Flaming marshmallows

During my very brief time in law school, I'd started to make friends with a young married couple who were (both) in my class. I'll call them Mr. & Ms. K. They're a little younger than me, but probably thirtyish, and they own a double a few blocks from my new house.

They were in DC for the Justice Works conference and we had drinks and dinner together last night. It was really good to talk to people who truly understand what this experience has been like. They enrolled in UT Austin, and they really don't like it. UT is higher than Tulane in the rankings, but they are unimpressed with it and feel much more appreciative of Tulane. They also don't like Austin.

We walked around and ate and drank in Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle. It was a nice night and lots of people were out in Halloween costumes. The parts of DC that I've seen are very pretty. I understand that much of the eastern quadrants are heavy ghetto.

I'll qualify what I said about DC's lack of vibrance or energy. It did seem nicely lively last night, it's just not like New York or London. But there's an up side to that, too. I find that people are pretty friendly in an almost southern manner, unlike the brusqueness of New Yorkers. Of course, their personalities change when they get behind the wheel of a car. But if this is where I end up, that's fine, it could be much, much, much worse.

Mr. & Ms. K are a bit jealous of my internship. They like DC, too, but we all miss New Orleans.

We stopped the Cosi on Connecticut Avenue for coffee and dessert and ordered make-it-yourself s'mores. The waiter brings you a little kettle filled with sterno and lights it and you roast your own marshmallows at the table. It was fun, though it seems like a bit of fire hazard, what with the leaping flames and burning marshmallows. I'm surprised you don't have to sign a release when you order it.