34th Street Light Bonanza

This picture is sparkling! What wonders the world has to offer.

Whether I want to or not, I always tend to get into the 'holiday spirit.' I am a sucker for lights, presents and endless baked goods. So, even though we don't celebrate Christmas ourselves, I still like to participate in all of the bonus fun this time of year. I have been hankering for a good Christmas lights display but haven't wanted to dish out twenty dollars to drive around for a few minutes looking at really over the top light show. 

You may notice that this picture, too, is sparkling. Picasa has done its witchery to my pictures. And I like it.

Mid-week my friend Sarah asked if we wanted to go to Baltimore to check out the lights on 34th Street on Friday. A shout out to one of my favorite movies and Christmas lights? Yes, please.

Dylan McDermott in a turtle neck? A young Matilda? This movie has it all.

Feraz, Sarah and I met up in Dupont Circle and made the road trip to Baltimore. It took almost an hour and a half in which time we ate almost a whole box of chocolates and read this step-by-step commentary on why Love Actually is the worst movie of all time. I made that link extra big so you might actually click on it and see the light if you haven't already. Seriously. Worst. Movie. Ever.

Don't they know it's spelled "Happy Holidays"??

Since it was such a beautiful night, we joined a throng of people who were taking in the lights. Sarah warned us that she had read on the 34th Street website that the area had gotten a bit more dangerous so if someone suspicious approached us, we were to call 911 or better yet, "scream for help."

This picture is SNOWING! What the who what is going on? It's a miracle. On 34th Street?!

Luckily there was no occasion to scream for help. Except, maybe for one time when a young man dressed as an elf ran down the street yelling "Santa is coming!" What excitement! What joy! We waited and a lady said, "Santa isn't coming, he ran by yelling that an hour ago." Sarah explained that he meant that Santa was coming on Christmas. I wanted to yell, "HELP! PLEASE BE MOREE MORE SPECIFIC WITH YOUR HOLIDAY CHEER YOUNG ELFIN MAN."

From the House of Pleasant Living.

This picture makes me want to check out google street view of this block.

On the way in, we had passed an exciting looking place called the Papermoon Diner.  Although it is a little bit arrogant, the diner accurately is described as "eclectic" and "eccentric" on it's website. There are strange mannequins outside with utensils for hair and an army of toys inside. The whole place had a Bjork meets spoiled, slightly psychopathic child feel. In a good way.

The food was pretty decent and it was a fun place to eat. I'm not sure if I would go out of my way to eat there again but it is definitely worth checking out once. 

We wondered what it said about us as people when we passed this on the street and all three of us wanted to eat here.