#DCTravel 8: Rooftop Party Edition

View of the Capitol from the Newseum rooftop (Photo by David Lee)

On a beautiful, albeit steamy spring evening in downtown Washington, DC, I exited the Federal Triangle metro station with a backpack full of cold beer. 

Walking east along Pennsylvania Ave, I bumped into Stephanie from Twenty-Something Travel, who was carrying a few bottles of sparkling wine from Trader Joe's. 

It was our last time co-hosting a DC Travel tweetup together before I head for Colombia, and she takes off on her trip around the world in September.

We signed in at the reception area of the Newseum Residences and headed up to Carolyn's (Dog Meets World) apartment. 

She had offered us the use of her building's rooftop terrace for our monthly happy hour, as it delivers perfect views of the Capitol Building.

A large group of Capitol Hill staffers had already begun to set up shop in the area with the best view of the Capitol (you can see them all in the first photo above), so we brought some extra tables and chairs over and worked around them.

Back (from left): Amanda, Dave, Stephanie. Front: Carolyn, Sebastien, Julia, Sonia, Marilyn, Kelsey, and Matt. (Photo by Tara)

The photographic firepower in our group was hard to ignore – 4 DSLR's, and me still trying to figure out how to use my Canon S90.

The turnout was one of our best yet — a mix of regulars and newbies.

• Michael – Co-founder and co-editor of World Hum.
• Matt – Landlopers – Keep an eye on one of the DC area's newest travel bloggers! 
• Kesley – Drifting Focus – Freewheeling nomadic photographer, writer, sidecar motorcyclist, reenactor, and blogger.
• Sonia – Pulpology, and DC organizer for September's Meet, Plan, Go!
• Marilyn – Intelligent Travel Blog. Chief Researcher at National Geographic Traveler
• Julia – All About the Pretty.  Beauty, Travel, & Lifestyle Writer as featured in The Washington Post, The Washingtonian, Texas Monthly & Glamour.
• Amanda – Global health aficionado, interested in sustainable development solutions, and dealing with a permanent case of wanderlust.
• Sebastien – Adventurer, Manager @ Interactive Marketing Group 4 Hotels, Travel Analyst, Writer, Blogger, TCK, multicultural, Producer, Lead Editor @ Uptake.  (yeah, he does it all)
• Tara – superstar photographer (she took most of the photos in this post).

Carolyn's homemade chocolate cake. (Photo by Tara)

In Carolyn's infinite wisdom, she made a chocolate cake for my departure. 

If you can't tell from the photo, it was delicious. But before we could enjoy it, Steph and I were asked to give impromptu speeches. 

Though I'd already had a few drinks and may have rambled on with an overly-sentimental tone, it was a small price to pay for the cake.

Thanks again, Carolyn!

Toasting the DC Travel community. (Photo by Tara)

Speeches, sweets, and celebrations aside, the rooftop truly was a wonderful spot from which to enjoy a sunset. 

The stark white Capitol Building slowly began to glow orange as the sun went down from behind us.

While I'll be heading for the tropical beaches of Colombia's Caribbean coast in a few weeks, Stephanie will continue to organize monthly DC Travel tweetups. 

Dave Lee

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 66 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.