Our annual trip to DC is usually timed to catch the Kennedy Center performance of our son in the Bowen McCauley Dance Company (http://www.bmdc.org) (He’s the Kimball one). The timing for that changes slightly each year and the one year we said, “Not happening”, was when they set the schedule for February. Having experienced enough winters in DC we knew the probability and sure enough they had to reschedule one of the performances due to snow and ice. March, as the time for the famous cherry blossoms to appear, is tricky. Yesterday when we arrived was wonderful – okay, a little cool for us, but sunny and fine with a heavy long sleeve top. Unfortunately, the prediction that drove us to lug along the coats is for temperatures to tumble and have a mix of rain and maybe snow starting late today. Ah well, so it goes.

We almost always stay with some good friends and get caught up. Last night, being a Friday was understandably crowded in the couple of restaurants we tried. We hadn’t made reservations because we weren’t entirely certain of our schedules. So we called en route to the Mount Vernon Inn and since that is a little out of the way (not from where they live), we were all set. And yes, if you aren’t familiar with it, that is the sit-down restaurant at Mount Vernon. It is a lovely place with a fairly small menu, but something for everyone. Salmon, braised lamb shank, pork chop and I had one of the specialties you can’t get much outside of this region. It was a hoecake (grilled corn cake) topped with ham and lump crap with hollandaise sauce. The ham and crab combination is a special country-type ham and the proportion has to be just right or the balance is off. When done correctly, it’s delicious.

Today will be errands day and then an early dinner at the Rooftop Terrace Restaurant at the Kennedy Center prior to the performance. Another old friend is coming down from PA with her daughter to join us.