Library of Congress

The Library of Congress was only the first thing we visited on our second day in DC, but I needed to dedicate a whole post just to it. It was that amazing.













Just from the outside, it looks pretty grand. There are busts of different authors and writers. You have to go through security to get in. It's a big deal. I sort of knew what to expect, but I was definitely not prepared for just how beautiful this building is.







When you walk in, you are in a little foyer, but then you walk up to the main lobby area or what they call the Great Hall. As a huge Harry Potter nerd, I was happy to learn that it's called that. There are pillars and mosaics and tiles and statues and beautiful designs on the ceilings and walls. It's like a church for books. It's like librarianship is the worship of books and this is our temple. Ok, that got a little weird, but you get the picture. It's GORGEOUS. I wish I could get married there, but I already looked into it and just renting the Great Hall alone is $35,000. The average wedding in the US costs $26,000 just for some perspective.











There are so many things to look at. I even found Poe's name on the ceiling. :) There are also a ton of sayings about reading and books that are all over the walls. I LOVED IT.













They have a Reading Room which is also spectacular. You have to wait in a small line to go view it and you only get like, 30 seconds to a minute to look at it from a glass window that overlooks it. I think you need special permission to actually use the Reading Room. It was so pretty, though.









They also have Thomas Jefferson's original library. The books are on shelves that are in glass enclosed cases. They had other historical exhibits as well in different wings and rooms of the library. They also have the Gutenberg Bible which was the first big book to ever be mass printed.

Dress: Dear Creatures//Sweater: Forever 21//Tights: Apt. 9//Boots: Payless

I never wanted to leave. I wish I could visit the LOC more often because it would be such a nice place to just hang out and think and be in peace. It's like the king of all libraries and I'm so happy I was able to visit!

Walkin' On The Streets of DC

About two months ago, Nadia and I ventured to DC for a long weekend getaway. It was awesome! I had only been to DC once, and it was only for a day - definitely not enough time to really take it all in. Plus the first time I was there, the Reflection Pool was emptied for renovation which was a bummer. We packed a lot of stuff into our three days there. I will start with the first day!









We arrived late in the morning and got lucky finding some free parking a few blocks away from the Lincoln Memorial. Since we were so close, that was our first stop. This is definitely one of my favorite monuments. It's so powerful and moving to stand before as well as to stand at the top of the stairs and look out at the Washington Monument. To think about all of the things that took place there over the years and all the history in this whole city in general is just amazing.













It was pretty cold the weekend we went, which was kind of a bummer. The main reason we wanted to go in April was for the Cherry Blossom Festival, but the blossoms were actually pretty much gone due to weather. Nevertheless, we still had a great time seeing the sights.









We walked around the National Mall and went to the National Museum of American History. They had really old Apple computers and a Moonman from the MTV VMAs which was exciting, haha.











We had lunch at an awesome grilled cheese place called Grilled Cheese DC (GCDC) and it's a grilled cheese bar. That's right. They have grilled cheese and booze. I got a grilled cheese with bacon and pesto and it was awesome.









We visited the World War II Memorial, which is a nice place to sit and hang out. There's a giant fountain and a nice view of the Washington Monument too. You can pretty much see the Washington Monument from anywhere in the city, though.









Of course, we stopped to see the White House and to pay the Obamas a visit. Not really, though. Only in my dreams. We thought that we might get to see him, though, because when we were walking by the area, the Secret Service officers blocked off the road that led to the White House and then they allowed a few black vehicles with tinted windows into the gates. We waited outside the fence and could see that there were photographers and press near the entrance of the building. We didn't see anyone though. The White House blog actually posts what the president and vice president are up to that day and it said Obama was in California, so maybe it was Michelle! haha.

Dress & Belt: Kohl's//Jacket: H&M//Tights: Apt. 9//Boots: Payless

We eventually checked into our hotel which was actually in Virginia, but only about a 20 minute drive to the city. It was a little annoying to drive around the city, but it was doable. I would've loved to stay right in the city, but it's so expensive. :\ We stayed two nights and three days, so expect more posts about the other days!