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“Please turn off any portable electronic devices you may have had on during the flight and place your tray tables in their upright and locked positions.”

As the flight attendant made the final announcement before landing I glanced out the window at what couldn’t be a more stereotypical view of  Washington D.C. A dark clear sky was the perfect backdrop to the Washington monument, white and tall. I reflected that this would be my final flight into Reagan National Airport as a resident of the DC/MD/VA metro area. On this, the last business trip I would make before moving to New Jersey I thought about all the things I would miss about living in this area.

1. Cake Love - I fell in love with this local cake shop a few years ago when a friend introduced me to their New German Chocolate cake. My favorite is the Strawberries and Cream. Vanilla buttercream frosting, fresh strawberries in between vanilla cake. It is heaven and was my go to cake  for my half birthday and any time I needed a sweet pick me up. A little over a year ago they built one three blocks from my house and I will miss knowing that my favorite cake was just minutes away.
2. DC Chicken Salad at Corner Bakery - My mother also said this is something she would miss about me not living near DC. They may have Corner Bakeries in my new town ( I haven’t ever seen one) but if not this will be something I will truly miss during my lunch times.
3. The connection to national politics - Contrary to Chanda’s belief, I am not the political guru that she believes I am. For some reason people who live or work near the nation’s capital end up talking about politics in normal conversations in the way that people in other parts of the country talk about what’s on tv or the new restaurant that just opened. In DC circles I would be considered extremely ignorant but it was nice to hear a national perspective from others on a daily basis.
4. Knowing my city and nearby areas well - Of course moving means starting over. And moving to a new state, city and/or neighborhood means you have to learn and find new places. No more Giant grocery store down the hill, the Silver Diner across the street, or nail shop 10 minutes away. No more running to the deli next door to my office and having them know that I want the chicken pocket with no cheese or avocado. No more talking about hair products with the lady who has the cart outside Border’s who gives me a soft pretzel without me having to order. Or going to the pharmacy on L street and have Korin, the pharmacy tech, grab my prescriptions and ask me where I am traveling next without having to tell her my name. I will have to discover all new things.
5. My primary care physician and dentist - It took me a while to find a good dentist and a good primary care physician and I LOVE them. They have the prefect mix of medical knowledge and bedside manner that makes being sick and getting dental work painless. Anyone that has gone through the drama of dealing with a doctor that is too rushed to even review your chart before they talk to you or a dentist that could care less that you are in pain, will relate to how important having a great dentist and doctor are. Do you think they would move with me?

It is all these changes that I reflect on as we touched down on the runway. Its over!!! I moved to Maryland directly after college and eight years later I am starting over in a new state. I am anxious about the change but excited about the future. The run of the “My life in our Nation’s Capitol” show has come to a close.