sincerely, mad: A Solo Date in the City

Alternate title: How I Decided to be a Big Girl and Take DC All By My Lonesome

On Friday I went to DC all by myself and it turned out surprisingly well! I wanted to see the Newseum but none of my other siblings were interested. Then after I went to Shake Shack for the first time and missed going to Paul (an amazing French bakery that is only in like DC and Morocco) by 20 minutes, I knew I had to go back, with or without my family. It was actually Mom's idea for me to go back by myself, I just gathered up the nerve to do it. It was fun!

I spent 5 hours by myself, eating Paul and seeing the Newseum and walking to the Capitol Building, and then I met Dad at his work and we met my cousin Brynn at Shake Shack! Which if we're being honest is probably the biggest reason I went back. It's official, I'm moving to New York because Shake Shack speaks to me and there's a couple there. A burger I like? Crinkle fries? Chocolate milkshakes? I think we should've been concerned if I didn't fall in love. And in case you're wondering, get Shack Sauce. That has got to be some sort of witchcraft because nothing should be allowed to taste that good.

I started the day off with a chocolate croissant and nutella donut from Paul. I would write the French names but I don't know how to spell them. However you say it, it was delicious.

The Newseum was really cool too. I mean, I love words and I love pictures, so a museum dedicated to showing the importance of words and pictures? Uh, yes please! It was huge, six stories, but I took my time and wandered around and just enjoyed it all. I don't want to be a reporter at all, out of all of the writing I want to do journalism is not one of them. I like editorials and opinion articles, but not hardcore news. But after seeing the importance of news and the huge role it has played in history, I gained a lot of respect for reporters.

^^^Pieces of the Berlin Wall. The graffitied side is West Germany, the free side, and the white is what the East Germans saw.^^^

This was engraved on several walls throughout the museum. "Journalists provide the first draft of history." That's powerful stuff. I loved it.

This is the view from the top of the Newseum. When I saw the Capitol building and remembered that I had an hour and forty-five minutes to kill before I was going to meet Dad, I figured I'd go take a peek and get up close and personal with Capitol Hill. That walk doesn't look far, right? WRONG. It took forever. But it was worth it.