Eastern Market is a must-do experience for visitors to the city. It's a mix of food market, flea market, and crafts vendors, and the vibrant energy of Capitol Hill makes it a lively scene. On this particular day, it wasn't too crowded, which is always a plus in my book. We decided to pass by the crafts vendors and head directly to the crepes stand for some lunch.
One word: delicious. For about $8 you can choose from a number of gooey, savory or sweet crepes that will satisfy your stomach. Mine had egg, cheese, spinach, and peppers and was exactly what I wanted. Yum!
After we were fed, the hubs and I headed back towards the crafts vendors. There are always a lot of neat things to browse, such a jewelry, vintage goods, t-shirts, and art, but that day we were on a mission to purchase some DC photography prints. There were only a few stands to choose from (I think the vendor presence is more limited in the winter months), but the photographs were all amazing. I knew that I wanted something that represented the spirit of DC but wasn't a generic postcard shot of the White House or Capitol Building. We ended up purchasing three prints from two different vendors, two featuring election posters taken by Joe Shymanski and Scott Henrichsen, and one of the Library of Congress in the snow (I unfortunately have forgotten who this photographer is!). All came matted for an 8x10 frame and were only $10, which I consider a good deal.
I was hoping to practice some photography of my own, but since it was just after noon and unusually sunny for a January afternoon, I was having trouble finding my comfort zone in the bright light, so my photos of the day are limited. The hubs and I ended up just walking around Capitol Hill for a while, and while a few times I got extremely frustrated for not having better control of the camera, overall it was a beautiful day. I may not have Mad Skillz (yet!) in the photography department, but all of this trial-and-error shooting is still fun. If nothing else, I'm going on a few very scenic walks around the city.
Too bright!
Library of Congress
Library of Congress
Later on, I put the camera away and reminded myself that even if I was no match for the sun glare, I didn't need a camera to see the beauty of my surroundings. Winter or summer, rain or shine, this is a beautiful place to live. My Eastern Market trip was low-key, relatively tourist-free, and I walked away with lovely prints that will hang on the walls of our home and remind me not just of the past five years, but of a very nice, sunny day spent with the hubs.
Thanks, universe, for being so awesome.
P.S. I have a guest post over at Whiskey Tango Foxtrot today. Go check it out if you'd like! I've quickly become a fan of Kristen and her blog, and I'm really excited to be sponsoring and featured today. :D
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Want to read more about having fun in DC? Follow along as I embark on Project DC (I've added to the list!):
2. Go for a leisurely hike in Rock Creek Park.
3. Go on a White House tour.
5. Visit Old Town on a day trip.
6. Take a day trip to Annapolis.
7. Go to the Newseum.
8. Go back to Jazz in the Garden when it starts up again in the spring.
9. Go to the Holocaust Museum.
10. Eat at Ben's Chili Bowl.
11. See the FDR Memorial.
13. Go to the National Portrait Gallery.
14. Go to the Corcoran.
15. Visit the Vietnam Memorial.
17. Go to more embassy events.
18. See a show at Rock & Roll Hotel.
19. See the drum circle at Malcolm X Park.
20. Mini golf at H Street Country Club.
21. Evening drinks at POV.
22. Visit the National Archives.
23. See a Washington Ballet performance.
24. Walk through the National Arboretum.
22. Visit the National Archives.
23. See a Washington Ballet performance.
24. Walk through the National Arboretum.
