Stella’s inaugural adventure

Stella had a silver ticket from lovely friends.  Like Charlie winning the golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

At 6am, she could see the patch of grass on TV where she would shortly stand.

cnn6am

temperature

It was cold, so she dressed appropriately.

hat

boots

Stella walked along U Street and admired the Obama art.

progress

ice

Stella and her friends walked downtown and under the 3rd Street tunnel to reach the silver ticket section.

into-tunnel

There was no stopping.

no-stopping21

But there was light at the end.

light

Heading for the Silver Gate at 3rd and Independence, Stella and her friends got close,

close

then closer,

closer

and Shangri-la was just one intersection away.

closest

Just one intersection away for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes.  At 10:30am, with an hour to go, Stella and her friends made a strategic decision not to stare at the backs of the heads of the silver ticket holders who had started to chant “Let us in!”

They fought the crowds back to the 3rd Street tunnel where other silver ticket holders were still streaming in.

backtothetunnel

They power walked to the glorious new Busboys & Poets in Mount
Vernon Square.

busboys

Good people brought Bloody Marys, coffee, and tempeh sandwiches.

irony

Did they really just say that?

Ok, it’s the moment.

areyouprepared

Then Stella was too giddy to take more photos until she walked home and waved bye bye to the Bushes.

byebush

Happy New President, America.

9 responses to “Stella’s inaugural adventure”

  1. Dave says:

    Love love love this. Sorry you didn’t get in to the special silver ticket area, but that photo of the helicopter is priceless.

    Is the new Busboys & Poets a relocation or metastasis? (I like the place, hate the name.)

  2. Stella says:

    Metastasis…there’s also one in Shirlington!!

  3. Rogan says:

    Stella, thanks for the tour! From the news I heard about other silver ticket holders, you made the right choice to turn back. For many, the butt end of that tunnel was their window onto this historic moment. A warm room filled with excited people and tempeh sandwiches sounds much nicer.

  4. lane says:

    lovely, we had a boo-boo on monday, (and a five year-old in tow) so we stayed at bacon’s place.

    it was interesting how seeing those images so close, (and with central heating!) was just thrilling.

    great post, great pictures.

    u always nail the pictures.

    (busboys and poets . . . so cute, that’s a great name dave.)

  5. busboys and poets

    There’s a bar with a very similar but not exactly the same name as this on Hudson St in Manhattan. FWIW. (Aggravating but I can’t remember now what the similar name is.)

    Lovely pictures, Stella!

  6. LP says:

    From the Busboys and Poets website:

    The name refers to American poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy at the Wardman Park Hotel in the 1930s, prior to gaining recognition as a poet. Rejected ideas for the restaurant’s name include Writers Block Cafe, Broken Bread Cafe and White Rabbit Cafe, the latter inspired by The Matrix.

  7. LP says:

    And yes, great photos, Stella. Ah, Ben’s Chili Bowl! Ah, the old ‘hood!

  8. Jane says:

    Great photos! I agree with Dave…the photo of the helicopter IS priceless.

  9. Natasha says:

    Nice post, Stella!
    Each one of my friends has a picture of their shoes. It must be a new trend I am still yet to comprehend.

    I liked the “appropriately dressed” one; you have some amazing color eyes!

    It’s somewhat allegorical that the helicopter is leaving the crooked naked branches of trees behind.