48 hours in DC
We ate some food, we saw some flowers, we had some fun.
I will never forget the day my friend Amy texted out of the blue asking if I had any photographer recommendations in DC with a similar style as me. I was immediately intrigued of course, but when she mentioned it was for her disco cowboy birthday party, I knew I needed to be there to make this shoot happen.
A month later, Peter and I flew out for 48 hours in DC.
In case you are new here, we lived there in 2020 and it was so special to us. The sound of the metro zooming by, the sight of busy shoppers in Georgetown, the views of the monuments from any angle, we missed it all.
Friday
We flew in late Friday night and posted up at our hotel, Residence Inn Courthouse, which was the perfect location to call home for the weekend. Again, we are a little biased, but Arlington is such a homey area to stay in, not to mention, it’s typically cheaper (especially if booked last minute).
Of course we couldn’t call it a night before indulging in some dinner at Ragtime - a local bar with good drinks + live music. We stayed for hours, reminiscing on our lives in DC and hopes to visit more often. We have actually been so lucky to have visited once a year since 2020, both times for photo opportunities that give me major imposter syndrome, but that’s a whole different tangent.
Saturday
I love bread. I love coffee. I love spending slow mornings in cafes talking. Knowing that we had a big day ahead, we popped into Tatte Bakery for some provisions before the walking we would inevitably ensue. Funnily enough, I bumped into 2 pals in this busy bakery, which reminded me just how small this world is.
In case you didn’t know, the Cherry Blossoms in DC are a big deal. Like, a really big deal. So when we found out the cherry blossoms bloomed the week that we visited, we knew we had to visit. Fun fact: there are people who travel into town to see these trees (or are they flowers? flower trees? idk), which meant the National Mall was a zoo. People were flying kites, runners were zooming past on the gravel paths and families were taking selfies with the blossoms. It was beautiful of course, but once we snapped a few photos - we were good to go.
-
The one thing you should know about me is that I’m thrifty. If I can save some moolah, I am going to do it. So if that meant walking from the National Mall to Georgetown, it was time to lace up my shoes and get walkin’! By 11 AM, we hit 9,000 steps from walking across town, but hey - health is wealth, right?!
Our first stop in Georgetown had to be Levain of course, which is a must visit in DC, just talk to Pete about it! They have the most insane cookies that are probably 1,000,000 calories, but are worth every bite. With full bellies are sore feet, we wandered through the stores in Georgetown, stopping for a coffee at Blue Bottle of course, before heading back to our hotel for some early dinner.
-
Back at the hotel, I prepared to head out to my shoot at a bar on U Street with cowboy jacket on and gear in hand. The party was at Hawthorne, a multi-level bar with a private rooftop space on the top floor where Amy was hosting her party. The outfits, the music and the party were oh so fun. It was a creative challenge for me, shooting with flash in a crowded space, but I am loving how these images turning out! It was so fulfilling to push myself out of my comfort zone :)
Sunday
We decided that we would allow ourselves to sleep in on Sunday, but if we were awake in time, we would catch the train to the 9:30 service at Passion City, our favorite church in DC. It’s held in a music venue with beautiful ceilings and a fun stage where the incredibly talented band lets loose. We absolutely love it here, if not for the music, for the main pastor, Ben Stuart. He has a way with words and preaching that modernizes church and makes messages so relatable. I would say this is probably one of the things we miss most about living here!
We of course couldn’t hop on a plane home without grabbing some grub, so we popped in Bayou Bakery for some beignets, sammies and coffee. If you’re in the area, we would recommend stopping in!
—
Although it was an absolute whirlwind, we LOVED spending time in DC. Sometimes I wonder if that nostalgic homey feeling will ever go away… I hope not because it’s part of what makes us love visiting SO much. If you’re ever headed out that way, PLEASE let me know! We would love to give you tips & tricks for your trip!