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When I graduated from college in the mid-1980s, I high-tailed it out of Lynchburg and headed for the more urbane pastures of Northern Virginia, where I lived for the next 11 years. This past weekend I returned to Washington for the first time in almost six years—and it was one big sentimental throw-down, as I looked back with love and remembered so many firsts during my 20s.
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The bus dropped me off in Chinatown, which was once a scary place to walk. Now, it looks like a miniature Times Square, with lights, screens, theaters, trendy restaurants... and people!
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I walked through Logan and Thomas Circles... Where have all the prostitutes gone?
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"The P Street House," locale of much frivolity and debauchery during my 20s. Now it looks like a proud, staunch museum, renovated to perfection. If those walls could talk...
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Dupont Circle, the scene of so many "firsts" for me, as I came out of the closet and discovered life on the other side.
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Mr. P's, the first gay bar I ever entered, seduced by Madonna's "Into the Groove." Now a Moroccan restaurant.
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Friends bar... now an Asian fusion restaurant...
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Peoples Drug Store in the mid-1980s... same view of today's CVS.
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The beautiful fountain, unchanged.
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The Fireplace and State Liquors... not only do they look the same, but Fireplace smells like it hasn't been scrubbed down in 25 years.
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I met Teddy for happy hour at 5 p.m. Friday at Omega... formerly Frat House... joined by Ro Ro and Teddy's main squeeze Tom.
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Dupont Circle fountain by night...
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And the ever-majestic Lincoln Memorial, as Ro and I drive to National Airport to pick up Moxie, arriving from Boulder.
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Moxie Moose in the house! With Ro, meese and Ro's squeeze Bill.
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Saturday morn: Now we can see Ro's new condo in Alexandria.
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Brunch in da house, before I head to Del Ray Alexandria for....
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The 9th annual Chili Cook-off with my dear longtime pal La, whom I've now known for more than 20 years.
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Bobby, another bud from those golden D.C. days. We share the same birthday... and year.
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The affair was like an old-fashioned block party. Good, clean fun.
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The hotties of Del Ray...
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On Sunday, Mox, Ro and meese returned to Dupont Circle... beautiful day to walk around the city.
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Long gone, but a Washington landmark.
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Gorgeous, eh?
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Geeks on wheels!
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The new World War II Memorial on the Washington Mall.
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The phallic Washington Monument...
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Lincoln by day... and that's a wrap. Great weekend to reminisce and to create many new memories.