DC Day 5: National Archives and Founding Farmers
Wednesday morning began with a tour of the National Archives. I highly recommend making online reservations for the two hour guided tour because for a mere $1.50 each you get to enter earlier and thereby skip the lines to see the Charters of Freedom. Well worth it. Cameras aren’t allowed in the National Archives (as a result of thousands of “accidental” flashes going off), so we have the pictures of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Magna Carta in our minds.
Having our fill of historical documents, it was time to fill our bellies. Somewhere and somehow on our way to lunch, I lost my Metro card. Oh, the horror and the irony! Me, the one who warned the girls after purchasing our 7 days passes not to lose theirs. Me, the one who often gathered the cards for safekeeping after exiting the station. (The DC Metro is different than the NYC subway in that you have to swipe your card when both entering and exiting the station.) Me, the one who liked to think I was perfect and didn’t make mistakes – ha! Yes, me. I have no idea how I lost mine yet still had Aspen’s in my coat pocket. Of all the things I could have lost, this was definitely the easiest to replace. Fixable mistakes – my favorite kind. So, we laughed about it over a delicious lunch and granted Oakley the title of Keeper of the Cards. (By the way, she didn’t lose a single one the rest of the trip!). We ate at Founding Farmers. Great name, great food, great life lesson learned. When Aspen ordered the beignets (oh, yeah!) for dessert, the waitress warned that they’re made to order and that it would take up to 20 minutes. Aspen looked at me questioningly. I urged her to go ahead and get them. She did and can now heartily attest that one should never, ever ponder if it’s worth the wait for hot, freshly fried dough. It ALWAYS is. Seize the beignets! (Wouldn’t that be a great name for a bakery! Hmmm…) Lesson learned.

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