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Locked down but not out in Italy

Singing from the balconies! One nice thing about this crisis ... solidarity! “Guess you’re not living like a tourist anymore,” was the funny, truthful and somewhat gut-wrenching message of a friend the day the lockdown in Italy began. Today is day 6. My beloved Italia has been hit hard with the COVID19 epidemic. With the second largest elderly population in the world, the epidemic has meant a disproportionate amount of deaths in the country. So though I haven’t been worried about contracting it myself, this isn’t about me or someone like me who, if contracted it would probably have a sucky couple of weeks and then recover. It is about if someone like me contracted it and then spread it to a person with a complicated health history or an elderly person with a weakened immune system. Eerily orderly: Lines for the grocery store, each person one meter apart In a country with no concept (and no physical room really) for personal space, and in a city with reproachable hygie

Charting my progress: a nod to HIMYM

As of this weekend, I have officially been living in D.C., in the same apartment, for five months. This is quite a feat for me. I usually move apartments, cities, or countries at this point.

However, accolades aside, I thought I should see how I am doing on my Living like a Tourist-DC list. And the total to date is: 102 things-to-do crossed off...

I have been inspired by one of the best "How I Met Your Mother" (HIMYM) episodes:

"This circle represents people who are breaking my heart. And this circle represents people who are shaking my confidence daily. And where do they overlap? Cecilia."


So let me demonstrate, in chart format, my projected number of activities accomplished against my actual activities accomplished :




I am not doing as well as I had hoped. Hmmm.... with renewed fervor, I move forward nonetheless.

P.S. I still need more suggestions!


Karen's Official Living like a Tourist list- D.C. Edition


For Pity’s Sake (you’re in D.C.!)
  1. White House (inside)
  2. Washington Monument (top)
  3. The Capitol (inside)
  4. Library of Congress
  5. National Archives- Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Magna Carta Originals
  6. Natural History Museum
  7. Air and Space Museum
  8. National Portrait Gallery
  9. National Art Gallery- West Building
  10. National Art Gallery- East Building
  11. Botanical Gardens
  12. National Arboretum
  13. Cherry Blossoms
  14. International Spy Museum 
  15. Crime and Punishment Museum
  16. National Building Museum Lego Exhibit
  17. National Zoo
  18. National Aquarium
  19. Lincoln Memorial
  20. Jefferson Memorial
  21. World War II Memorial
  22. Monument Cruise on the Potomac
  23. Holocaust Museum
  24. Smithsonian Castle
  25. Native American Museum
  26. Woodrow Wilson Exhibit
  27. Old Post Office Building
  28. D.C. Acropolis- Columns that belonged to the Capital
  29. Newseum
  30. John F. Kennedy Center
  31. Ford’s Theater
  32. Dumbarton House
  33. Supreme Court
  34. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
  35. Watergate (inside)
  36. Georgetown’s M Street
  37. FDR Memorial 
  38. Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial
  39. National Archives- Civil War Exhibit
  40. For Food
  41. Sorriso- Italian-Cleveland Park
  42. Sette- Italian- Dupont
  43. Thaiphoon- Thai- Dupont
  44. Leopold’s- Cafe- Georgetown
  45. Bistro du Coin- French- Dupont
  46. Café du Parc- French ?- Penn Ave
  47. La Forchette- French - 18th St.
  48. Rosemary and Thyme- 18th St.
  49. The Diner- American- 18th St.
  50. Dukem- Ethiopian- U St.
  51. Meskerem- Ethiopian - 18th St.
  52. Falafel Shop- Old City Café- Columbia St.
  53. Grill from Ipanema- Adams Morgan
  54. Napoleon- French- Adams Morgan
  55. Open city- Woodley Park
  56. Front page- Dupot
  57. Lauriol Plaza- Mexican- 18th St.
  58. Straits of Malay- Malaysian- 18th St.
  59. Mandu Korean Restaurant-18th St.
  60. Mie N Yu
  61. Perry’s Rooftop
  62. Rosa Mexicano
  63. Pete’s New Haven Style Pizza
  64. Pizza Paradiso 
  65. Café DuPont- French
  66. Circa
  67. Zorba’s-Greek
  68. Indique- Indian- Cleveland Park
  69. Mate- K Street- Sushi
  70. Il Canale- Italian 
  71. Alero- Mexican- Cleveland Park
  72. New Heights
  73. Mama Ayesha- Calvert St.
  74. Café Oaxaca 
  75. Aria - Italian
  76. Wasabi- Sushi 
  77. Penang Malaysian Restaurant
  78. James Hobans
  79. Meze- Lebanese
  80. Falafel at Amsterdam shop
  81. Russia House
  82. Sticky Balls & Godzirra rolls at Sticky Rice- Sushi- H & 12.5 St
  83. Cafe Green- Raw food
  84. Malaysian Kopitiam
  85. Camille's
  86. Madhatter
  87. Jaleo- Tapas
  88. Cashion's- Adams Morgan
  89. Marrakesh
  90. Two Amy's- Pizza
  91. Cuba Libre- after it opens in Sept.
  92. Agora Turkish Restaurant to try the Raki
  93. Brunch (savory crepes) at Napoleon
  94. Haydees- Mexican Food and Live music- Mt. Pleasant
  95. Nam Viet- Vietnamese- Cleveland Park
  96. Crepe Amour- Savory Bachan Crepe- Georgetown
  97. Lavandou- Provencal- Cleveland Park
  98. Jyoti- Indian- 18th St.
  99. Bus Boys & Poets- U Street
  100. Grillfish-Seafood
  101. Firehook Bakery
  102. Hot Potato Cafe
  103. Chopt- a DC craze
  104. El Tamarindo- El Salvadorean & Mexican- Adams Morgan-Florida Ave.
  105. Pasta Mia- Italian- Adams Morgan
  106. For a Night out
  107. Buddha Bar
  108. 9:30 Club
  109. Madam’s Organ
  110. Bossa
  111. Foreign Language Cinema on E Street
  112. Habana Village- Salsa
  113. Screen on the green
  114. Champagne Bar @ Napoleon
  115. Verizon Center
  116. Red Derby- Board Games & beer
  117. Rocket Bar- skeeball machines & games
  118. For the spirit
  119. St. Matthews Cathedral
  120. National Cathedral
  121. Washington Mormon Temple
  122. Franciscan Monastery- DC
  123. Santa Rosaria (Holy Rosary) Italian Church
  124. National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception- Basilica
  125. For Sport
  126. Nationals Game @ Nats Stadium
  127. Orioles vs. Nationals Game (I can cheer for both, can't I?)
  128. D.C. United Game
  129. Capitals Hockey Game
  130. D.C. RollerGirls
  131. Bowie Baysox Game
  132. Frederick Keys Game
  133. Richmond Flying Squirrels Game (because I have to watch a team with flying squirrels as the mascot!!)
  134. Support Runners- Marine Corps Marathon
  135. For Dessert
  136. Cake love
  137. Georgetown Cupcake's Secret Cupcake
  138. Georgetown Cupake's Saturdays Mint Cookies & Creme Cupcake
  139. Georgetown Cupake's Mondays Chocolate Mint Cupcake
  140. Red Velvet's Red Velvet cupcake (duh)
  141. Pitango- Cardammom flavor
  142. Pitango- Spicy Chocolate flavor 
  143. Larry’s Homemade Ice Cream
  144. Café Dolcezza 
  145. Dolci Gelati
  146. Yogenfruz 
  147. Tangy Sweet 
  148. Schokolade 
  149. Hook- lingonberry linzertorte 
  150. Co Co Sala- Chocolate Onyx 
  151. Boccato Gelato- Cake Batter flavor- Arlington 
  152. Boccato Gelato- Chocolate Guinness flavor
  153. Boccato Gelato- Elvis flavor (Peanut butter & jelly)
  154. Island Style Ice Cream
  155. The Dairy Godmother
  156. Crepe Amour- Steve's Job crepe- Apples, almost, cinnamon & caramel
  157. For a Drink
  158. Tryst
  159. Café du Parc
  160. Le Bar
  161. Potenza
  162. Rooftop bar- JandG
  163. Estadio- frozen alcoholic slushies 
  164. Dickson Wine Bar- U Street
  165. Veritas Wine Bar
  166. Brickskeller Saloon
  167. Urbana- P Street
  168. Bar DuPont
  169. Nanny O'briens
  170. Try DC Brau’s Porter
  171. Black Squirrel Pub- Beer
  172. R.F.D. Washington- Beer
  173. Dark and Stormy drink- Islander Caribbean Restaurant
  174. Four Corners Pub- Cleveland Park
  175. Biergarten Haus- Capitol Hill
  176. Brasserie Beck- Belgian Beer
  177. Meridian Pint- Pour your own pint- Columbia Heights
  178. Adams Mill- Adams Morgan
  179. Breadsoda-Beer & ping pong- Wisconsin Ave.
  180. For Caffe
  181. Illy café on M and New Hampshire
  182. Caffe Affogato (drowned coffee) at Pitango
  183. Ebenezers Coffeehouse
  184. Java Green Café
  185. Chinatown Coffee Company
  186. M.E. Swing Co.
  187. Mayorga Coffee
  188. Mocha Hut Coffeehouse
  189. Quartermaine Coffee Roasters
  190. Sparky's Espresso Café 
  191. St. Elmo's Coffee Pub
  192. For Me
  193. Mimosa salon- manicure
  194. Imago-Eyebrow threading
  195. Dhoonya Dance- Bhangra classes
  196. Fired Up- Paint your own ceramics- Cleveland Park 
  197. For Happy Hour
  198. L’Enfant Belgian Beer Happy hour 
  199. Lima outdoor terrace
  200. Zenten Rooftop bar- Donovan House- Canton Ginger Liquor
  201. Art & Soul- SnoCone Happy hour
  202. Vapiano 
  203. Ceiba
  204. Vinoteca
  205. Chocolate & Bubbles Happy hour- Co Co Sala
  206. ONE Lounge- potato pancakes
  207. Medaterra- Woodley Park
  208. For Hookah
  209. Soussi
  210. Chi Cha Lounge
  211. For Culture
  212. Chinatown
  213. Passport D.C. Days
  214. Italian Festival
  215. Free Friday concerts- Kennedy Center
  216. Concert- Wolf trapp
  217. Freer Gallery
  218. Phillips Collection
  219. Alliance Francaise Event
  220. Goethe Instituit
  221. Pope John Paul II Cultural Center
  222. DaVinci the Genius Exhibit- National Geographic Museum
  223. Allen Ginsberg's Photography "Beat Memories"- National Gallery
  224. Gallery at the Canadian Embassy
  225. Italian Embassy
  226. Washington National Opera
  227. Shakespeare Theater
  228. Hand Dance Club- DC's national dance
  229. For Being Outside
  230. Rock Creek Trail
  231. Kayaking on the Potomac
  232. Paddle Boat- Tidal Basin
  233. Eastern Market
  234. Bike along C&O Canal
  235. Tubing on the Potomac
  236. Photograph DC's interesting murals
  237. For getting out of the city
  238. Port City Brewery- Alexandria
  239. Old town Alexandria
  240. Oasis Winery
  241. National Harbor
  242. Arlington Cemetery
  243. Mount Vernon
  244. Annandale- Korean restuarant
  245. I don’t know what for…
  246. Ollie’s trolley
  247. O Line at National Zoo- Orangutan’s crossing
  248. Drag Queen brunch at Perry’s
  249. Post Office Museum
  250. Againn- Beer Floats
  251. Cereal Bowl
  252. Funxion
  253. Albert Einstein Memorial
  254. Spotting Black Squirrels
  255. Find a D.C. geocache
  256. The Big Chair- world’s largest chair, in Anacostia 
  257. The Big Adirondack Chair
  258. Participate in a D.C. Dance Mob
  259. Homeade Root Beer marshmallows (what are these??) at Buzz Bakery
  260. A DuFrein (Guinness with a shot of espresso) at Tryst
  261. For helping round off this list
  262. Union Station 
  263. Ronald Reagan Airport 
  264. Dulles Airport 
  265. BWI Airport 
  266. Freedom Plaza 
  267. Ronald Reagan Building
  268. The Circulator
  269. The D.C. Metro System

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