Thought You Knew the Capital?

While you procrastinate at work all day, learn a little something about where you're working or living. With the potential of auditioning for Miss District of Columbia this weekend (yikes- haven't sang professionally in five years, I could potentially break some glass), I felt it was important today to brush up on a lot of my Washington, DC "fun facts", if you will. Did you know the Wood Thrush is our official bird (Thank you, Audobon Society)? Or that Washingtonians couldn't vote in presidential elections until 1961? Read on to hear more oh-my-gawds about your favorite city ever:

• The DC in Washington, DC stands for District of Columbia (Just kidding HAH).
• There are 172 embassies and foreign offices housed here.
• The motto of DC is Justicia Omnibus, or "Justice for All" if you aren't fluent in Latin.
• DC averages more than 39 inches a year- more than Seattle's total!
• The city is run by a mayor (Fenty, who I must say is quite the stud) and a city council (though not so many spring chickens in here).
• The Nationals Park is the first certified Green stadium in the country for sports.
• Thank God for Dick and Joe, because DC didn't provide an official home for VPs until 1974.
• In 1989 the Height of Buildings Act was passed to avoid the enactment of sky scrapers.
• Famous DC residents include "Sugar" Ray Leonard, Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye, Collin Powell, Mya, and the very sexy Soujouner Truth.
• You've got mail! DC's the official headquarters to AOL, and I've even waited on Steve Case before in my days of being a server.
• 71.8% of the District's residents are African-American.

Yes, a weak list at best, but this is a little bit of what I got out of learning about my favorite city in the world today. Next to Paris, that is.