Day Two in DC

Here are some of the really important things I learned today:
Never walk away from a Starbucks in DC and assume you'll find another. I could not believe it, but to save some blocks and time, I convinced Ashley that we could avoid the Starbucks a block up 11th to pick up breakfast along our forced march through the monuments in the pre-Smithsonian opening hours. Who knew that besides Fayetteville, Ark., there was another place on earth that had not achieved total assimilation into the coffee borg?
Never hike the monuments first; Smithsonian second. Lord, do that on two separate days. I did this in reverse with Will about seven years ago -- those seven years make a difference on the feet.
Do take advantage of the 9 a.m. opening of the first floor at Air & Space. We trodded up at 9:05, and it looked so quiet that I thought I had made a mistake. Walk straight in. Ashley walks straight into the Cessna simulator and has it all to herself for as long as she wants. By 10, things were picking up. The proof came four hours later when I had to loop back through A&S to validate my Smithsonian membership. We went through the back door that faces FAA HQ (that almost no one remembers) and we passed through security in about two minutes. The floor was a crush of humanity, and walking out the front door there was a line for bag check and security that looked like it would take 15-20 minutes to clear AND standing in the sun.
Don't waste much time with Museum of American History. It's scheduled to close in September for a year-and-a-half retrofit. I'd guess that at least half of the building is closed now, what's left running is in pretty sad shape. However, the military history and transportation exhibits are nice new additions. Caveat: when did the History Channel become the authority for Smithsonian videos? Almost all the new stuff was branded to HC; not that it's a bad thing, but just a surprise that after years of trying to be non-commercial the Smithsonian is suddenly very commercial.
Union Station remains the bomb. Oops, maybe I should use another image since that's a word that sets off (oops again) folks in DC. Nevertheless, the food court is one of the best buys for kids, its filled with local or at least regional chains.
Off to soak feet . . .