Fourth of July - Washington, DC

The one Fourth of July I spent in DC in 2002, it was so hot I ended up staying home and watching TV. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate heat and humidity. This year I had Shelley to celebrate with me and that meant that I couldn’t sit home all day watching the Law & Order marathon like I usually do on national holidays. I wonder if there will be a marathon on Labor Day – I can only hope!

Members from our tennis group decided to get together for a BBQ at our friend Evan’s home. His roommate Monica is a grill master and I enjoyed my annual grilled hot dog. I made fruit pizza for the first time and it was, if I do say so myself, totally awesome. I also think I won over Tammy as a friend for life – who knew fruit pizza had such diplomatic powers? I had a great time hanging out with my tennis buddies.

Shelley wanted to go to the National Mall to watch the fireworks. While I was not ecstatic about the idea, I didn’t want her to go alone. I also didn’t want to say that I had the opportunity to celebrate the 4th in the Nation’s capital and I chose to sit around and watch TV instead. I did have a couple of conditions on my attendance; first, if it was too hot or humid I could bow out without guilt and second, I wanted a chair so I wouldn’t have to sit on the ground. I am so spoiled.

We almost didn’t go to the Mall because of the severe thunderstorm warnings. However, the rain subsided for a bit and Shelley got the fireworks itch. There were huge bouts of indecisiveness and some good Law & Order episodes coming up, but adventure prevailed. We ended up riding the Metro into DC and arriving about two minutes before the fireworks.

It is always interesting when large, diverse groups of people get together. There was an adorable little boy that just loved the fireworks and made precious comments about each one. Then there were the ladies standing behind Shelley and me – they were either the cheesiest patriots ever or totally drunk; I vote for drunk. They kept shouting, “Happy Birthday America” very, very loudly. I would have to say that my favorite quote from the drunken ladies went like this, “Only in America could you have fireworks like this…except for maybe Communist China.” How true and God Bless America.

Travel tip – when going to see the fireworks in DC go to dinner after the fireworks. Eating out after provides enough time for the streets and the Metro crowds to thin out. This tip came from some locals and Shelley and I were able to have a nice meal and a comfortable ride home.

A Few Reasons Why California Is So Awesome!

Washington Nationals Game

Once again Seabreeze’s many connections have paid off. She hooked us up with tickets to a Washington Nationals game. I have not been to a baseball game since I went to an Oakland A’s game when I was 12 or 13. While I am not a huge baseball fan, I am usually up for a new adventure (especially when it is free).


Seabreeze, Shelley, Lindsay Sanders, and I could not have asked for a better night. It was an ideal summer night: not too hot and very little humidity. I think that was the most remarkable event of the night – a pleasant evening in Virginia. Since it is the first year that the Nationals have played in the new ballpark, the whole arena is very clean and nice. I had a great hot dog and some very good fries; although like all stadium food it tends to leave you feeling sick a few hours later. I think I just tend to get caught up in the moment and all of a sudden a hot dog is the only food that can satisfy you.

The Nationals handily lost the game. The Anaheim Angels were ahead by 6 runs after the first inning. I may not know a lot about baseball, but I do know that losing by that much so early on is rarely a good sign. I do think that the t-shirt cannon made up for the lack of excitement on the field. I had no idea a t-shirt could fly that far!

Seabreeze gave us all a great girl’s night out. I would happily go again, assuming I could insure another night of amazing weather.

San Antonio, TX

Texas – again!!!!

While I couldn’t believe that I was heading off to Texas for the third time in six months, I was nonetheless excited to go to San Antonio. My friend Camy and her husband moved to San Antonio a while ago and I would finally be able to see them again. While San Antonio isn’t my first choice (I am still holding out for a chance to return to Houston after almost nine years) I was more than happy to reconnect with Camy.

United Airlines is not on my good list right now. I arrived at the airport in plenty of time to make my 8:22 am flight to San Antonio only to have them bump me. It was unceremoniously done as they tried to blame me for arriving to late. Seeing as I arrived at the gate at about 7:15 am, I don’t think the blame should reside with me. Additionally, they bumped several members of the military that had orders to report to one of the Air Force bases in San Antonio. According to my fellow bumpees, the airline cannot bump travelers with military orders. The woman at the gate could not have been less helpful. She actually disappeared and someone else had to come help us, although he was fairly useless as well. I had purposefully chosen an early flight, and paid full price for the ticket, because I have to ensure that if I do get bumped, that I can catch another flight. United finally got me on an American Airlines flight to San Antonio with a stop in Dallas. The problem was that I didn’t even arrive in SA until 11:45 pm CDT. By the time I checked into my hotel at about 1 am Monday morning, I was exhausted. But I am pro and tried not to let it show when I arrived at USAA.

San Antonio is the headquarters for USAA, the banking and insurance company dedicated to the military. The USAA complex is absolutely enormous: tennis courts, driving range, two pavilions, Frisbee golf courses, about ten zillion entrances to the complex and enough room for deer to roam freely on the grounds. What really blew my mind was that I rode around on golf carts inside the building in order to get from the visitors building to the training room. It reminded me of that scene in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery when he is on that stupid cart trying to do a thirty point turn. Luckily these halls were wide enough for us to easily make U-turns.

I had a great time with my class because they were super nice people and they were very interested in where I ate dinner every night. I went to places they recommended and every day I had to write the name of the place I ate the night before on the board. I loved that they were interested in my nightly escapades and were very upset when I neglected to update the “Dined At:” list.

Monday night I returned to Pappadeaux for my favorite Citrus Crusted Tilapia because their fish always tastes so fresh. I can only go to Pappadeaux when I am in the south so I always take full advantage of my time in Texas and Georgia (I don’t know what other states have a Pappadeaux). I ordered dessert, which I rarely do as I eat poorly as it is when I travel, but I was wooed by the Praline Cheesecake. It took me 3 days to finish it, but was worth every bite. The caramel that accompanies the cheesecake was perfectly done as it was not burned or too oily – as Goldilocks would say, it was just right.

Tuesday I went to Tomatillos which received the City Search award for best margaritas in San Antonio. I can’t comment on the margaritas, but their Tres Colores Enchiladas were very good and gave a nice variety of Tex-Mex cuisine. They also had very professional waiters and excellent guacamole which is always a plus. Tomatillos is also located across the street from a Half-Priced Books so you can totally make a night of it…if you like cruising bookstores.

Wednesday Camy, her sister Becky, and Camy’s daughter Sierra (2) picked me up for a girls night on the town. I had so much fun catching up with Camy and getting to know Becky better, as the last time I spoke with Becky was at Camy and Jason’s wedding. Sadly Jason had to work as he is completing his medical residency with the Air Force. We missed you Jason. Sierra is a doll. She is crazy smart and definitely has a mind of her own. She spent a portion of the night being a duck. I must say that with a few more months of practice she could go pro.

We first went to the Bass Pro Shop which was ENORMOUS. The place has a multitude of taxidermy animals that Sierra likes to look at and pet. When Camy mentioned looking at the animals I thought it would be some deer, elk and maybe a bear. Boy did I underestimate the Bass Pro Shop. They had lions, wolves, zebra, longhorn cattle…quite the menagerie. They also had a laser tag like shooting range. I have to admit that I am not very good, but after three rounds I increased my score from some type of Very Bad score to “Needs Practice.”

When in Texas you are morally obligated to eat BBQ. Camy suggested a place called Rudy’s (which my students confirmed as wonderful). When you walk up to Rudy’s it smells like a campfire because the food is all smoked and cooked over the flame. We ended up ordering brisket, turkey, chopped meat, and sausage. The potato salad and peach cobbler were also wonderful. Their creamed corn is to unlike anything I have ever had. The recipe is top secret, but I would swear that they put grits in mix. It was classic, no-frills BBQ, complete with the half a loaf of white bread, and I loved it.

On Thursday I knew I needed a steak (again, a moral imperative in Texas) and my class recommended a place called the Little Red Barn. When I pulled up to the restaurant, there were 4 police cruisers in the parking lot. I took that as either a really bad or a really good sign. It turns out to be a good sign as there were probably 8-10 police officers in the cashier’s line. Aside from the fact that they put me behind a wall (“A woman dining alone – UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN”) I still enjoyed the experience. I felt that my steak was too done but at least it was reasonably priced. Also, the cowgirl outfits that the waitresses wear are outrageous.

On Friday I returned to the Tip Top Café. I had tried to dine there earlier in the week, waited in line for 20 minutes only to realize that they don’t take credit cards. This time I came prepared and happily ate lunch at the counter. The Tip Top had been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network and the place was packed all the time. The portions were gigantic, I ended up giving my onion rings to 2 women sitting next to me. They have the best apple pie that I have ever tasted. I would highly recommend the restaurant if you are ever in San Antonio.

My last day there I headed to the Alamo and the River Walk. To paraphrase Shelley, “Leave it to the Texans to take a huge failure and play it off as a success.” I decided that as a historian and a mocker of Texas, I should see the Alamo. I found the grounds to be surprisingly lovely. As for the actual Alamo, it was fine and slightly forgettable. The River Walk, however, far exceeded my expectations. The landscaping and architecture are charming. I ended up walking up and down the river and enjoying all the people watching. I also took a dinner cruise so I could see all of the sights. I had a great time even though I was the only single person on the boat. Good times!

Next trip – Akron, OH

Bank of America

Truer words were never written:



Thanks for sharing Katie M.

West Palm Beach, Florida

I made my first trip to Florida during the first week of June. Everyone at work voiced their jealousy that I got to go to West Palm Beach. I don’t think I was appropriately excited as I had never been to Florida and had very low expectations. Overall I enjoyed my time in Florida, although I found the humidity to be very oppressive (I am sure this is not big surprise as I hate the heat and humidity).

When I arrived in West Palm Beach I was so excited to see palm trees again. I am always surprised at how much I miss palm trees. Those blasted trees made me miss California even more than I already do. I just found myself staring at the palm trees and hoping to go home and visit sometime soon. The palms are all strategically placed, especially in Palm Beach. Palm Beach differs from West Palm Beach in that Palm Beach is on a slip of sand separated from the Florida mainland by a waterway called the Intercoastal. Palm Beach is also home to huge homes and country clubs (see Mar-a-Lago which is now owned by Donald Trump and cost around $125,000 for the yearly dues). They work very hard to keep people like you and me out of town as it was founded by Old Money. Aristocratic mentality aside, they do know how to create a community that is lovely and meticulously maintained – palm trees and all.

Luckily I was working with the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and they told me what parts of town to avoid. Apparently the Crowne Plaza I stayed at was not in a good neighborhood. I think the phrase, “Don’t walk outside at night,” came up several times. I love working with the police I always feel like I have a great insight into the community.

I was very excited to have authentic Cuban food. The way I see it is that the best place to get Cuban food outside of Cuba (which I don’t think I will be visiting anytime soon) is south Florida. I went to a restaurant called Havana that was listed as one of the best Cuban places in West Palm Beach. I had tostones and a skirt steak that had been marinated and seared. I love a tender steak and this one was so flavorful and tender.

I ate at another local restaurant called E.R. Bradley’s. This restaurant/bar has a lovely outdoor and covered eating area. I sat right on the edge of the covered porch and overlooked the Intercostal as I ate blackened Mahi-Mahi. The food was okay, mostly forgettable, but the combination of outdoor dining and a lovely water view made the night worthwhile.

On Thursday nights in downtown West Palm Beach they have a street festival called Clematis by Night. They have bands, food, and vendors that you can enjoy for free. They also have this giant fountain that kids, and only kids, can play in. My students suggested I make a night of it, so I headed downtown.

I really enjoyed the band as they played a lot of Motown hits that I enjoy. It was also a people watching hotspot: watching the public dancing, kids playing in the fountain, etc. I found a French bistro called Pistache. I had a wonderful table that overlooked all the activity at Clematis by Night, it was perfect. I had the best prime rib I have ever had. The steak must have been cooked in some red wine reduction because it was so flavorful. While I was eating my dinner I saw someone walk by my table that looked familiar. I realized that it was Pretentious Stephen from the first season of Top Chef. Remember the jerky sommelier with the double Windsor knots in his ties. I didn’t say anything to him, I just had the sense of satisfaction that he is just as pretentious in real life as he appeared on TV.

I feel like it would have been insulting to my co-workers, Florida and the Atlantic Ocean if I didn’t go to the beach while in Palm Beach. Now I didn’t go swimming in the water for a number of reasons, but I did enjoy walking on the sand and getting my feet wet. I cannot get over how warm the Atlantic is compared to the Pacific. It was like a bathtub…am I used to West Coast beaches where you suck it up because you are at the ocean and the ocean is awesome regardless of how cold it may be. I can also see why there are no great East Coast surf legends. The waves were practically nonexistent. You definitively need to hit the Pacific if you are going to surf like a pro.

Overall I really enjoyed my time in Florida. I spent my last night driving down the island from Palm Beach to Boca Raton. Some of the architecture is so distinctive of south Florida; I think I could live well with a house that had a beautiful terrace overlooking the Atlantic. One interesting aspect of the island is that it is obvious when you cross city lines. The second you drive over the city line the whole dynamic of a town changes. It goes from being ritzy and old money to a much more lower or middle class lifestyle.

Next Trip - San Antonio, TX

Ft. Gratiot, MI or "Care Bears are Yucky"

I recently returned from Ft. Gratiot, MI to visit my college roommate Kristine and her family. I always love to visit Kristine as she and I are just two peas in a very strange pod. I also adore her children (since I only like kids on a case-by-case basis, it is a real compliment that I like all three of her kids). I see it as my job to spoil them as their Aunt Jendavis. Her children all call me Jendavis. When I have tried to explain to them that my first name is Jen and my last name is Davis the response is generally one of incredulity. I think we are all at the point where Rachel, who is 4, thinks my name is Jendavis Davis. Although it is progress in the arena of name comprehension, it love that they call me Jendavis and wouldn’t change it for the world.

I was only up in Michigan for a few days but I had a blast hanging out with the kids, spoiling them, and chatting with Kristine and Jon late into the night. Ft. Gratiot is located about 60 east of Detroit on Lake Huron. I have to say that Detroit leaves a lot to be desired. I know that Michigan is way ahead of the country when it comes to an economic slump and it shows. Luckily Jon has a great job and that makes Michigan a great value when it comes to housing. I am content to visit at this point.

We mostly hung out and went to some of the kids favorite places like Golden Corral and the Rainforest Café at Great Lakes Crossing. The kids love Rainforest and the mall is pretty cool. They have a very kid friendly Chuck E. Cheese like place that they just adore. I let them go to the Disney Store and pick a gift. It was so awesome to be able to just spoil Rachel, Carter and Katey rotten and be the favorite for a good 10 minutes.

I was also able to go to Rachel’s preschool graduation which was appropriately adorable. They sang songs and fidgeted and ate cookies brought in by the parents. She was so proud of her achievement and is far too smart for her own good.


Carter, 2, is talking so much more than when I last saw him in October. It is great to see his personality come out. He has so much energy and is the quintessential boy. He refuses to watch Care Bear cartoons as they are “yucky.” He sat in the car for 30 minutes with his hands over his eyes rather than watch the Care Bears. I don’t think Jon has ever been more proud.

Katey,1, is so well mannered and easy going. She entertains herself so well and loves to laugh. She is my kind of kid.

I can’t wait to go back.