Its about to be the summer of our discontent...

Its official DCers, the Cherry Blossom festival is just 9 days away. And with the start of this yearly bash, comes the finish of something else - a peaceful, tourist-free (or greatly reduced) Washington, DC.

9 days until the standing on the left, the strollers, the blocking of the doors during morning rush hours (seriously people, you're on vacation, stay in bed until 9), the long lines at any downtown attraction and buses parked in front of the Hard Rock Cafe (not that I mind the tourists being sequestered in their respective traps). 9 days until that family of four is blocking the fare gates as you see your train pulling into the station, until there are crying children evvvvvverywhere.

We DCers are a hardy bunch (when it comes to tourists, not when it comes to snow) and adapt. We retreat from going out on the weekends, and withdraw into darkened bars after hours and suburbian utopias on the weekends. But for one last shot before they hit, I'd spend the weekend checking out the new American History Museum or the Capitol Visitors Center if you haven't been. Or hit an old favorite like George and Martha's place or the Galleries of Art.