Midshipmen, Seafood, and Deceptive Grannies

Anchors Aweigh, my boys!

Jon and Les' Northern Adventure Part I: Annapolis.

Home of the US Naval Academy, blue crabs, and the cutest family on the planet, who I just so happen to call my dear friends.

Meredith was the first girl I ever met at OBU, even before we arrived on campus as freshman, when we both visited the campus on "Be a Bison" day. We had the same James Avery ring, which of course confirmed that we had to be friends. Little did we know we would end up sharing a room in an adorable little house our senior year, along with the joys and agonies of engagement and wedding planning. Her husband is an officer in the Navy, and they are currently stationed in Annapolis. And since Annapolis is on the East Coast, it was only natural that it became the first stop on our adventure!

We rolled into Annapolis just in time to watch the plebes (incoming freshmen midshipmen) practicing their drills on the marching field. It was a beautiful night, a beautiful campus, and a fascinating thing to watch!

Please note the cutest baby on the planet, who I wanted to nibble on throughout the entire visit. Mattox and Jonathan were fast friends.



After visiting the Academy and port, our next Annapolis rite of passage was an experience with blue crabs. Lucky for us, they were in season, and we fully intended to partake.


And partake we did! At a table right on the water, the four of us plowed through a dozen large Maryland blue crabs, the best french fries I have ever consumed (not an exaggeration!), and a spicy shrimp appetizer. It was a divine afternoon. (Note that my husband enjoys having a prop in a photo. It is not enough to smile behind the crabs. You must hold the crab. Babe, you could be a part-time model....Flight of the Conchords, anyone?)

Annapolis is only 30 miles from D.C., so after our crab feast we headed into the city. First stop: Arlington National Cemetery. We were just in time for the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and wow, was it something. The men who guard this tomb have such a precise ritual and discipline about what they do. The entire cemetery really is an overwhelming and emotional experience. As far as the eye can see, graves of those who have given their lives for our country. With a brother and cousin currently deployed, a father who served 25 years, and numerous other family members who fought and died in the Armed Forces, I found myself deeply moved by this place.

After walking the grounds of Arlington, we headed over the bridge into Georgetown, a quaint little area of the city with cobblestone streets and historic buildings. We drooled over the goodies at Dean and Deluca, which inspired our hunt for a restaurant for dinner. Just up the road from where this picture was taken, Meredith and I noticed a quaint little Italian restaurant. As we approached the storefront, both of us gasped.

There, in the front window, was a little Italian grandma!

Rolling homemade gnocchi!

Gnocchi is our favorite!

Especially gnocchi made by Italian grandmas!!!

We must eat here!!!

I don't care if the gnocchi is $25 a plate!!!!!

And which point our husbands began to laugh. And as Meredith and I looked closer, the haze of potato dumplings began to fade and we saw the scene afresh. The artificial chintz behind the grandma. The fake accessories of an Italian kitchen set. The dreary look on the grandma's face. This was all a show! An act! A marketing ploy!

And we bought it. Hook. Line. Sinker.

But we had rational boys with us, so we ate Thai. And it was delicious.

But the moral of this story: Beware Italian grandmas armed with gnocchi. They'll get you every time.