Thanksgiving in DC

Cheryl and James insisted that we celebrate Thanksgiving at their home in Bethesda. Their kids, Emma and Harry would be there, too. Don’t you just love friends who warmly invite your whole family over, even when you outnumber them? After our rather nerve-wracking Wednesday, I was happy to leave downtown DC.

James introduced us to Crodino, a non-alcoholic aperitif which tasted just like an aperol spritz. It was a big hit! Harry and Emma had created a gorgeous cheese and charcuterie board, and we happily noshed while Cheryl and Emma assembled a traditional Thanksgiving feast: roast turkey, stuffing and dressing, green beans almandine, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and much more. It was lovely to spend the day with our good friends. We all had much to be thankful for!

The next day was COLD, so we stayed inside and enjoyed being together. I worked on a jigsaw puzzle, Danny helped Steve with a new project (creating a family tree app), and we all watched TV (Mei had introduced us to a bingeable series called Black List). That evening, we went to dinner in Penn Quarter and browsed the holiday market afterward.

On Saturday, Steve and I took Amy on a short walk to see the White House, where all was quiet. There wasn’t much to see at the site of the demolished East Wing; just a fence and a couple of cranes. We joined Danny and Mei for brunch, and then Amy left to take the train back to NYC.

It was Mei’s first visit to DC, so on Sunday we took her to see the Lincoln Memorial, and then walked through the National Mall to the Washington Monument. It was strange to see the Reflecting Pool sitting empty (it had been drained for its annual cleaning).

I think I prefer visiting DC earlier in the year, when the temperatures are warmer and the trees still have their fall foliage. But I was very grateful for the time with family and friends.