A Quick Spring Break in the Middle of Crunch Time

The magazine is at T-minus three and counting. We're scheduled to be at the copy editor's this Friday and if we don't make that deadline, things start to get sticky. Of course, I still have ads and images coming in, I have two articles left to write, and LOTS of proofing to do. In the middle of all of this, are my children! Of course, my deadline week overlaps with the WG's spring break. So, not wanting to shortchange her, we took a quick trip to DC for a long weekend.

We stayed at the Four Points Sheraton, which is decidedly different from most Four Points properties. It is a full service hotel and recently remodeled. The rooms were TINY, even on the upgraded "Starwood Preferred" floor.

On day 1, we hit the Air and Space museum. WG enjoyed going in the planes and she likes the hands on exhibits. Even Baby B got into the IMAX movie: The Sun 3D. We grabbed lunch in the museum cafe (McDonald's has a near lock on it) and are now the proud new owners of a dress up space suit.

Naps followed, and that night we headed to Open City on Calvert and Connecticut. It's a great, kid friendly spot where you can get lots of veggies and homemade mac n cheese.

Day 2 we headed up to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Well worth the trip, the kids just LOVED the huge sting ray open tank. There are HUGE rays living there and Baby B couldn't stop squealing at them. WG discovered a love for digital photography on this trip and took about a hundred photos of fish in tanks. We all enjoyed the dolphin show, which was truly amazing. But if you have preschoolers, avoid the aquarium's 4D movie. We tried it because it was described as "scary because it uses strobe lights, etc." Actually, the seats are very interactive -little plastic things whip around your feet to simulate snakes, the seats buzz and hum when bees are on the screen, and they even shoot water. It was WAY too much for the WG and we left with her in tears. It was nothing that a few minutes in the gift shop couldn't solve, but the aquarium doesn't do a good job describing why the movie is so scary. If you have preschoolers, this is definitely one to avoid.

That night, we had dinner are Lauriol in Adams Morgan, which was really terrific. I had the Cuban stead (amazing, the chimmi churri was to die for), hubby had two enchiladas, rice and beans (his standard) and the kids devoured quesadillas. They make their own tortillas and chips on premise, and you can even watch them make tortillas. The restaurant manages to be both upscale (linen table cloths in a Mexican restaurant) and kid friendly, a combo which I adore. We'll head back to Lauriol when we're next in town. FIVE STARS on this one!

Then, it was back home for us and now the kids are playing in the playroom (which they missed dearly) and I'm churning out the last of the articles. Wish me luck!