Baltimore, beer and bocce

U2 stage setup as seen from our awesome seats.
(This was before the show began.)

I finally have a chance to mention some of the past week's highlights.

Amazing U2 moving screens.

Last Wednesday, I went to Baltimore with a friend to see the U2 360-degree tour. Our seats were on the back side of the stage but very close. And since it's a 360-degree tour, the group naturally uses the whole stage (with ramps and bridges up the sides and back), so it was still an excellent view. The entire setup was overwhelming, and even more so when the band was out there and the video screens were bright with amazing live shots.

Yesterday, I went to the NoVa Brewfest in the-middle-of-nowhere Virginia. I went with a group so had the pleasure of not having to drive. (This is the main reason I had not gone in past years.) The whether was beautiful, cloudy but warm and no rain. One of the first tents I saw was ... Schlafly! It was the perfect start to the day. (Kolsch was one of the two Schlafly beers they had.) I also tried some new (to me) brews from various places, many located in Maryland, Virginia or Pennsylvania.

We returned to D.C. in the evening and ended up at a wine bar (drinking beer). But our main purpose in going to this bar was to play bocce on the court in its patio area. I had never been there before, but I had heard of it. The court itself was a little laughable compared with the amazing courts in Herrin. It's definitely shorter (by at least a third). And I'm not sure what the surface is made of but it appears to be white rock dust on top, at least.

Not the best frame. This is just to prove I was playing.

I haven't played bocce all that much in the past many years. I own a set of balls, but the best option I have for playing is a park, which just isn't the same. And even that doesn't happen all too often. Even when I'm back in Herrin and around bocce, it's usually during Herrinfest and I spend my time working, not playing. However, I held my own last night and definitely had some excellent rolls and shots. My friends seemed impressed. Perhaps this is the bar game I should stick to. (Of course, I only know one bar with one court, so my options are a bit limited with that.)

Trump Tower, the Sears Tower and
other Lego buildings.

And today I went to the National Building Museum. For as long as I've been here, it hasn't charged admission. But that is changing tomorrow, when they will begin charging to help fund the museum. So I figured I should check it out for free while I still could. The building itself is a gorgeous one, and many inaugural balls have been held in it. The museum exhibits weren't bad. I enjoyed the one on D.C.'s history the most. There was also an excellent special exhibit on Legos. The exhibit includes Lego replicas of famous buildings. Then, there is a Lego play area, where you can build with Legos. Great fun!