Once upon a time, my brother had a Northshore Band concert in Connecticut, and Mom and I decided to go along with him for the road trip and stop at Niagara Falls, New York City, and Washtington, D.C. on our way. We came, we saw, we did the speed tours of the big sights. Then we drove 14 hours back to Chicago. It was a lovely and sweaty week.

Atrium of Grand Central Station in New York City.

A sweaty walk through Central Park in New York City.

A Hillary Clinton sticker stuck to the sidewalk in Washington, D.C.

Love is love in Stamford, Connecticut.

The cutest baby ducks in a pond in front of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Sweet graffiti van in New York City.

Be nice or leave in Stamford, Connecticut.

Love is love in Times Square.

I found the New York Public Library.

Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls.

Sunflower garden in Washington, D.C.

The Northshore Concert Band performing at the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut.

A love lock at Niagara Falls.

Social book time at the New York Public Library in New York City.

Tyler, me, and Mom in front of the White House in Washington, D.C.

The Daily Herald on the monitor at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Inside the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry.

The Strand has a kiosk in Central Park!

Ceiling at the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut.

Canandaigua Lake in New York.

Me and Tyler at Niagara Falls.

The tile at the Staten Island Ferry is everything.

The view from the Empire State Building in New York City.

On the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls.

Fountains in front of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Flowers at Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls.

Bridge to Niagara Falls.

9/11 exhibit at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Me in front of the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Part of the 9/11 exhibit at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.

And yes, I did have “Empire State of Mind” stuck in my head the whole dang time.