The first thing you think about when someone mentions the capital of the United States of America is either the White House, the President or a US memorial. If not, then you've probably already been exposed to the more relaxed side of the city. Just 7 miles south of the city lies Alexandria, which is also referred to as Old Town. This town technically is a part of Virginia and it is full of character; almost new European, with boutiques, bistros and antique shops. Think Covent Garden, London without the roof. What's most amazing about this place are the scenic views of the Potomac river.   

We were lucky to have such good weather during our stay there, that too in February! It was unusually warm so, we made the most of the trip by spending the evenings outdoors. 

The capital centre seemed very bureaucratic indeed. We were surrounded by what felt like a never-ending series of government buildings. Although for museum fanatics, this place is a haven of American history and even some Renaissance art. One of our favourites was the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Unlike many quiet museums, this one immediately grabbed our attention as soon as we walked in through the help of some very good jazz music.

The exterior of the National Museum of African American History & Culture with Washington Monument near the site.

D.C. is also filled with rental bikes to make your sightseeing plans easier.

Another must visit place, a favourite of mine, is the area surrounding Georgetown University. The town reminds me a little bit of Oxford and a little bit of Shoreditch. The Waterfront Park is very beautiful with a relaxing vibe but unfortunately, we forgot our dslr camera for the day so couldn't take as many photographs from our phones. These next pictures around Lincoln Memorial were taken using our mobile phone cameras.

Views from and in Lincoln Memorial, where Captain America was seen running around.

Lastly, on food, we ate a lot. A lot lot. I remember drinking almost every night followed by eating out as well as in, all thanks to our super hosts, my ohana in D.C. There is also a Korea Town nearby so we had an absolutely amazing Korean BBQ meal along with my sister's fabulous feasts. Her cheese omelettes are delish~ I also got to try American Chinese takeout that come in pagoda boxes. I haven't come across one in the UK yet so that was another treat. Again, we were very lucky with the weather, it got to almost 27 degree Celsius which was bizarre following how cold it was is New York, where my next post will be about! Fin. 👋

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by Sarah

Bourbon Tasting

         Whilst I was in Tennessee, I caught the chance to visit Woodford Reserve Distillery at Versailles, Kentucky. This was my first ever visit to a distillery and the experience was quite a good one. The tour included a taster session followed by a pop to the gift shop. Woodford Reserve is one of the oldest of the nine bourbon distilleries currently operating in Kentucky, with a history dating back to 1780! Thanks Wiki.

I ended up buying a litre bottle of the double oaked and some chocolates as well. Quite pricey but definitely worth it. I'm almost finished with the bottle so, was very sad and happy (a very confusing mix of emotions) to see it go down but luckily, their 70 cl straight bourbon whiskey is around £25 at the moment in pretty much all supermarkets. A very smooth texture with a sharp taste. Also, it's great in cakes! I followed Michelle's recipe and it was absolutely divine~

As a cat lady myself, I found this memorial very touching!

Anywho, I thought I would share these pictures from the visit. A big thank you to Erin for the recommendation and showing us around. Had a really good time in Kentucky and the university is absolutely lovely. Go, Wildcats!