Tuesday Morning Inspiration

Eastern Market Sunday

            This afternoon I met up with my sister and a friend at Eastern Market for some brunching, browsing, and bronzing in the cold February sunshine.  I love this neighborhood and though getting there requires the use of my GPS and merging on and off of not one but two highways (I promise it's still in D.C.), it is definitely worth an afternoon trip.  They sell pickles on a stick, giant bags of kettle corn, and other random things like dice and giraffes made out of soda cans.  See, I told you...definitely worth a visit.

            Other events of the weekend included some impromptu house touring, a pregame and flip cup latenight, and a Sunday night steak dinner.  Can it be next weekend already, please?  

This Happened

            On February 23rd, this is what my dashboard looked like on my drive home.  Yep, 64 degrees and almost 5pm.  Spring's come early?  I like the sound of that.

            This weekend it is supposed to be back to somewhat normal temperatures for this time of year so I know that this premature Spring fever will be short-lived but hey, I'll take what I can get.  As for today, I'm off to work and then home early for some house party prep with the roommate.  Because it's Friday and we want to.  

Have the happiest day!

Mom Weekend

            I'm a grown-up.  This is a fact that I often try to ignore because I am a fan of silliness and bad jokes and America's Funniest Home Videos and grown-ups aren't supposed to like those things, right?  But I guess it's true.  I do my own taxes (with the help of my personal accountant on the phone in Philadelphia...thanks, Dad!), pay my own car insurance, and take care of a furry little life in addition to my own so I guess you could say that I fall into the category of grown-up.  But sometimes, even a grown-up needs her Mom.
            Last weekend, my mom took the train down from Philadelphia for a girls weekend in the District. It was quite possibly the most self-indulgent weekend I have had here in D.C. and that was just fine with me.  Mama Ball got in to town on Friday night and we joined some long-lost cousins for dinner on H Street (I know, I know...branching out, right?).  Saturday was spent brunching with friends at Kafe Leopold, shopping on M Street, relaxing with snowy afternoon massages, and we topped the day off with some Taylor Gourmet (yum) and Channing Tatum (also yum).  It was perfect.

            We didn't do anything tourist-y.  We didn't go to a museum or take a walk on the Mall.  I don't even think we saw a single monument (with the exception of a drive-by of the White House on the way to Union Station).  But it didn't matter.  Cause much like when your sister or best friends come to town, when your Mom comes to visit you don't have to impress her with your new city or take her to the best restaurant.  You don't need elaborate plans or even a plan at all.  But sometimes, a grown-up just needs her Mom.

New Neighbors

            The house on 35th Street has recently gotten some new neighbors.  The much anticipated rival to the cupcake mecca that is Georgetown has finally arrived.  Just the other week, Pie Sisters opened its doors at the foot of the Key Bridge and ever since then I have been dying to give it a try.  I must admit that I'm more of a birthday cake kind of girl than a pie lover so I was a little bit skeptical but after one bite of the Bourbon Chocolate Peacan Cuppie (a little cupcake-sized pie, get it?  Cup-pie?), I quickly changed my mind.  I can't speak to the deliciousness of the other varieties that these two sisters pump out on a daily basis but if this cuppie was any indication I would say that Georgetown Cupcake has got some competition.  So the next time you're in the area, resist the urge to stand in a massively long line for an over-sugared, over-rated cupcake, give Pie Sisters a try!

Working Girl

            On many days, I envy those who are full-time bloggers.  The ones who spend their days browsing bookstores, writing in coffee shops, and strolling down busy streets in search of inspiration.  But the truth is, I am only a part-time blogger for a few reasons.  One, because this blog isn't nearly interesting or relevant enough for me to get the kind of traffic that would allow me to make a decent living (not fishing for compliments here at all...I'm okay with the fact that I have a relatively small, but loyal following :-).  And two, because I have one of those 9-5 7-5 jobs that takes up far too much of my time to ever make full-time blogging a reality.  I don't talk about my job very much on the blog these days (because of my little friend HIPAA) and some of my newer readers who missed the grad school grandma days might not even know what it is that I do at my real job.  I am a Speech-Language Pathologist at the National Rehabilitation Hospital here in D.C.  It's a great job and I work with a really incredible team.  I am challenged and inspired and exhausted and grateful at the end of each and every day.  And for that reason I consider myself very lucky.  Now it's not all rainbows and unicorns over here, don't get me wrong.  On many days, my patience is tested and I am happy if I get to finish my coffee before 3pm but when I can walk out of the hospital knowing that I've done at least a little bit of good for someone else, I'd say I'm doing alright.

Co-worker Valentine Goodies

            Speaking of my job, I have a favor to ask.  If you're the praying kind and wouldn't mind saying a few extras for my co-workers I would really appreciate it.  One of my co-workers at the hospital died suddenly this weekend and his death has rocked the community at NRH.  I didn't know him well but some of my friends were extremely close with him so if you've got room on your list, some extra prayers for them and for his family would mean so much.  Thanks, friends.

            I hope that you are having a fabulous week and that your work days really have been all rainbows and unicorns.  And if not, only three days until a three-day weekend!

Love

Wishing you lots of it.  Today and every day.

Happy Valentine's Day

xoxo

Move Over Party Dogs

            A domestic goddess, I am not.  Trust me, I am very aware of this fact and don't claim to know much about anything when it comes to being in the kitchen.  Which is why I love quick little recipes like this one that I found over on Blue-Eyed Bakers.  It's the perfect impromptu snack to bring to a Super Bowl party and a great alternative to standard chips and seven layer dip.  If I get my act together, I'll be whipping this up in the next hour or so.

Puppy Chow Popcorn
Makes 9 cups
Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

9 cups popcorn (1 standard size microwave bag)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
**I'm adding pretzel snaps to mine!

Line a large baking sheet and set aside.
Pop popcorn according to package instructions.  Place in a large bowl and set aside.
In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter and heat in 30 second bursts in microwave until melted and smooth.  Pour chocolate mixture over popcorn and pretzels.  Using a large spoon, mix until popcorn and pretzels are evenly coated with chocolate.  In 1/2 cup increments, add powdered sugar and continue to mix until evenly coated and all 1 1/2 cups have been added.
Spread popcorn and pretzels evenly on prepared baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.  Break up and serve.  Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

What is your go-to (and easy enough for the domestically-challenged) party dish?

You Know What Today Is

            Yes, it is Super Bowl Sunday but more importantly, today is the Puppy Bowl.  You know I'm a sucker for some puppy love so I will be DVRing it while I'm party hopping this afternoon and evening.  My money is on Calvin for MVP.  Who are you rooting for tonight?

I Want to Know Great

            I have my favorite blogs.  You know, the ones that have you anxiously awaiting a new post...checking back way too often and blowing up their stat counter just hoping they've written something new.  One blog that certainly fits into that category is Enjoying the Small Things.  Though the author this blog and I could not be in more different places in our lives and I don't know her from Adam, sometimes I feel like she is my little sensei...whispering words of wisdom into my ear right when I need them.  On the off chance that she reads this post, I swear I'm not a stalker...I just dig your writing and am going to quote you so I feel like I should give a proper intro.  And today was one of those days when I found the words she was writing directly applied to my life so I wanted to share them with you in case you're not one of her readers and they apply to you too.

            "You cannot wait for life to come to you.  You have to go get it -- pursue it in a wild, passionate chase that includes the foreboding depths of challenges and heartache just as much as the ecstasy of triumph and success.  You have to want it bad enough to seek it not only when things are rough and the pursuit of it brings the hope of change, but when things are comfortable and easy, and the quest for more living -- more purposeful awareness -- might even make you scared.  It is in the fear -- that breathtaking exhilaration of "What if?" -- that you rise to the occasion.  You step out of your comfort zone and experience the thrill of taking risks and the possibility of believing that, sure, things might be good but if you stretched a little further they might be great.  I want to know great.  And I will work hard to find it."  Right on, sister.  I'm with you.