Mom in DCity

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Date Night: Strong Language and Strobe Lights

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About a month ago Dave bought tickets to a play. I know– way to take some initiative, right?! The play was called Black Watch and the tickets were for this weekend.

If you know anything about military history (I do not), then you probably know that Black Watch is Scottish infantry regiment of historical significance. Let’s just say I was less than amused when I found that out. Yay, a war play (*eye roll*). But I kept a positive attitude and didn’t complain (much).

On Saturday night, I got all dressed up, Dave put on a clean shirt (don’t worry, he still wore sneakers and jeans), and we headed to Chinatown. The Shakespeare Theater is beautiful; not sure how I’ve managed to pass it a zillion times without noticing.

It turns out Black Watch is about a group of Scottish soldiers who deployed to Iraq during the recent war. The production is launching it’s second international tour and Washington, DC is the first stop. This is the sign that greets you when you get to the theater:

Gotta love a welcome like this

I looked at Dave, batted my eyelashes, and said, “you had me at strong language and strobe lights.” Little did I know, Scottish people bring strong language to a whole ‘nother level. Thirty seconds in, I had already heard the c-word(!) twice. And it only got worse better from there. Pro tip: bring a flask and make it a drinking game. The play itself was excellent, but I have to admit that part of the entertainment included watching all the stuffy old theater folks’ eyes widen at the uniquely Scottish profanity. As for the strobe lights, nobody had a seizure….

No cameras allowed, but I managed to sneak this picture of us. I know, I’m such a rebel:

Sometimes we like each other

Other highlights of Black Watch included: penis pranks, bar fights and lots of football (soccer) references that I didn’t understand. Yet somehow, by the end, I was moved to tears as the bagpipes played and the Black Watch went into battle for the last time. It’s a powerful play that captures the spirit of the modern soldier to a tee. Reminded me a lot of my years in Jacksonville, North Carolina, home of Camp Lejeune and the military bar where I picked up my husband.

Black Watch was excellent, but wouldn’t have been my choice. I guess this is what I get for telling Dave to take the lead on date night. Next time it’ll be all pedicures and bargain shopping.

 

Four Places Your Kids Can Run Wild in DC

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My experiment as a mother of three has ended, now that my lovely niece is on her way home. It has been an intense and high-energy week. As one mom remarked, “I thought only boys acted that wild. You sure have your hands full.”

After some trial and error (and a few important lessons), I discovered some perfect places to take kids in DC. These aren’t new in our family rotation, but we rediscovered them this week, and I’m so glad that we did.

1. National Building Museum.
If you’re not a member, become one. Trust me. This place is far less crowded than the free museums nearby. Plus, it caters to younger children. Ever since Lira had a birthday party here a few years back, it has been a family-fave. The great hall is a huge open space where kids can run free. There’s a Lego exhibit where your little ones can build things and make a mess that you don’t have to clean up! And there’s indoor min-golf here through Labor Day.

Building Museum Divas

Tip: Sign up for a spot in The Building Zone (for kids ages 2-6) as soon as you get there; you’ll usually have to wait at least an hour. [Read more…]

Hill Life: My Neighbor Got Clocked By Thugs On Our Street

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I spend a lot of time writing about the wonderful reasons we live on Capitol Hill in DC: kid-friendly coffee shops, free museums, and nearby beach getaways. Sometimes, it’s hard to imagine who wouldn’t want to live here.

The Incident
Today, I was reminded. My next door neighbor sent a group email letting our street know that he had been assaulted and robbed at 8:30 last night. It happened on our street. He was walking home from the metro, as we’ve all done a hundred times before, and was followed by a group of kids (thuggish teens). When he turned onto our street, he was punched in the head. When he fell to the ground, they took his bag and ran off. Another neighbor saw the aftermath, screamed, and then called 911. Since he was hit from behind, my neighbor didn’t get a good look at who did it, so nobody was arrested.

The Meeting
Neighbors on the Hill are always really close. Maybe it’s the fact that we practically live on top of each other? I remember living in North Carolina, driving into my garage after work every day, and not even knowing my next door neighbor’s name. Here, we’re like family… for better or for worse. As we all started to arrive home from work tonight, we gathered on our front stoop for a hug-fest/therapy session/why-the-hell-do-we-live-here pow-wow.

The Love
One neighbor pulled up with a bouquet. Another offered a replacement cell phone for the one that was stolen. One offered to drive him to and from the metro so he wouldn’t have to walk. Another gave suggestions about how to find the bad guys, and make sure they’re arrested. All the while, my daughters played in our tiny (joke of a) front yard with a friend, and Dave picked up used dime-bags and 40-bottles to throw in recycling. A cop rode by on a bike and stopped to ask how our neighbor was feeling after the assault.

Sometimes it’s beautifully peaceful here

The Hill is a strange place to live. We take the good with the bad. But it seems like every time we get comfortable, something else happens. A friend’s home is robbed 3 blocks away; someone is shot down the street; we witness a drug deal on our front steps. As I’ve said before, Capitol Hill is definitely the crossroad between heaven and that other place. And every day we face the question: should I stay or should I go?

Zana’s Tantrum Made Famous By Mommy Shorts

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I think we all remember this picture of Zana throwing a tantrum at TJMaxx:

Zana was already famous among our friends and family for her epic meltdowns, but thanks to Mommy Shorts, she has hit Suri Cruise status. Zana is on the homepage of Mommy Shorts for a caption contest, and I would love it if MomInDCity readers would add to the list. There are already some hilarious entries, including:

  • “I would rather take a nap than buy Hannah Anderson at a discount!!!”
  • “Don’t push your style on me woman – I will rebel.”
  • “You expect me to wear that! Juicy is so last season!”

And, since Mommy Shorts is legit, this isn’t just for entertainment; the winner gets a gorgeous $295 Hampton Tunic silk maternity dress. Not pregnant? So what?! You our your teenage daughter will be one day, right?

MomInDCity is too broke for prizes, but you can also enter a caption for the pic below in the comments section. Zana has been showing her stuff during out Bethany Beach vacation. Check out her latest meltdown outside of Grotto Pizza:

Latest Tantrum

The Mommy Shorts caption contest ends Friday, but mine goes on for all eternity.

Hop On The Bus, Gus… Along With My 5 Year Old

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You know that Paul Simon song, “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover“?

Hop on the bus, Gus… no need to discuss much!

My parents used to sing it to me when I was little, growing up in Texas. I started riding the bus to school in second grade. And even before that, I rode the bus every summer to YMCA camp. There was a lot of bus riding going on, and that seemed to be a good theme song. Well, that and Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” but we’re talking about buses so that doesn’t apply.

Here in DC, where public transportation seems to be the norm for most adults– the thought of putting your kid on a school bus is a big deal for many parents.

Lira has been riding the bus to summer camp in McLean, Virginia for three weeks now. It’s a 30 minute ride each way.

A few Capitol Hill moms asked, at the end of the school year, what Lira would be doing this summer. And their responses were almost always the same– the camp sounded cool but McLean is too far to drive. And a bus??? Well, that was out of the question.

  • “You’re putting her on a bus? Across town?”
  • “Wow. More power too you. I don’t think I could put my kid on a bus.”
  • “Are you sure it’s safe?”

Dave’s mom was the worst, though:

  • “I just pray to God that bus doesn’t get into a wreck. Or get caught in traffic in the 100 degree heat.”

Um, yeah. Thanks, Nana. Is riding the bus really any worse then me driving her somewhere? Especially with my morning vodka habit (I should probably tell you I’m kidding). The scary part, for me, wasn’t so much safety; it was the thought of her being grown up enough to ride a bus without me. When did that happen?! [Read more…]