a bookshop explore: Politics and Prose in Washington DC

I'm a sucker for bookstores.

If you know me, you know this.

I'm so lucky to have bookie friends. When Kellie and I figured out that neither of us had ever been inside the rightfully famous Politics and Prose independent bookstore on Connecticut Ave, we made a plan to visit. If you haven't checked out their website, you should, and learn about its history. I'd driven by it dozens of times on my way to the National Zoo and always yearned to spend some time there.

We found a parking spot in the back and went in through the cafe entrance.

To celebrate the occasion, we indulged in a pain au chocolat and a hot chocolate - complete with heart shaped swirly cream. SWOON and DELISH.

I just really enjoyed holding that magnificently huge mug :)

And then, to explore. And explore and explore and explore. First, the sale section where both Kellie and I scored a copy of The Anglo Files: A Field Guide to the British, which I've been pining after for some time. A darling worker saw me interested in the full price copy and she told me about the cheaper one in the basement. What a girl. I also found a copy of Brideshead Revisited, a sweet-looking trade paperback for a steal.

In the children's room, we had a glorious time. We laughed side-splitting laughs at a new picture book we found called It's a Book by Lane Smith (THANKS Julia for the recommend!). Hysterical, as is the book I ended up buying for Xavier for his birthday called John Paul George and Ben by Lane Smith (a crazy funny story about the childhoods of some of our Revolutionary Heroes)!! I just realized RIGHT NOW that they are by the same author. Apparently, Lane Smith is a comedic genius because both Kellie and I laughed so hard at these two books that when we finally checked out, the nice women behind the counter told us that she was glad we'd had such a fun time :)

Of course, we did not stop there. We explored the fiction and nonfiction, travel and music. We looked at the Around the World in 92 books map.When my husband called and I looked at my phone, I realized we'd been browsing for TWO HOURS. Time flies :)

After paying we went down the road to Marvelous Market and had an alfresco sandwich lunch, watching the Connecticut traffic pass by and talking about any and all things.

After the long, here is the short: GO HERE. IT IS AWESOME. SUPPORT INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES. I want to go back sometime and hear an author speak - they've got an amazing calendar of really famous people. Highly recommend it for the staff, the selection, and the love of books that simply oozes from the shelves.

To record the occasion, we tried some self-portraits.

I call this one: the two headed monster:

I call this one: book lovers and the bookstore parking lot pavement:

and finally: a friendly stranger helps out (aka the back door)