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.

Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry.

The Strand has a kiosk in Central Park!

I found the New York Public Library.

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

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

Be nice or leave in Stamford, Connecticut.

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

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

Niagara Falls.

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

On the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls.

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

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

Sweet graffiti van in New York City.

The tile at the Staten Island Ferry is everything.

Ceiling at the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut.

Love is love in Times Square.

A sweaty walk through Central Park in New York City.

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

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

Bridge to Niagara Falls.

Me and Tyler at Niagara Falls.

Love is love in Stamford, Connecticut.

Flowers at Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls.

Sunflower garden in Washington, D.C.

Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.

A love lock at Niagara Falls.

Canandaigua Lake in New York.

Niagara Falls.

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

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

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

Atrium of Grand Central Station in New York City.

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