Monuments, animals, and brews in our nation's capital.

So it's been 4-eva (yes, with the popularity of Entourage, why wouldn't I be channeling Marky Mark from the movie Fear?)

I was in our nation's capital last weekend and had quite the enjoyable time. My friend and I were up at the ungodly hour of 7 AM on a Saturday in order to get crackin' and get to the National Zoo before 1) People crowded the viewing of the baby cheetahs, 2) Said baby cheetahs were too tired to frolick and/or were off-view, and 3) to beat the heat (a 90-degree scorcher was in the works for the day).

I have never been to the National Zoo. The first zoo I've visited in many, many years was the Central Park Zoo this past December, which was a delightful: small taste of some cute penguins, a cool rainforest area (nice way to warm up when it's 35 degress outside) and some other less than ferocious animals. The National Zoo is quite nice. And free. The cheetahs were adorable and we found out that a baby panda had been born just 7 hours prior. A productive day. And on our way out, I saw a parent with a child attached to a leash. Classic. Hey, at least she was in tune enough to know that her kid needs to be on one. I applaud her.

From there we went downtown to check the monuments and join the hordes in hip-packs, short shorts with high socks and sneaks, and cameras. Haven't done the tourist thing since college, so saw some new monuments, like Korea, which was very moving, and the new WWII (got a pic for my dear grandpop's memory). We also found a key new monument, hidden away and perfect for 90 degree afternoons - a snack kiosk selling beer. This was a delightful little surprise, because there's not really anything our forefathers would have enjoyed more than to open their city to us so we can relax by a man-made lake, sipping $2.85 cans of Bud Light (so cheap!), with the Washington Monument to our direct right, and the Lincoln Memorial to our direct left. It's like two of our greatest leaders were looking out for us, blessing us to drink in their presence. Proud to be an American, mos def.

So after 6 beers each, we trudged around some more, sun had gone down a bit, the hip-packs gone back to their hotels, and then just hiked back to the car to get some eats.

And eventful day in our nation's capital. Thank you, Washington, D.C., for allowing alcoholic beverages in your park. You made my day even better.