Mission #3: Mount Vernon Square/7th Street/DC Convention Center. April 9, 2011

Today's mission kept us a little bit closer to home. We picked the Mount Vernon Square/Convention Center Metro stop on the Green line. YAY - we never had to change trains! It was only about a 25 minute ride.

Upon arriving in the city we started wandering around the neighborhood. We were immediately attracted to a large gold domed building.

This was the House of Prayer for All People Church. According to the historical information marker on the sidewalk, it once had 3,000,000 members in 14 states.....? The best part is the church's "saint's paradise" cafeteria. Too bad we weren't hungry yet!

After our church tour (and there are alot of churches in this neighborhood), we headed back toward the Convention Center for a stroll around the 3 blocks it covers. We tried to get breakfast at Chatman's Divine Bakery & Cafe but it wasn't opening until 11:00. However, we met Debra - the owner, and promised we'd be back later! Instead we got a mediocre muffin and worse hot chocolate (but groovy atmosphere) at the First Cup Cafe on 9th Street. Maybe it should've been called the "first and only cup". It would be a great place to sit and read a book though (books are provided by the cafe). Mount Vernon Square and the Historical Society of D.C. was next. This building was once the Andrew Carnegie Library. It's FREE and at least today was not crowded at all. It had two exhibits: Cherry Blossom Art (so-so) and Choosing to Participate (an excellent exhibit about social justice). We learned all about the Little Rock Nine, Jewish Racism in Billings MT and standing up against hate crimes.

As we left Mount Vernon Square, we passed the NPR building and then a yellow sculpture caught our eye 2 blocks away so we headed towards it. It was cool, but even cooler was our first experience in an inner-city Safeway. Strangely, it looked just like a suburbian Safeway. It did not live up to our expectations.

As we left Safeway, we ran into Stan. An elderly gentleman trying to transport 4 cases of water. We decided to give him a hand by each carrying a case "just up the road" to his home. Up to road became about 8 LONG CITY blocks! With backs breaking and arms shaking, we finally made it to his apartment. He wasn't much of a talker but I think we made a friend for life! We got in a Random Act of Kindness and a workout all at once! Good times!

Leaving Stan's we spotted the Hoagie Hut and our mouths started watering but alas, it was boarded up (and graffitied). That was OK though because we had promised Debra we would come back. We made our way back to the cafe and it was DIVINE! (pulled pork, beans, potato salad and SWEET TEA! - yum)

Finally, before heading home, we had to check out the convention center (after all, that was the name of the metro stop). We looked around a bit but the place is humongous and there's really not much to do unless you're at a convention. We were jealous of all the people spending their Saturday sitting in rooms looking at powerpoints about various medical conditions and experimental biology (NOT!) Personally, we'd rather spend our Saturday together on a Mission: Metro.

THE END - see ya' next week!

Mission #2: Vienna-Fairfax-GMU. Orange Line April 2, 2011

Our second Mission Metro was to Vienna-Fairfax at the far, far, far end of the Orange Line. Although we were warned that this station could be "dangerous", the only threat we faced was falling onto Interstate 66.

We got to Vienna after about an hour on the train, were met by swarms of people heading the other way to see Cherry Blossoms (more on that later) and ate our granola bars in the parking lot in preparation for all there is to see and do in Vienna-Fairfax-GMU. Sadly, there's not much to see OR do in Vienna-Fairfax-GMU but we did find the Pan-Am shopping plaza just a short 20 minute walk. (It would have been a 15 minute walk if we hadn't "short-cutted" through an apartment complex! We did find a fun little playground in said apartment complex.

The Pan-Am shopping plaza offers an abundance of Asian cuisine as well as video editing, dental care and dance costumage. Our favorite store was MICROCENTER, where all of your electronics needs are met. We did buy a keyboard duster and some cheap earbuds....and they had free candy for 'customer appreciation day'.

Rather than dining on Asian cuisine, no offense to all of our asian friends, we chose to go American at the Pan-Am Family Restaurant (run by Greeks). The french toast was awesome, as was the omelet. The service was great and the place was packed! It seemed to be the local hangout for large groups of old men (so Brady felt right at home). If you ever get hungry at the corner of Nutley St and Lee Hwy.....give it a try! Tell 'em Brady & Joy sent ya'!

After breakfast, which was by this time lunch, we headed back toward the train and tried to do some Random Acts of Kindness by feeding parking meters. What the video doesn't show is that we soon realized all the meters were expired and you probably don't even have to pay on Saturdays.

Finally we made it back to the Vienna Metro Station along with 40,000 (a rough guestimate) other Metro riders eager to see Cherry Blossoms and the Nats. We spent 80% of the hour and 15 minute ride home standing. Now we know how cattle feel...minus the flies.

Overall it was another great Mission. I'm sure there's actually tons to do in Vienna and Fairfax (just none of it's too close to the Metro). But when you're with someone you love everywhere is a great adventure. By the way....the highlight of Joy's day was the talking crosswalk signs. It doesn't take much.