Ready or not, we're gonna be here tomorrow, wild with hope in spite of everything…

Thanks to The Submarines for this week’s blog title!!!   

Well, its all over. My time in DC has come to an end and after fleeing an impending snow storm, driving through the night, and listening to a wonderful mix of jams, I’ve finally made it back to New Hampshire. Its really hard to believe that I’m no longer living in DC, that my internship is over, and that another semester has come and gone. Its even harder to believe that I’ll be graduating in 5 months!! But my time in DC was truly phenomenal and I once again STRONGLY encourage all of you to take part in this wonderful opportunity.

I was supposed to leave the city Saturday morning, but due to the treacherous blizzard making its way quickly up the eastern seaboard, my roommate and I were forced to leave Friday afternoon. We made our way home through the night with hourly updates regarding how far behind us the weather was. We reminisced about our time in the District while listening to only the best 90’s hits and mentally prepared ourselves for life back in New Hampshire. It was yet another wonderful 9 hour car ride, but I ended up realizing that car rides are something I actually enjoy! Go figure! 

I think the reason I am saddest to leave DC is leaving my internship.  Its been an incredibly wonderful experience and I’ve gained so much from my time with Share Our Strength’s Operation Frontline. Its been an eye opening experience, one that’s taught me tremendous amounts of a variety of things and one that’s helped me to grow a great deal. Its been a truly rewarding experience and i can’t believe its over. While I’m not ready to graduate just yet, I know that when that time comes I’ll be ready; I may not want it to come, but I’ll be ready. So here’s a big thank you to the OFL team, Meghan, Hayley, Leigh Ann, Laura, Janet, and Cathy!!!  Thanks for everything!!! :)

So what’s next for this blogger? Well its back to Wildcat country to finish school. UNH is calling me, and its definitely time to go back and be a college student for a few more months. After I graduate… well, who knows? Maybe I’ll be back in London, living and working in that beautiful and wonderful city. Maybe I’ll be working for AmeriCorps out in Seattle or down in New Orleans. Hopefully I’ll be taking some time to fulfill my dream of bumming around the US while attempting to be Jack Kerouac. (I’m not saying I’ll write a book, although that could be cool, but I’d love to bum around for a bit) Or maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll be doing all of these things. Either way I’m excited for the next adventure/experience in store for me, whatever it may be. 

Taking part in The Washington Center Internship program was a really wonderful experience and I highly, highly recommend it. I’ve learned that saying goodbye is, well, hard. Especially when you have to say goodbye to people and places and experiences that were truly wonderful. After having to leave London, and now leaving DC  what I’ve learned about it is that if the people  and the experiences were  truly phenomenal and life changing then as hard as it is to say goodbye, its never truly sad. If you can look back and be filled with happiness by the memories of the people you met and the things you did, then in the end, its okay to say goodbye. Like London, my time in DC was pretty great and while this city may not be the city for me, its still a wonderful place to visit with endless things to do and see.

Okay, enough with the sappy rhetoric. J (Although I guess it is sort of par for the course).  In honor of this being my final blog posting I’ve included the top 15 songs and places to visit of the semester. The songs that I think were post important and the places I enjoyed the most during my time here. I hope you enjoy them and I sincerely hope you come to Washington, DC. Even if its not through TWC, you have to visit this city because it truly is a wonderful place.

Top 5 Songs of the Week:

1. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: "Travel Song"
2. The Rumble Strips: "Girls and Boys"
3. The Kooks: "She Moves In Her Own Way"
4. Jenny Lewis: "Godspeed"
5. Broken Social Scene: "Stars and Sons"


Top 15 Songs of the Semester:


1. Lupe Fiasco: "Kick, Push"
2. Matt and Kim: "Good Old Fashioned Nightmare"
3. Jurassic 5: "Concrete Schoolyard"
4. Josh Ritter: "Girl In The War"
5. The Clash: "Straight To Hell"
6. Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah: "Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away"
7. The Avett Brotheres: "I and Love and You"
8. French Kicks: "So Far We Are"
9. The Kooks: "Shine On"
10. Darwin Deez: "Bad Day"
11. The White Stripes: "Hotel Yorba"
12. Jamie T: "Sticks and Stones"
13. The Helio Sequence: "Lately"
14. Broken Social Scene: "Stars and Sons"
15. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: "Travel Song"


Top 15 Places to Visit of the Semester

1. Black Cat
2. The Hirshhorn Museum
3. USDA Farmers Markets
4. The National Museum of American History
5. Saint Ex
6. University of New Hampshire
7. Meridian Hill Park
8. U St./14th St. Corridor
9. Ben's Chili Bowl
10. The Kennedy Center
11. The Vietnam War Memorial
12. Old Town Alexandria
13. The Friendly Toast (NH)
14. Holocaust Museum
15. The Capitol Building 

I got a feeling, that tonight’s gonna be a good night, that tonight’s gonna be a good, good night…

Yes, yes I did use The Black Eye Peas “I Gotta Feeling” for my title because it so perfectly describes the epic-ness that was this weekend!

So how does one celebrate the holidays/ the end of an internship while living in Rockville, Maryland? With a cocktail party of course! In celebration of the end of my wonderful time in Washington D.C. and with the phenomenally great organization Share Our Strength/ Operation Frontline, my roommates and I invited our friends for food and drinks and a night of reminiscing. We learned the moves to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance, laughed, listened to music and realized that we had truly had a great semester. 

After finishing up another work week this was a great way to relax. This past week had been one of the busiest. Not only were there multiple projects at work and class to attend, but this was the week before the final portfolio project was due and so I spent the majority of my time working on that monster project… and let me warn you now, it is a monster project.

I find when things like this end I become suddenly nostalgic… which I’m normally not. Okay, that’s not true I’ve been nostalgic and pining for London since the day I left. But I suppose it makes sense, especially given that I’m about to return to what is quite literally the frigid north. Word on the street is that the temperature in NH hasn’t gotten above 35 degrees in the last week or so. But not to worry, I’m prepared for the cold and actually looking forward to it! I can’t wait to throw on my oversized winter coat, ridiculous teal pompom winter hat, bright purple mittens, and embrace the cold New Hampshire weather. I fully intend to go sledding, engage in a snowball fight, build a snowman, and who knows maybe there will even be a couple of snow angels in there too… if I’m feeling adventurous. :)

On top of having a truly great holiday party some friends I decided to embark on a long journey on the underground to a place called Old Town in Alexandria on Saturday. It’s AWESOME! Old Town is a section of Alexandria, Virginia along King Street. It’s lined with antique shops, thrift stores, coffee shops, little places to eat, several stores selling Irish and Scottish goods, twinkling lights in trees and brick sidewalks. Walking through Old Town is like being home in New England. When you reach the end of the street you are standing in a harbor looking out at the water. The architecture of the buildings and the atmosphere around you scream colonial times and the residential neighborhoods are ones you could get lost in they are so beautiful. 

We popped into a few shops, I made sure to visit those supplying patrons with “a taste of Ireland and Scotland”. They reminded me of the gift shops geared towards tourists in Ireland and Scotland, but they were still pretty great. I searched for my family name and crest, looked at kilts, admired sweaters from the Aran Islands, and for a brief moment felt like I was back in Galway and Edinburgh. We grabbed a burrito (the largest burrito I’ve ever seen), wandered the streets, headed to the water, and walked through the residential area admiring homes.

From there we hit Chinatown at night, grabbed and drink and headed to Adams Morgan for one last night out. It was a good night and definitely a great way to spend my final weekend in the this amazing city. With only four days left at the office its going to be over faster than I can possibly imagine and spending a weekend with friends having fun was very much needed.

What could have quite possibly been the best part of the weekend was the moment when my TWC portfolio was officially bound and done. This final project is something that you probably will not enjoy very much, but its mandatory, and a good way to compile all the work you’ll end up doing while here. I spent several days organizing work samples, writing letters, and papers and when it was finally done I felt a massive sigh of relief come over me. That was moment when I realized that my time here was really just about over. It could have been a bitter sweet moment, but let’s be honest, I had just finished a major assignment...I was too happy to no longer have “homework” to feel any type of sadness :)

There are only a few days left. I’m not quite sure how that happened, but it’s been a great ride!!

Oh btw… Christmas is 10 days away… when did that happen!? 

Top 2 Places to Visit This Week 

1. Capitol South/Good Stuff Eatery: Capitol South is a very cool part of the District. Home to the Capitol Building (duh), the Supreme Court, and offices of our Congressmen (and women), it’s got a unique atmosphere. People on their way to hearings and very important meetings weave through crowded sidewalks in their suits and congregate at the local bars for happy hour. Now, very importantly, located on 1st and Pennsylvania Ave (just off the Capitol South underground stop) is the fine little vegetarian friendly burger joint, Good Stuff Eatery! Home of the Obama burger and the Vegetarians Are People Too burger, Good Stuff Eatery provides a great atmosphere and great food… for cheap (something all interns desperately search for)! My good friends Jill and Monica introduced me to this fine establishment before class one night. The hardwood floors and two-story hole-in-the-wall is a great place to chill out before your 3-hour TWC class, and if you time it right, when you leave it will be on your walk back to the Metro you’ll be able to enjoy the seeing the Capitol Building glowing in the night sky. Plus… Chef Spike, who owns Good Stuff, was featured on Top Chef! :)

2. Old Town Alexandria: If you find yourself living in Braddock Apartments during your time with The Washington Center, consider yourself lucky. You’ll be just a stone’s throw (or a short walk) away from Old Town Alexandria and King Street. Lined with store fronts, lit by tree lights, and right on the water, Old Town is a beautiful place to go out both at night and during the day. There are several Irish and Scottish themed stores including TKN, a store completely dedicated to … kilts (awesome). 

it’s reminiscent of colonial New England and offers beautiful residential streets to wander through, endless pubs and coffee shops, antique stores, and thrift stores. There are carolers and outdoor music and if you just want some piece and quiet you can go down to the wharf and sit by the water.

Top Five Songs of the Week

1. The Helio Sequence: “Lately”

2. Regina Spektor: “Fidelity”

3. Violent Femmes: “Blister in the Sun”

4. Tilly and the Wall: “Beat Control”

5. Coldplay: “The Scientist”

 

Standing on the board, board is on the wheels, wheels are on the ground, spinning round and round…

World Cup matches were picked this week!!! USA v England in group 3 matches! (this will be a hard one for me… as I’m an American, but LOVE England…)

Now back to business. So I think over the last few weeks I’ve developed a new trend with my blogs, the use of song lyrics for titles. It started with “A Weekend In the City” by Bloc Party and have gone on to include Matt and Kim, The Hombres, and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. This week I’d like to thank The GO! Team for my blog title.

As my internship here in D.C. winds down, the work has picked up. We are coming ever closer to our deadline for Local Program Reports and with the cake contest at this year’s holiday part looming over head… there’s a lot to do! Literacy evaluations, meetings, and compiling of work samples took up my life at the office this week. It was hectic, it was busy, but despite that, it’s still a great time and there are really no words for how great that is.

So how does one end a hectic work week? With free tickets to the Washington Wizards of course! So you know how I’m always talking about looking for free things to do in the city… this is one of them. The fine folks at the Verizon Center donated 15 free box seat tickets to TWC and a couple friends and I were able to reap the benefits… thanks guys! This is one of those great perks that if you pay attention to your emails you’ll get to enjoy while interning through TWC.

Now if you’re not familiar with the Wizards, that’s understandable, before getting these tickets I really knew nothing about them. Having said that… check them out. They have some pretty cool things that go on during their games including the give away of free burritos, t-shirts, and a show by a group of guys called the “Secret Service Dunkers”. These guys are AMAZING! They run from the opposite end of the court, jump on a trampoline and while doing a series of spins and flips in the air, dunk the ball in an effortless display of talent.  

The game was… GREAT! Now I know the Wizards aren’t the most phenomenal of teams (nor are the Toronto Raptors, their opponent this past Friday night), but both teams were on an even keel and as a result the game was pretty intense. Once again, I found myself completely caught up in the competitiveness of a sporting event. With my friends on either side of me, we yelled, we screamed, we cheered, we engaged in a running commentary throughout the whole game. I gripped my seat as I watched the Wizards try desperately to gain a lead on the Raptors and as the fourth period came around they tied up the game with two successful three point shots and we found ourselves entering into overtime.

Overtime quickly became double overtime as both teams refused to give up or let the other gain ground. By the time we were in the last minute and a half of the game, I was out of my seat jumping up and down, pumping my fist in the air cheering on the Wizards with a desperate hope that they could pull through. They put forth a truly valiant effort, but sadly the Toronto Raptors proved to be just a little bit better and ended up winning the game.

As the buzzer sounded, the heads of several TWC students suddenly hung low as we realized our team had lost. It was a sad moment but one we quickly recovered from, largely because of the chaos that ensued getting on the underground. All I could think of as I fought through an endless crowd of people and ran through Chinatown station on to a Metro car overflowing with people, was the walk to the underground after an Arsenal game back in London. 

My family had come to visit me and my brother had treated us all to tickets to the most phenomenal football team ever… ARSENAL!   

(Thanks mi hermano!) The game was phenomenal! Arsenal won, meaning they would be moving on to the championship at Wimbley, and the crowd had been amazing! (When you go to London, which I know you all will because it’s the coolest place ever, please, PLEASE go to a football match. It’s seriously one of the best experiences you’ll ever have!) As we left Emirate Stadium we found ourselves being herded like cattle away from the Arsenal Underground stop towards one a mile or so away. It would have been a quick walk except for the fact that the streets were literally flooded with people. There was no where to go and almost no space to move. As my family and I made our way slowly down the streets of North London and I share a plate of fries with a fellow Arsenal fan, we sang the team’s fight song and cheered with endless joy over their victory.

After a great Wizards game, I awoke the next morning to… SNOW!!! Yes that’s right, beautiful, wonderful, glorious snow, falling softly and swiftly on the ground of Rockville, Maryland!!! Now as a New Hampshire girl, I LOVE snow. I love it! Snow means winter, and while winter means shorter and much colder days, it also means sledding, snowmen, hot chocolate, and ice skating! 

Winter is a truly great time of year! It’s no fall, lets be honest, but it’s great in a way all its own and just like fall, there’s nothing quite like a New Hampshire winter!

To celebrate the first snow of year my friends and I hit the skating rink. We braved the incredibly cold weather and made the long journey down to Pentagon City, trekked through snow and puddles for a few glorious laps on the ice. As we skated around the outdoor rink in skates that seemed very unsteady trying desperately not to lose our balance, the snow fell on us in a blanket that covered everything around us. It was a perfect way to get into the holiday spirit and spend a Saturday afternoon in the city.

Between work, jazz concerts, basketball games, ice skating, and commuting in and out of the city, this week was perhaps one of the busiest I’ve had since being here, but it was worth it. When you come to D.C. or visit any city for that matter, take part in absolutely everything! Anything you can find to do, whether it’s a museum, a free concert, a happy hour, a sporting event, a lecture, whatever it is, take part in it! These are thing things that make your experience in a new place. They open your eyes to so much and they make your time, wherever you are, truly wonderful. And don’t stay in one part of the District, be bold, be adventurous, get out there and see every part of the city, because when you wander off the beaten path you find the greatest things!

Oh and before I forget, the link below is a reason why you should always get out into the city while here. While rocking out at the Bishop Allen concert last week, I was filmed by the Washington Post’s “Scene In” series. I’m only in it for a brief second, but it made me feel momentarily bad ass. :) Make sure to check out the whole “Scene In” series!

Thanks WaPo!

This Weeks Top 2 Places to Visit: 

1. Capital Jazz Project: If you like jazz (and I’ll assume you do) then while you’re in D.C. check out the Capital Jazz Project at the Kennedy Center. I had the privilege of going this past Wednesday and I LOVED it. This free forty-five minute jazz concert takes place on the millennium stage and is open to the public. The band is comprised of several students from local middle schools. These students are given the opportunity to work with professors of jazz from various universities in the area and are then able to perform live at the Kennedy Center and let me just say, these kids are PHENOMENAL!!! I was seriously impressed by these kids. They performed better than some professional jazz bands I’ve heard in the past and they loved what they were doing. Attending a show is not only something free and fun to do while you’re in the city, but it’s also a great way to support a program that helps bring music to public schools and develop education in the arts. Its something I HIGHLY suggest you check out while here!

2. 14^th Street/ U Street Corridor: Located at U Street, home of the wonderful Bens’ Chili Bowl, and 14^th street is the Corridor. Home to the Black Cat, Saint Ex (which have already made appearances on this blog), Bohemian Caverns and the Duke Ellington memorial, the Corridor is my favorite part of DC. Now, I like Georgetown, I like the Dupont Circle area, but the best part of D.C. is the U St/ 14^th St. area. Its laid back, relaxed, and here you can go with the flow. There’s no rat race vibe, no feeling of needing to be dressed to the 10s. No, here is where you can go to listen to bands like Bishop Allen, to enjoy some live jazz, grab a drink at an underground bar, and get away from the competitive atmosphere that exists in most of the District. It's incredibly diverse and the vibe and atmosphere here is unlike anywhere else in D.C.

When coming to 14th St/U St, check out:


Black Cat
Saint-Ex
Ben's Chili Bowl
Polly's Cafe
9:30 Club
Busboys and Poets 


This Week’s Top 5 Songs:

1. Temper Trap: Fader”
2. Anya Marina: “Whatever You Like”
3. Jamie T: “Sticks N’ Stones”
4. Bombay Bicycle Club: “Ghost”
5. Ben Folds: “Time”

Hanging from a pine tree by my knees, sun is shining through the shade, nobody knows what is all about; it's too much man let it all hang out…

First I’d like to thank The Hombres for the lyrics used to create this week’s blog title.  I’d also like to warn you that this blog entry will be heavily, if not entirely, focused New Hampshire (it’ll be great). So this week was Thanksgiving week, an amazing week. I worked for a day and a half, it was wonderful. They were busy days full of various projects, but spending only a day and a half at my desk was definitely welcomed and appreciated. :)

After scanning surveys and working on literacy evaluations for curricula I left my office at 5:30 pm Tuesday evening and hit the road. My roommate Brittany

and our friend Monica prepared to make an epic journey north. It was supposed to take us only 8 hours to reach good ol’ Epping, NH...supposed to being the operative word. It ended up taking us an insanely ridiculous 12 hours!! We were going just fine until we entered Connecticut and realized that instead of getting on 90 north, we’d stayed on 95 forcing us to travel along the border of Connecticut rather than cut straight through. This wasn’t so bad. Did it suck? Yes. Was it annoying? You betcha, but things didn’t really start going south until just outside Providence. 95 was detoured and as I was roused awake I found that we had ended up on 495 east. Now I realize that these roads may be ones that you’re not familiar with. Basically we were headed to Cape Cod, to a peninsula far, far away from New Hampshire.

We spent several horror filled minutes driving through Old Lyme, a small, serial killer-esque type town in Connecticut in the desperate hope of finding a bathroom… we never found one. From there on out it became a desperate sprint to get home. We managed to get back on 95 and in the wee hours of the morning I sped towards home faster than I ever had before. Plowing down the road at 95 miles an hour I crossed my fingers that no police would be on the road and that I wouldn’t hit any strange burst of traffic. As the trip progress my friend Monica and I slowly began to lose our minds… literally. We began creating raps about our predicament trying to use Jay-Z and Kanye West for inspiration and we found ourselves laughing at things that in all honesty, weren’t at all funny. (This is what happens when you’ve been in a car for 10 hours and its 4 in the morning, your brain turns to mush and everything becomes a hazy, laugh filled nightmare).

The eventful drive made coming home all the more worthwhile. Once again I found myself relishing my time in New Hampshire. I can’t say enough about what an amazing state it is. It’s insanely beautiful and the few days I spent there were filled with good times with my family and friends. Thanksgiving was… Thanksgiving. There was turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and more, food as far as the eye could see. After indulging I felt the nauseous feeling overcome my stomach and instantly wished I hadn’t eaten so much (a typical holiday feeling). There were runs through the woods behind my house, black Friday shopping, breakfast at the local diner, and Portsmouth.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 

Just another wonderful reason visit my fine home state. Portsmouth is home to Four Tree Island, Prescott Park, The Friendly Toast, Bullmoose Music, Marco Polo, Strawberry Banke, The Gaslight Company, The Odd Showroom, live jazz festivals, cooking competitions, a killer library, a London style phone booth, a annual real life Pac Man game every summer, and dozens of other incredible things.  I spent my Saturday night with my roommate Brittany and our dear wonderful friend Lindsay relishing all the awesomeness Portsmouth has to offer. After a truly stellar dinner at The Friendly Toast and a coffee at Breaking New Grounds,  

we headed to Prescott Park.

Now it’s already been established that I have a love of parks. There’s something about a park that just captivates me. Prescott Park is the park that started my love of parks. I grew up going there as a kid, and as an adult I’ve learned to enjoy in a number of different ways. In the summer I head over with a book, a blanket, a homemade lunch, and I settle in on the grass for the annual jazz festival, I play Frisbee in the evenings with friends, and wander aimlessly through the gardens. I head to Four Tree Island to sit by the water and have cookouts. In the winter when snow covers everything I sit on the pier letting the snow fall on  me and the wind whip up from the water. I spend nights watching the lights on the river and listening to the buoys in the harbor. There’s no place like Prescott Park, it’s truly amazing.

Seeing my friends and family, spending time in New Hampshire, and getting out of the city for a while was a much needed experience. I’ve got only two and half weeks left here in our nation’s capital and while I’ll be sad to leave, I’m definitely ready to go home. I miss the cold, crisp wind of New Hampshire, the crunch of leaves beneath my feet, and the little pleasures that have always made it home to me.

Top Two Places to Visit This Week:

Due to a lack of time in the city this week my top two places are in New Hampshire. You should definitely go to NH to check them out, they’ll make your trek to the Live Free or Die state very worth while.

Prescott Park: This is by far one of the most beautiful parks you will ever step foot in. It sits on the banks of the beautiful Piscataqua River and is home to a whale statue,  

modern art installation, beautiful gardens with fountains, benches with chess boards, live theater and music festivals, and three piers that jut out into the water. During the winter when a blanket of snow covers the ground you can sit on the pier and listen to the water hit the rocks while lights from the bridge between Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, ME dance on the water. When spring and summer roll around the park comes alive. Flowers bloom everywhere, live jazz plays from the stage, kids run on the grass, boats sail past, and the sun bleeds through the think canopy of green leaves. There’s always something going on, always a show or performance to see, and it’s right in the heart of one of the coolest towns in NH. 

The Friendly Toast: If you ever find yourself starving in New Hampshire with only $10 in your pocket, do me a favor and head to The Friendly Toast. For $10 dollars you get the largest grilled cheese you’ve ever seen. If you’re not a grilled cheese fan, let your money buy you eggs, vegetarian sausage (or regular if you prefer) and two slices of thick toast bigger than your head. The walls of this fine establishment are a deep red color and are covered with random pieces of memorabilia including a flying nun, movie posters, old PBR adverts, and pieces of artwork. Your waiter will most likely be covered in a variety of interesting tattoos and they’ll be more than willing to talk to you about where they got them and what they mean.  You’ll eat some truly wonderful food and find yourself surrounded by a wide variety of people all while listening to a truly unique playlist showcasing the various styles and tastes of those who work there. Its cheap, its good, its fun, and its considered a necessity if you’re in Portsmouth.

Top 5 Songs of the Week:

1. Matt Pond PA: “New Hampshire”
2. Dropkick Murphy’s: “Shipping Up to Boston”
3. Samantha Ronson: “Built This Way”
4. White Stripes: “Hotel Yorba”
5. Snow Patrol: “Just Say Yes”