Adventures in Washington D.C.

I'm finally back in Dallas, returning from 10 days hanging out in Washington D.C. and sailing on the Chesapeake and am only now getting caught up with all of the work that is piling up on my desk. So, I am going to procrastinate even more and update my blog and post pictures of the trip!

I started off in D.C. with a worldwide convention in my medical speciality. I attended the postgraduate course (which was quite high-yield), and spent the remainder of my days wandering through all of the exhibits, playing with the high-tech toys, and leaving each days with handfuls of pharmaceutical company junk. Let's see...I did get a laser pointer/pen/USB drive all-in-one set and a couple of other useful things, but most of it was junk. I did get to meet up with some old friends while in D.C. In particular, I got to see the Special Agent (code name) for tapas and sangria at Jaleo and meet her boyfriend. I have seen the Special Agent three times in the last 8 years and each time I feel like old times when we get together. Here we are:

In addition to hanging out at the convention center and sneaking out at times to partake in some shopping, I was able to get invitations to all the big dinners in town for the week. Notable restaurant venues for the week included Charlie Palmer Steakhouse and Equinox among others. We also found out way to the the Sky Terrace atop the Hotel Washington thanks to a recommendation by the Special Agent herself. Here we are sitting at the bar enjoying mojitos and enjoying the views of the White House and the Treasury bldg as well as some random pics of the city:

Perhaps the most interesting night we had was in Georgetown at the haunted Halcyon House. The night consisted of hor'dourves, desserts and martinis while overlooking the Potomac. Located on Prospect Street, just a block a way from the famous steps in the movie The Exorcist, the house was quite the setting for our cocktail party.

On Wednesday, Robin Leach picked me up at the hotel and we were off to Annapolis, MD to get some parts for Valkyrie. Robin's friends from the Caribbean met us as well, as they were in the process of sailing from the Caribbean to New York. Here we are in Annapolis:

The remainder of the week was spent on Valkyrie, repairing broken things and cleaning. However, we did get to do some sailing during the week.

Thank goodness there is a 5-star resort, The Tides Inn, next to the marina. Robin and I enjoyed dinner and martinis at the Chesapeake club, while I probed his mind about our future. How come I have to always bring these topics up after a few cocktails when I have no recollection about what was discussed. One good thing did come out of the evening....I realized that I can enjoy pool and bar access at the hotel even though we aren't guests! I am already planning my upcoming spa treatments the next time we go back to the boat. Here is a lovely picture of the marina so that you can see why I am so eager to hang out at the resort next door:

So, after a whirlwind tour of the mid-Atlantic states, I am back in Dallas. Upcoming trips include San Francisco and Boulder, CO again. So many places to go....so little time.