The White House, the National Zoo, and D.C. Cupcakes

A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to join Sarah, Molly, Jen and Katie on a tour of the White House Gardens. The tour consisted of the Jackie Kennedy Garden, the Rose Garden, the Vegetable Garden, and the Kitchen Garden.  We also saw the Beehive which supplies honey to the White House kitchen. Along the path pictures and plaques were displayed in front of trees and plants to depict which President or First Lady had planted them. I was not aware of this White House tradition and I found it very interesting. I enjoyed seeing how different Presidents and First Ladies had contributed to the grounds over time as it grew into the amazing garden present today. I also liked the pictures of President Obama and his family playing on the South Lawn.  The gardens were beautiful and the experience was truly one to be remembered.

After the tour, Sarah Montell, Katie and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and went to the National Zoo. All the animals were awake and lively which made for a very entertaining afternoon. The lions were especially fun to watch as the three cubs rambunctiously played and fought with each other. My favorite part of the Zoo was the elephant exhibit where we watched an elephant drink water with its trunk and heard it make a loud elephant noise. Unfortunately, the panda was rather hard to see as he sat perched in a tree hidden behind the branches and leaves. Even so, we had a very enjoyable time at the zoo.

 

To finish our day, Sarah, Katie and I decided to go to Georgetown and try the famous Georgetown Cupcakes, known on TLC as D.C. Cupcakes. When we arrived the line was wrapped around the side of the building, but the cupcakes were worth the wait. I ordered three cupcakes: Vanilla Birthday Cake, Chocolate Ganache, and Salted Caramel. While all three were very delicious, my favorite was the Salted Caramel. I will definitely be making my way back to Georgetown for more cupcakes, soon! I had a great time running around Washington, DC and exploring parts of the city I have never seen before. The WAIP program has opened my eyes to new experiences and I am eager to continue discovering the vast culture and life DC has to offer.

 

 

 

-Sarah Spaulding