Washington, DC

Location: Washington, DC, USA
Date Visited: August 2015

This was my first visit to the National Arboretum. Very pretty. We toured the herb gardens and the bonsai and penjing displays. There were some bits that were confusing, where a mystery plant was very clearly not any of the nearby tags (for example, we're fairly certain this pretty purple pea pod is neither corn nor cotton nor barley nor millet nor sugarcane), but that's okay. We still had a good time. I'll have to go back in a different season. Or at least when it's not quite so beastly hot.

Afterward, we grabbed lunch at Hogs on the Hill, which was decent but not too memorable. The milkshakes from Checkers next door were, though. Wow.

Midcoast Maine

Location: Rockland, Portland, Wiscasset, and Freemont, Maine, USA
Date Visited: July 2015

I visited Maine for the first time this summer in order to take part in another first: my first bike tour, the Maine Lobster Ride sponsored by the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. We just biked the 15 mile route, but next year we're definitely going for the 30.

I saw and did so many awesome things on this trip, I don't even know how to sum it up. So I'll do what I always do, which is make bulleted lists:

Yummy food:

• Taco Trio
• Rock City Cafe
• 158 Pickett Street Cafe
• Catbird Creamery
• Salvage BBQ

Great shopping:

• Rock Paper Scissors
• Artist and Craftsman Supply
• Hello Hello Books

Nifty sites:

• Tall ships promenading along Casco Bay
• Bug Light Park
• Portland Head Light
• Urban Farm Fermentory

In short, Maine is great and I would definitely go back.

Baltimore, MD

Location: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Date Visited: July 2015

Video Games Live is a fantastic show of video game music performed by a live orchestra and chorus, with game footage and other fun stuff projected on a screen behind the performers. The lead vocalist, Jillian Aversa, is a friend of ours, so when the group was in town we all went to see the show. Definitely recommended. We also enjoyed our dinner at City Cafe beforehand.

Portland, ME

Location: International Cryptozoology Museum, Portland, Maine, USA
Date Visited: July 2015

First of all, this museum is pretty tiny, and unless you're already convinced of the existence of Big Foot, you'll probably be more amused than amazed. That said, I had a grand time, and even picked up a coelacanth keychain.  Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area.