Kidnapped!

Apparently I mentioned a few weeks ago to Rhyme that she could take me to Red Lobster for my birthday. So she did on Sunday, but that was only the beginning of what she had planned for the weekend.

After a very good lunch (she knows what I like), she still insisted on driving, and as we left she turned the wrong direction on 7. That was when I realized that this birthday surprise was more than just lunch. However, she refused (with great glee) to tell me where we were going. We went down 7, past the turn for Reston, past the turn for Great Falls, past the Falls Church metro (which practically ruled out DC), past the 66 exit (which definitely ruled out DC), past Arlington, and to the end of the highway. I didn’t previously realize where 7 ends, but now I know—the Potomac River in Old Town Alexandria.

We parked, got out of the car, and she handed me a map of used bookstores in the area. (I told you she knows what I like). The rest of the afternoon was spent browsing stores and walking the length of Old Town, and partway through she let slip that we were staying two days. Yes, she had made reservations at a hotel in the middle of old town, which was only accessible by walking through a brick courtyard (and had managed to pack a suitcase without me knowing). She had also mentioned on the reservation that we were there to celebrate my birthday, so when we got in we were given a free room upgrade (and it was a nice room!)

After resting and cooling off a bit, we stopped in the hotel lobby for some complementary wine, and then walked back down to the harbor. We got some supper, and then some ice cream, and sat by the river for a while.

The next morning we checked out, and went in search of breakfast. Search, however, is the wrong word, since she had already picked out a crepe place. Unfortunately it was closed, but around the corner was a French bakery, where we found crepes anyway (the mushroom sauce was amazing). After some iced coffee by the fountain, we were back to exploring the area—visiting the shops that we hadn’t gotten to the night before. A cupcake store, a hobby shop, a candy store, and back to the bookstore from the previous day (where we had looked, but not purchased anything). She let me get a two-volume collection of Thomas Aquinas, as well as a nice copy of Milton and a few other books (I think the combination we ended up with took advantage of almost every sale they were offering).

Late-lunch was an Irish restaurant on the way home, which got us through May on our goal of one new ethnic restaurant per month this year (Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, and Lebanese were the first four). And then we headed home, beating the Memorial Day evening traffic.

It was a very good weekend.

The above sentence is a severe understatement.