Another whirl in DC

Had a work trip to DC early June for our annual convention!  For a staff of 9 + 2 interns and an events coordinator - it was a smashing event with 250+ attendees!  We pulled some really long days starting at 7am EASTERN TIME (ohmygoodness that is early), plenaries and workshops through 5:30pm,  some kind of reception through the evening, and after parties - so I often didn't get back to the hotel until like 10pm!

Here are some mostly non-work related pics.  :)

 

Full day meeting on a Sunday!

Thomas Circle Plaza from the rooftop of the Donovan Hotel

Our biggest bigshot speaker, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan!

Immigrant rally on the Capitol Lawn

 

That is all to say... I survived our annual convention!  :)  It was a lot of hard work for all our staff, but I think it went well and people really enjoyed it.  I was told they were at one time hosted in Hawaii... but no one showed up to the workshops.  haha.

 

Does your work have conventions or do you go to them for work?  Aren't west coast to east coast mornings the worst?

                                           

Whirlwind in DC

Hello!  Just got back last night from a work trip to DC.  Our offices are headquartered there, as well as a lot of our partners, so we have lots of meetings there.  This time was a whirlwind visit since I didn't really get to do anything, but attend a two day meeting.  And by "get to do anything" I mean like... sightseeing.  :)  However, the pictures below will probably look like I had lots of fun.  :oP

 

 First night there we had dinner with our DC office folks at Rice Paper.  Delish Vietnamese food!

Rice Paper in Falls Church, VA

 

I got this super awesome BBQ Pork and shrimp dish.  You wrap all that good stuff into rice paper!

 

A RICE PAPER HOLDER!  WHAT.  Hahah. 

So that's the rice paper --- it's kind of like a giant communion wafer.  Starchy and hard.  But then you dip it into hot water and it softens!  I totally need to get a rice paper holder!  I was totally gonna huff one back from DC but the supermarket/stores were closed by the time we were done with dinner.

 

Some Caribou before the first morning of the meeting.  I like the sentiment on the napkin!

 

Met up with our former co-worker Angela at Matchbox! 

Those onion straws on top of the sliders were so tasty!  :)

 

Top: me and our former coworker Angela!  Do you love our hair?  HAHAH.

Bottom: coworker and her boyfriend.  :)

 

I try to do something "fun" on every work trip.  This time I didn't get to see anything out of the ordinary, but I guess looking back on these pics, it was a good time outside of the meetings!  :)  The weather was also gorgeous there!  East coast spring is pretty nice, I must admit.  I didn't get to take any pictures of all the flowers I saw... but I feel like SF does NOT have so many flowers everywhere!  Which is sad.  Boston and DC seem to have (planted) flowers all over downtown.  So colorful and happy.  :)

 

Do you travel for work?  If so, do you try to insert "fun"?  :D