Lunchtime. The best part of any working girl’s day. Unless, of course, a track fire or visiting protesters stymie your plans for a trip to the newest downtown eatery. Such was the case one Wednesday last week, when Alison and I decided to Metro into town from our Arlington offices to meet Erika and Stacey for lunch in the city. After a 30-minute delay, we were forced to call the girls, cancel and settle for heat-lamped burgers and fries. Not as cool as the paella we thought we were about to enjoy. I started thinking, there’s got to be a better way!

We rescheduled for the next day and crossed our fingers. After consulting the Metro’s online The Ride Guide, Alison and I decided to try the “Orange Line with a View,” the 38B Metrobus route, instead of braving the crowded Metro train. She was to meet the bus in Ballston and pick me up at my Rosslyn office. I hightailed my Manolos over to the Metro station, where the line of buses waits to cart travelers off to their various destinations, and waited for the 38B, noticing that at that time there was no delay on the Metro. My cell phone chirped, and I answered it, just knowing it was Alison calling to say that the bus hadn’t arrived yet. Had Murphy’s Law struck again?

My fears were temporarily assuaged when I glanced at the caller I.D. and saw that it was Stacey. She was checking to make sure we were still on for our girls’ lunch out. I rolled my eyes skyward, crossed my fingers, and inhaled bus exhaust as I explained that Alison should be on her way. But was the view as good as it promised?

The bus rolled up about thirty seconds later, and I boarded and sat next to Alison. Dorks that we are, we were actually excited to try this above-ground alternative to Metrorail. Ambling across the Key Bridge is always enjoyable – the view of Georgetown, the Potomac River, and the Kennedy Center is a Washington classic. We only had three stops to go to reach the end of the line at Farragut West. In a city like Washington, where people put their heads down and go, rarely taking in the sights around them, was this bus really that much different from riding underground?

I was about to get my answer. As we eased down M Street in Georgetown, we both wanted to get off the bus, skip lunch, and go shopping! But thanks to a little bit of self-control and restraint (mostly on Alison’s part—she was holding my arm to keep me from leaping off the bus), we made it through the roughest part of the trip. Next thing we knew, we were stopping at Foggy Bottom-G.W.U. Metro Station, where a bunch of coeds and a few doctors (or at least doctor-looking people) got on. Still, the bus wasn’t nearly as crowded as the Metrorail. We were right on schedule.

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, the other girls were just walking up. Not bad at all. Alison and I had spied 2 more exciting restaurants in the area to try – restaurants we would not have seen if we had been traveling underground. No track fires, delays or protesters held us back, and we were able to enjoy paella, conversation, and a lovely ride with a view – not to mention we were able to schedule a sequel at another new café for the following week.

Riding back on the 38B (for free with our transfer from the ride to lunch), I mused to myself as I relaxed and enjoyed a lovely food coma, there really is nothing like fresh air, sunlight, and a leisurely lunch. Perhaps what Washingtonians really need is to sit back, relax, and enjoy the view – the Orange Line with a View.