The Difference between DC and South Bend

On Thursday I went to a talk at the CIC by the lovely Professor Glendon.

She was fabulous. Witty, kind and truly lovely. It was a pleasure to hear her, and I enjoyed the socializing before and after the talk too.

I hitched a ride home with my friend Joe and his pals Cole and Adam. The guys were pretty hungry. The appetizers had been good, but they didn't constitute a full meal.

So one thing led to another, and before long we had a plan. I had a lot of wine left over from my party on Thursday, so we stopped at Five Guys for some burgers and then brought it back to my apartment to enjoy with vino.

I couldn't believe how nice the weather was. It was the most glorious night I've ever experienced in December.

When we got to my apartment, the boys took a look at my balcony, and then took a look at my dining room table.

"I bet we can get the table out on the balcony," they said. They promised to put it back too.

The table out on the balcony, pre-feast

I cracked open a bottle of red and we enjoyed our burgers in style.

I still can't get over it. Imagine eating a meal outside in December! This would never have been possible in Chicago, where I grew up, or in South Bend where I went for college.

My parents kid me because I make Virginia sound like heaven on earth, like it's the best place to live in the world. But seriously... you can eat outside in December.

Mum, Dad, I rest my case.