Batting Practice at Nationals Park

     My weekday lunches usually consist of what I can scrounge up in the kitchen and an episode of Vampire Diaries.  However, this particular day was unlike any normal weekday.  Instead of searching through the refrigerator, I jumped on the metro and headed for Navy Yard-Ballpark for some hot dogs and a little batting practice (BP, as the professionals call it), my replacement for expired lunch meat and television entertainment.

     The Zhaoster had more points to spend with United, go figure, so he bid and won on a batting practice day at Nationals Park.  Instead of having a random occasion, the Zhaoster turned it into a going away party for some of our friends; I guess we need an excuse to do fun things these days.  Anyway, 35 of us showed up to the ballpark that day to partake in a baseball tradition dating back to the 19th century.  Groundskeepers, look out; there's a large group of nerds donning helmets and swinging bats looking to tear up an immaculate field!

Da Dubs back on the field again.  I think they are considering recruiting us for at least the job of bat boy.

A wonderful, fun couple who had to move to Houston far too soon!

The Zhaoster and Teddy.  Someone should probably tell the President that his pants are a little high water.

The "cage" for our BP.

Do you think he truly needs those glasses?  Too school for cool.

Thumbs up for the spread.  Best lunch ever!

Outfield angels.....similar to snow angels.

Yes, Teddy even had a glove that we could use.

Pop fly!!!

Grounder!!!

Let's play some catch.

Got it!

Little League photo shoot.

PDub in the "cage."

The gloves, cell phones, and water bottles table.

Spitting in the dugout.

The team.....looking to take on the Nationals next year.

Ignite your natitude.....and look cool doing it.....

.....Or not.  Boys will be boys.

The call to the bullpen.

More Little League photos.

The girl must be on roids......that's the fourth homer she's hit.

PDub nabbing one of Jdub's homeruns.

Now that's the best group of people I've ever seen in a dugout.

First pitch jersey that President Obama wore and signed.

First pitch jersey that President Bush wore and signed.

The visitors' locker room where some of the greatest players have prepared for their games (not to be confused with the players in this photo).

Eglise St-Eustache and the Angelina Tearoom in Paris

     I had been in Paris for three days but had yet to feel like it.  The places we had visited were saturated with tourists, and the people we had spoken with did so in perfect English.  I love my country, its language and culture, but when I travel, I want to escape my every day and experience difference.  It took three days, but the Eglise St-Eustache (Church of St. Eustace) brought tears to my eyes with the realization that I was in Paris.

     My senses were overwhelmed that day sitting on the small, wooden chairs, watching the sun make its way through the stained glass windows, and listening to the largest organ in France echo magical notes off the arched ceiling.  Goosebumps surfaced on my arms as I thought of the individuals who had been in this very church; Voltaire buried below, Mozart during his mother's funeral, and Louis XIV taking his first communion.  Now you might see why my Parisian travels became a little more Parisian.

With late Gothic architecture the church was built between 1532 and 1632.

The gorgeous archways and tiny wooden chairs.

Stained glass windows.

The altar.

The largest organ in France.  Boy, could it sing!

For those organ savvy readers, it has 101 stops and 8,000 pipes dating back to 1854.

     After our trip to church, we satisfied our sinful appetites with the extra-thick "African" hot chocolate from the Angelina Tearoom and of course our first macaroons.

PDub really can't handle the sun; hence, the awesome face.

One of my many French addictions, macaroons.  One of each please.