he (or she!) leaves office.
I thought the JFK portrait was interesting
I wonder if they'll hang Hillary next to Bill?
W
The Front Portico
Jack and Lorri at the White House
The White House
Leaving the White House we walked past the WM on the way to the Holocaust Museum
This is the first thing I read when we approached the Holocaust Museum and it set the tone. Well said, Ike.
The entry
I didn't take many photos inside the museum because somehow it didn't seem appropriate to do so. The whole experience was very moving. The architecture and flow was possibly the best of any museum I've visited.
All I can say is that if you ever have an opportunity to go to DC and visit this museum, do it. If you've been there, you understand why I'm saying this.
Selfie.
A street near our VRBO.
On Wednesday, we had a tour of the Capitol arranged through the office of our local Congressman, Daryl Issa. Of course it was raining.
And the Rotunda was under repair, both inside and out.
The "center" of DC
Abe
All we could see of the upper Rotunda
The Old Hall of the House or Representatives
Our Intern from Issa's office.
Junipero Serra
The Library of Congress
You can get to the Library of Congress via a tunnel walkway from the Capitol Visitor Center. Se we did.
TJ's personal collection of books helped to get this place going!
And here they are.
The Main Reading Room
Again
Take that, Pilgrim!
Lunch at Sonoma Grill and Wine Bar. We were missing some CA sunshine so we thought we go for some CA wine instead.
We had a pretty good lunch but when we were done, it was still raining, dang it!
Another selfie
View of the Capital from the south
Well, daughter Debbie drove down from Baltimore to spend the evening with us and drive us up to Fells Point on Thursday.
We decided to give Georgetown a try. Debbie hadn't been there in twenty years, I hadn't been there in forty years and Lorri hadn't been there - ever!!!
We walked around, checked a few places out and, what do you know?
We ended up at a bar!
Martin's
Wednesday night happy hour!
Georgetown!
DuPont Circle the next day, Thursday.
We stayed in an "executive apartment" in Fells Point and this is what it looked like
Very nice and clean and a great location for exploring the area
Bedroom
Another bedroom
View from the balcony
View from the common area
Lorri in a chair in the common area. The complex is called Union Wharf
Debbie
A Maryland Blue Crab
Rainbow Trout
Thames Street
Nothing but bars and restaurants on Thames Street. My kind of street!
I'll have a large, please!
The Irish Pub
Thames St at night
Deb and Dad
Hmm. Do we have to?
Mal Mal joined us. The sun came out!
I need my selfie stick!
Where we were sitting
Friday night in the common area.
Jake, Deb, Austin, Lorri, Malarie, Colin, Sarah and Mike
...and me!
Lorri must have taken this one
View from the deck
The girls moved outside because the rain let up a little. The table is still wet, though.
The next morning Lorri and I walked along the Harbor until we found a likely spot for a Bloody Mary. They also happened to have oysters from various places.
So, here we are on Saturday morning
The clouds were gathering...
On Sunday, the whole clan gathered and we went to see the Orioles play at Camden Yards. Colin, Malarie, Leslie and Jake.
Lorri, me and Debbie, getting ready to go.
Approaching the Inner Harbor
The old port has turned into a retail and restaurant Mecca
Inside Camden Yards
Here we are before the game. It was cool and windy but luckily, no rain today!
Stand on your tippy toes, Mike!
Great seats about six rows back behind first base!
Thanks, Deb!
It's obvious how the architecture of Camden Yards affected the design of Petco Park in San Diego
The kids didn't have such good seats but they were able to sneak down for an inning or two and occupy some empty seats near ours.
And it is! Unlike San Diego where half the fans seem to be rooting for the visiting team.
View from left field, sort of.
That big brick building is incorporated into the ball park.
An usher eventually kicked them out but they fun while it lasted. The O's lost but we all had fun. The kids took off and the old folks walked back.
No shortage of Irish pubs in Baltimore! We didn't go inside. I swear!
This was later back in Fells Point. Selfie in a bar. Me in a mirror.
The barman took this one.
There is the blue crab again and our apartment complex in the background.
Union Wharf entry on the right
The Maxx mobile, I think. This is Monday.
We all needed a little Guinness for strength and health.
My love and I
My other love. Notice the shamrock?
Not to be outdone, the British have established a beach head at the BWI airport! The queen was there!
And so was Churchill!
This is the name of the British pub at BWI. And that's the last of my photos from our trip back east. I promise to do better with photos on our next trip. Stay tuned.
We had a great time despite the rain. It was great to be with family and friends and fun to explore some new places!