Spring Break: Around the World in 7 Days

Okay, the title is a bit exaggerated— I didn’t leave the DC area, but my friends and I tried our hardest to make trips to another place or time. As a local, it’s rare that I see my city as this Great Place worthy of millions of visitors from all around the world. When I encounter the occasional starry-eyed tourist with a camera glued to their face, I think Oh, they’ll get over it in a few days. But my excursions during Spring Break inspired me to develop a newfound appreciation for my city as I discovered new ways to get away without hopping on a plane. Isn’t it true that when you visit a place, you want to be immersed in its culture…but when you’re used to it, you are constantly searching for ways to escape? Here are my top three excursions during Spring Break 2011:

#1—Bus Boys and Poets

This is a trendy restaurant I’ve been meaning to visit for a while. The food is delicious (I had a yummy crab cake sandwich) but what people come here for is the atmosphere. It has a chic, slightly counter-culture vibe and seem to be progressive and world-conscious. We attended the Open Mic segment and were entertained by the spoken word performances from local artists.  

#2—National Gallery of Art

I know, very touristy. However, art history is one of my passions and I unapologetically dragged my friends around for hours, mostly within the Modern and Contemporary Art sections. I’m currently taking a Modern Art class, and it was a different experience looking at the art up close rather than from a projector screen. It was definitely worth looking at my friends’ blank expressions and ignoring their dragging footsteps.

A Roy Lichenstein  

A Henri Matisse

#3— A Taste of India

I’m not one to experiment with food, but this time I was outvoted. I was reluctant to taste anything, but as soon as I took a bite I was converted. The entire meal was exquisite, from the main dish to every single one of the sauces. Not to mention the environment. The restaurant was decorated in textiles and pillows that added character and gave it a very rich feeling.

Urban Oasis

This week is the last week of classes before Spring Break, and it’s already halfway through! This upcoming break will be my first Spring Break within about 500 miles of home during my 4 years of college. It’s the last big break for me as a senior, and I have a pretty good idea of where I want to spend most of it: on my couch.

This might be where I want to spend my break, but un/fortunately I have friends based in DC that want to take advantage of our city. And by ‘take advantage’ I mean party like a tourist- visit all the hotspots, check out the coolest restaurants and experience every nightclub in as much time as we possibly can. First up on the itinerary: Bus Boys and Poets. It’s a cool restaurant in the chic and fashionable part of town that we’ve been planning to visit since we started college.

I’ve done tons of touristy things in the past for Spring Break, so I have a few tips and things to inspire you all who are planning to travel this time around. The most popular sites I know of for student travel discounts and information are STA Travel and Student Universe. STA travel is more comprehensive and includes plenty of guidelines for visiting different cities and many other countries. Student Universe is pretty straightforward. Its goal is to get you to your destination as quick as you can for the cheapest price. There might be better deals out there on smaller sites, but these will ensure you travel with companies that are well-known and reliable.

Hopefully, you’re not like me when it comes to packing. If I’m going somewhere for a week or 3 weeks, I usually have 3 suitcases and a backpack.

 An admirable packing plan from Knightcat

I’m not sure of the exact reason why I can’t pack light, but I think it has something to with putting outfits together. I’m encouraging you guys to do the mix-and-match thing. You know, dressing for day and night, creating a week’s worth of outfits based on one pair of shoes. I admire those of you who have this practice under your belt. For the rest of us, here’s an example from Boho Market:

I hope everyone has a exciting and safe break! Check back for pics of DC.