DC highlights. How do I pick five?!

On today's to-do-list is drafting a little diary over five extraordinary (or ordinary) events from my time in DC. It's an assignment for a student magazine, with the aim to inspire others to study abroad (DO IT!), or something like that.

But how do you pick only five things from an absolutely awesome year in DC? What should I write about?

That Nats game that got delayed due to a thunderstorm?

How IHOP is open all day and night?

About covering the event where the Chief Justice of the US was present?

Or about covering the American Diabetes Association's fundraiser walk to stop diabetes?

Hearing Mr President Obama speak and Stevie Wonder sing for the MLK Memorial Opening?

That amazing Thanksgiving in Snickersville?

Run in the rain.

Arlington is offering gloomy weather and rain today. A little bit like how I feel. I've taken down the flag. The running shoes are waiting for me and I'll head out in the neighborhood in spite of the rain. Oh dear. This is all so surreal.

We don't want to call it what it was...

..because it was the last DC day. Two girls who know how to enjoy life, know how to deal with that kind of situation. We put on a show. It started on Nellie's Sports Bar on U Street with an all you can eat and one free mimosa drag show brunch. Yes, I did just say that. If you want a brunch and a half, that's the place to go! But don't forget your $1 bills, because the ladies do put on a show and want your appreciation.

The rest of the afternoon, we walked from one part of town to another, wrote down what we want to do before we die, went for a quickie to the National Archives, sat in silence in front of the Capitol, walked up to Chinatown for dinner, searched for Obama outside of his White House and walked to Foggy Bottom to take the metro back to Crystal City.

We will always have DC. 

On a river boat.

We don't think much. We don't do much. We don't write much. We mostly hang out and simply are. Saying goodbye and wrapping up is not an amiable activity. But cruising on the Potomac is. Voilà!

And all of a sudden, Gunvald shows up on our TV screen.

Running on The Mall – check!

We only have a few days left here in our W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N baby D-C and we try to use our time wisely. As a last roomie get-together we jumped on the metro yesterday morning together with all the busy workers. While they got off and walked to Capitol Hill or other serious places, we ran off to The Mall and well, that's actually what we did.

After a run around The Mall – The Capitol, Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and all the way back – we headed back to Crystal City for a well deserved last breakfast together.

That's what life's about!

Dressed for success among all the suits. 

Close to completion and look at the finish line – The US Capitol!

Time for breakfast...

...what could be better than hand spun milkshake from Good Stuff Eatery?!

This is awkward.

These days are just weird and there are so many mixed feelings. The apartment is cleaner than it has been in weeks and all our belongings are now in suitcases, yet I still go to my drawer to look for things I need. Nothing there, it's empty!

The cleaning out and packing down part of life is so weird and awkward. I tried to pack down myself for a bit, but that was not helpful at all. It seems the best way to deal with this ending phase is to leave the apartment and go out and have fun.

Enjoy what you have when you have it!

Going out of state – Pennsylvania next!

In a couple of hours, I'm leaving the nation's current capital for the city that served as the capital from 1790 to 1800, awaiting DC to be ready to go. I'm talking about walking the streets of Philadelphia.

It's only a three hour and not even $10.00 bus ride from where I live, which calls for a perfect day trip. We're laid-back travelers and like to tourist as we go, so we'll see what we end up doing. Although, I will probably come back with some pictures of Independence Hall and Liberty Bell and with a Philly cheesesteak in my tummy.

But other than that, the day will take us where the day will take us. To, apparently, the most Democratic city in the US.

Leaving DC for a day.

Field trip: Baltimore.

Good morning Baltimore, we shouted yesterday. But as we are on vacation and don't really want to follow a strict time schedule, it was more afternoon when we actually got there. Nevertheless, we did get there (after such good metro flow – even on the red line – it was almost unbelievable!) and were happily surprised by a new atmosphere and a cute inner harbor.

Today's field trip advice if you're in the DC area and want a change of scenery is, naturally, Baltimore.

DC–Baltimore: $7.00 with MARC train from Union Station.

Jump more, you're in Baltimore!

They liked the view from Federal Hill and they like each other.

Mainly an industrial city, but today also with a growing service economy. 

American Visionary Art Museum, unfortunately closed...

...as was the Walter Art Museum.

Greatest in America? At least the largest in Maryland.

Preparing for Gospel Brunch.

A reminder, people: Sunday should always be Fun Day!

This Fun Day started with a powerwalk in our cute, cute neighborhood. A much needed start, since the next activity on the agenda is All You Can Eat Gospel Brunch. You would think that that's enough for a Sunday Fun Day, but we close no doors and the day might just take us to other adventures as well. We'll see. Life is full of soft people and fun activities.

We know the Underground by heart.

"This is not a goodbye!" Yet I will miss you, dear gym.

There are certain things I need in life in order to stay on top of the game even when things get shaky. Family, friends and a good fitness center is definitely top three. So, understand how lucky I feel about having all those three factors incorporated in my life.

Let me show you my absolute favorite spot around here, with my favorite people, my DC family – the 305 girls. In this room, I have experienced every single emotion possible and it symbolizes my time here quite well. It has been a refuge, a place for fun, a place for hard work, a place for relaxing and sometimes just hanging out.

I was so close to tears when the girls and I walked out of there earlier today. It was the last workout. But we made sure to make the most out of it, really. And we promised that it's not a goodbye. It's simply a "moving on to different adventures." But I won't lie to you, I am going to miss this place and everything about it – like crazy. [Emotion explosion.]

Awkward Family photo no.1.

Awkward Family photo no.2. But see what a happy family!

Working out?

Awkward Family photo no.3 with Awkward Guy in the corner (no offense).

Thanks for being a good friend, taking care of this family and making the fitness center our home!

Valborg Celebrations at 305.

Today was not allowed to be a K Monday, as Mondays so often can be, because today was Valborg back home in Sweden and we like to celebrate Swedish holidays even when we're here overseas. Last Valborg, I celebrated by dressing out in a glittery dress, dancing down the streets of Gothenburg. Tonight, I celebrated by dressing out random food in filo dough and making it into a more fancy dinner than just vegetable mush. Delicious was the final judgement!

Iron Ass had limited access to the kitchen, so we didn't get to see any bonfire, as the tradition back home calls for, but Grandma sang a line of the typical "Vintern rasat ut bland våra fjällar..."-song and we said cheers and had fun. That's what it's all about right?

Spring should be here now and tomorrow the Swedes celebrate some kind of equivalent to Labor Day. Obviously, that doesn't matter here, so off to bed I am. Good night, sweethearts out there.

Happy Valborg!

Peanut butter cup in disguise. Being creative in the kitchen.

Damage control!

Know yourself. Know what makes you feel good. Know how to fix yourself, because feeling anything but happy is just stupid.

Today was yet another "I feel like an elephant" run, but in the end it all felt so good and my day got so much better. Damage control – check!

Good job, you!

Favorite outfit of them all – running tights and running shoes.

This is proof that I have been running quite a lot.

Love is not all you need, because you also need a job.

Today is not the day. Even though I woke up in an excellent mood, as the day has been proceeding, my head has been turning into a big mush of questions. Why is the world so big? Why don't I have a job? Why can't life be based on love when the song says "All you need is love?" Well, that's not true. You also need a job and the fact that I don't have one is kind of freaking me out.

It simply isn't fair. Three days left as an intern. Then awaits official unemployment.

Today is not the day. Thank God yesterday delivered; with scones, French market and an amazing movie  night.

Things I like when a Tuesday feels too ordinary.

Some days, I just can't stand the thought of "this is exactly what I do every single day; the streets I walk; the chair I sit in; the train I always take" and so on and so forth.

That's when I take a detour and just enjoy life with my eyes elsewhere.

Flowers in the city. Nothing makes me smile as flowers.

Cleverness. Always enjoyable.

After Work with myself and ice tea.

A free sample of chocolate cake, one of the entries in the 2012 makes-me-wanna-shout challenge.

Good metro timing.