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Bowling, Packing, and saying good-bye!

Today's a new day, and the first day that Barrack Obama is in the White House. We all woke up, and headed to Starbucks to blog, and eat some breakfast. I just wrote and wrote about tons of things that happened this week, and thought about every little thing we've done. Today Some of us went to the hospital to cover a story there, and some of us went to the Mint, and others like Christian, Harrison, Kendal, Marandah, Eliana, Sophia and I went bowling. Brian was the only adult with us when we went bowling, but he was not like a parent, he was known as a big kid to us. 

When everyone else split up, and went to the Mint, or the hospital, we arrived at the bowling alley of America, and it was totally empty, and an old, antique bowling alley. The shoes we got to bowl in were the coolest shoes I have ever seen! We got two lanes, boys on one and girls on the other. Of course the girls won! We gave them some fancy tricks, and sparkling strikes! 

After bowling, we headed back to the church for lunch, and packing. We had yummy top roman, and steaming hot chocolate. Later we cleaned up, blogged, and packed. When everyone else got back, they packed up, and then we were all ready to head out for dinner at Anthony's. It was an Italian, Greek, and roman dining. Kendal and I shared pasta with red sauce and a Caesar salad. It was really filling! Later after diner the reporter for the Falls Church News-Press came, and talked to us about what he does, and then we asked him some questions. Also the priest of the Falls Church was there, and we interviewed him, and talked to him for a while, and actually he is moving out to Santa Barbara soon. 

The bus driver rolled up, and we loaded our bags, and were off to the airport! It was sad leaving DC, but happy to go back to Santa Barbara. When we arrived we unloaded our bags, checked in, and went to the gate C5. There we had about an hour to roam around, go to the bathroom, and get some snacks. Then they called our flight number, and we boarded the plane. My seat was 29D, row 4 and I was next to Kendal and Sierra. The flight was smooth, and I was asleep for most of the flight. 

We arrived at LAX about an hour ahead of time and had time to get our bags, load up onto the bus and drive to Santa Barbara. While we were getting bags, and waiting for the bus we all collapsed on top of the carryon luggage, and took a nap. It was 1 in the morning for us, and we were super tired! Soon the bus came and we loaded up and took off. This trip was so amazing, and now that I think of it, I would have never been able to do this a year ago, and now im a pro! Now I feel that I can do anything! 

Inauguration DAY!

Restless as can be, but tremendously excited, we got up, got dressed, and ran to the bus stop to catch the bus. It hadn't hit me yet, that today we will all come together, and be one with each other, and our 44th president elect Barack Obama with be sworn into the white house today. Crowds and crowds of people flushed the streets, and bundled around the television to celebrate the day. When we pulled up to our destination, lines and lines surrounded the metro station, to go to the Inauguration. We all linked arms and waddled our way through the crowds like little ducklings. The metro finally pulled up, crowded as can be, but we hopped on it and hoped to safely arrive at Foggy Bottom. After 30 minutes of standing in a crowded, hot, train, we wanted to get off the train immediately. An hour went by, and we began to sweat. Christian and Brian were just joking around, and began to sing "Lean on me", not knowing the whole metro would sing it also. Everyone began to sing "lean on me", and it was an amazing moment! We went from thinking,  get us off this crowded hot train to, sing louder and keep on going! 

After hopping off of the metro, it hit me that today was a new day, and a huge grin stretched across my face. All of us headed to the Washington Monument to meet up with John and Lynn. When we got there we lost Sue, and we were dying for water. The Inauguration began, and the crowds began to hoot! The minute Obama's face appeared on the screen, to the last word in his speech, fireworks went of in my stomach! By the end of the Inauguration, my face  had wet lines going down my cheeks, and tears still coming. This day was a new day, a new year, and a new nation!

MLK day!

Bundled up close on the floor of the Mandarin Hotel we woke up to quiet voices saying "snow! Snow!", and we hurled out of our sleeping bags and got ready for a special day in honor of Martin Luther King. Right then and there in the bathroom of the hotel it hit me I felt "homesick" because of all the sleepless nights, and hard work, it caught up with me. I pulled myself together, with a little of Aron's help, and Sophia and Kendal by my side. I had a choice today because of my breakdown, if I wanted to go with Aron to the capital for a meeting, and then go to the hotel and rest, and maybe a little shopping and get our nails done, but I pulled myself together and personally made the choice to stick with my original plans. Which I am glad I did.

Today Christian, Sophia, Brian, Richard and I were of to Marvin Gay Park, once known as "needle park". The neighborhood that it was set in was a poor community, and really gave us a run for our money,  and how plentiful we have it back home. When we arrived there, by the help of Richards GPS in the car, we were handed rakes and huge black bags to rake and help clean the park. It wasn't something I'm sure we all didn't want to do in the cold, but we were thankful that we got to help form a community on this very special day. We got some great interviews, and awesome pictures!

After cleaning the park we got back in Richards car, and were headed to the hotel were we would meet up with John Mellencamps sons, Speck and Hud. With the company of Speck, Hud and Sophia, we all meandered about the hotel, and surfed the elevators, and explores each floor. We later came across 3 muscular bodyguards on the 9th floor, and scurried back into the elevator. Later we met up with Elaine Mellencamp chatting with Jamie Foxx, and that wasn't unusual said Speck. 

At around 5:30, Speck and Hud left and the teen press went to Starbucks for a meeting. We decided on which kids would go to the roof top for the Inauguration, and which kids would go the the mall, and who would get tickets to go to the Inauguration. Mary, Marandah, and Sierra would get tickets to the Inauguration, and the other places we were still waiting on. After the meeting everyone except for Mary, Marandah and Sierra, went back to the church to chill out and have dinner. 

When we arrived at the Church we were pleasantly surprised by a troop of Boy Scouts meeting at the church also. As awkward as it was, we had to meet and greet with them. One boy scout that we came across looked as if he was 40, but actually 13, and had sideburns, a mustache, and long hair. His name was Mark, and he wished he was in an alternate universe. 

It was an exciting day, full of raking, playing, and pleasant boy scouts!

Ball Gowns and Bowties

Ball Gowns and Bowties

 

Sunday 18,

 

            Dressed nicely, no jeans and a nice blouse; Harrison, Sophia and I went up the stairs to Falls Church. Everyone in the church greeted us, and the priest was really nice. The service was LONG, and we had never been to church, and unfortunately we got no sleep! We used the praying time as a little nap! After the tiring, long service we got some great interviews by some really interesting people. Two older looking people, a women and a man, attended all of the inaugurations from carter to upcoming Tuesday. Also we interviewed this Lady, named Betsy that was a service woman for 20 years, and was the first lady in service for the vice president Bush Jr.

            `After church we went to the Mandarin Oriental hotel and bogged and got ready for the Declare Yourself ball.  A couple hours went by and we were really bored so we headed out to the Lincoln concert for an hour or so and then were interviewed by anothother press group on the street, and then went back to the hotel. We hadn’t realized what time it was, and we then found out that we had only 20 minutes to get back to the hotel and get ready, and then run to get our press credentials for the ball at 6:30.

            We were of and running to the ball, and we had only 9 minutes to get there. Richard took Sara, Jacob, Harrison, Sophia and I through traffic so we were late. He dropped us of near China Town, and had to run like 5 blocks to the ball in our dresses and heels. Soon we realized we went to a wrong ball and had to sprint to the right one! We had a minute to get there and we were dashing down the streets of DC barefoot. Finally we got there and we were winded and tired, and we were hoping to get our shoes on. Thankfully we made it on time to get the press passes and get a spot on the red carpet.

            30 minutes went by, and we were ready to hit the action! The fist celebrity came down the carpet and it was Jamie Foxx! Harrison was up and ready with a question on his lips and a mike in his hands. We got the interview and it was successful. More and more press groups crowded and pushed around us, but the celebrities somehow always saw us, and we took their breath away with our questions. Now it was my turn to shine, and traded places with Harrison. This was my first red carpet, and I was already loosing breath and shaking. My heart sank and was drenched with nervousness and excitement when Sarah Silverman, Jessica Alba, and Haden Penittere came down the carpet. The fear did not stop me form catching their attention and scoring an interview. Sarah Silverman came down the carpet really fast and no one but us got an interview! It was a moment that I would never forget!

           

 

 

 

            

Doormen, dining, and dashing in the dark

Saturday 17,

    Waiting and waiting for Richard to come and take us away from coffee to sun. But sadly no sun so it wasn’t fun, it was gloomy and cold, and nothing to come. Not for long until Harrison and I went in to town to interview doormen and chiefs. We went to the Willard hotel and talked to the head doormen. The doormen had a lot to say, he talked about how he hosted many past presidential elects and participated in past inaugurations.

           From hearing historical stories from doormen, we later got dressed and ready to head to Citronelle. We went to interview Michel Richard, a well-known chief, and was greeted with a warm heart, and a love for cooking. Michel gave us a tour of the kitchen and what they do around there, and it was really entertaining and tasteful! Nothing could have gone better we were served homemade fresh squeezed orange juice, and a gourmet kit-kat. YUMMY! He let us in on a secret that Nancy Pelosi was going to be dining at 9-9:30 and that we should come and cover it.

           Logan, Harrison, Isaac and I all went out to dinner in town, and ate at a delicious pizzeria. Later we dashed down to Citronelle to get an interview with Nancy, but that was a bust because she came in a secret entrance and had decors and secret service men all around her.

Long after the waiting we had to walk ten blocks in the freezing cold to the metro to go back to Falls Church. We ran about 5 minutes and then got so tired and cold, so we took a bike taxi, and got to the metro safe and sound. The metro ride was fun, and we metro surfed, and played ping-pong with each other. It was quite an adventure in the town!

DC day 1

 

3 AM Santa Barbara time, and 7AM our time in DC was our wake up call! (Yawn) Our event-packed day was starting off really early, and SUPER cold! As early as it was, we all raced to the showers, and then got dressed and headed out. We all raced to the bus, and oddly the bus felt like home for some reason. I smelled the warm heat, and I saw all the happy, warm smiles on the people’s faces. When we arrived at our fist metro ride, our day and all the events that lay ahead hit us as we ran! Coming from Santa Barbara it was 80 degrees, and here at Falls Church thet temperature dropped just about 60 degrees, still really HOT! NOT! All of us felt like we had frostbite…. Burrrr It was 13 degrees! Our fist interview was a security man named Eugeneg and he had many stories to tell. We knew right then it was going to be great day!

           

After the morning went by, we ran over to Starbucks freezing our butts off, and got a warm drink, I got a vente mocha. Sadly we had to leave, but we were in for a big surprise. We all had a tour at the Union Station, which was BEAUTIFUL! We got to see a mall, and an antique architecture building all in one! This building I would have to say was the coolest, and we also discovered what the largest donut looks like.

           

Union Station was pretty spectacular, but it was time for the Ten Press to head to the Capitol. We were scheduled for a tour at 1:30 to explore the Capitol. When we got there we saw a movie about our Congress, and how our union was formed. Later we explored this AMAZING dome in the capital, and then my favorite, a salmon colored, golden room where the original Senate chamber once ruled. The group got to wonder for a little bit, and then met up at around 2 and took the Metro to Ben’s Chili Bowl. Right when we got there music was playing, and people were laughing and hooting.  Ben’s is a landmark in DC and it was quite an experience. Also, an older lady from San Diego was there and she asked us to sign her journal to remember her stay. I ordered chili fries and a raspberry ice tea. Once dinner was eaten, Harrison, Eliana and I interviewed the public and asked them to give us their best “Yes we can.” One moment to never forget was when we started a Congo line there and then they blasted the music, and people formed a crowd, we were FAMOUS! Lastly Sophia and I stood up on a chair, and asked everyone in the restraunt, which was a ton of people, to say “yes we can!” and wow was that something!

 

The long day was coming to an end, and we all headed back to Falls Church. Today I think I took the metro about 15 times, and walked the escalator about 20 times.sdf I LOVED IT! I will never forget this day, and there is more to come this week so stay tuned.