posing as DC tourists (without the matching hats or t-shirts)

Around these parts, the summer season is FULL of tourists. They're everywhere: wandering aimlessly along King Street, trying to blend in at farmer's markets & parks, but fooling no one when it comes to the escalators at metro stations (unless you're intending to continue climbing the stairs or wish to face the wrath of a commuter, it's an unspoken rule that you keep to the right to allow others to pass). It's a season that makes us really glad we live in Virginia rather than the District where everything is ten times worse. 

However, every now and then the tourist bug bites us, too, so we play the part & galavant about seeing things we haven't in seen in awhile/ever & eating at restaurants we've been meaning to try since we moved here for months. 

A couple of months ago, we went so far as to pen a mega list of everything we've been meaning to see so that we'll finally make the effort to go. Some of the things on our list: actually seeing all of the Smithsonians, instead of just the popular ones, because frankly we don't have the excuse of only visiting for a week; having a "Lost Symbol Day" because we embrace the facts that a) we're Dan Brown nerds and b) we love that the book was based in the DC area; embarking on a ghost tour of Old Town Alexandria, thanks to the recommendation of my good friend, Sarah (Enrichment Thursday: Ghost Edition!); & hitting up some lesser frequented places like Dumbarton Oaks and the Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Garden.

Basically we got a list as long as Santa's, so recently we began checking things off. This time around we hit up the Botanical Gardens to see the corpse flower (yes, it's a real thing), the National Zoo (somehow I had never been?), the Natural History Museum, & took a few walks all around the National Mall.

^^Meet the corpse flower, which at its most alluring really does smell like rotting flesh so as to attract pollinators from miles around. We caught it on its last day of being in bloom, and as a point of reference it stood at 5' 2"^^

^^Em & I decided we might fit in quite nicely at the zoo (our husbands probably agree)^^

^^this is what resulted when I got pinned with a tail & asked to make an elephant sound. I clearly lost character fast.^^

^^However upon comparison, this guy at the Natural History museum looks far more regal than I ever could, so I've since traded in my ears & tail^^

^^reminds me of a certain Boston Terrier back home... Perhaps a relative? ;)^^

^^While trekking it to Good Stuff Eatery post-museum visit, we stumbled upon a peaceful oasis that we never knew was there (part of the Botanical Gardens). It should be understood that if I worked near the Hill, this would be my refuge from all the hulabaloo^^

^^still daydreaming about that cinnamon sugar pop tart from Ted's Bulletin^^

^^it's possible that the Washington Monument looks better with all that industrial scaffolding on it. Definitely is prettier at night from our viewpoint across the Potomac^^

^^impromptu pizza & concrete night. Our Shake Shack order probably wouldn't have resembled Frosty the Snowman on the first day of Spring had the waiter not put it under the name "Gordo"... Lizzie McGuire flashbacks, anyone?^^

^^A stroll about the Mall just isn't complete without seeing something weird. Yes, those are fish fashioned out of fruits & veggies mounted on top of cars^^

^^Yet another cupcake place beats out Georgetown Cupcake. Red Velvet in Chinatown- yum! (Baked & Wired is still our fave, though)^^

^^We couldn't pass up trying new things in Old Town, too. Killer ESP had some pretty tasty chocolate birthday cake gelato, while Haute Dogs was just so yummy. Ten points for guessing which was mine ;) #plainjane4life ^^

and then it was august...?

I secretly love to read aloud books to captive audiences, such as the whole Mickey Mouse family. Nowadays I can be found reading only to my husband (because otherwise it's embarrassing?), and usually it's Harry Potter.

Yikes. How did that happen?

As if it wasn't already apparent from both this summer & last, I tend to get a little flighty during the summer months & put off blogging as though it were the summer reading list of my childhood. Which is a little weird because I've always been an ultra nerd who LOVES reading (even all the way back to when I was little, as evidenced above), but without fail in middle & high school I procrastinated on my required reading until about 3 weeks before the start of school. And then the drudgery was unavoidable & I usually hated every book I read during that time (AP US History's Founding Fathers still comes to mind). 

And to make things slightly funny to all people older & wiser than my years (as all growing up does), during my absence these past few months husmate & I have been reading like bookworm fiends! In fact, we joined the local library & are now proud library card carriers. So I guess we've hit the stage where we actually want to learn new things? Just the other week, I was telling JB how I could never understand growing up why my dad would waste his free time reading such boring non-fiction/technical books when he could read captivating fiction stories... but now I know. Sorry, Dad ;)

Anyway I get flighty during the summer, but I'm back by popular demand! And scout's honor I'll be around a lot more. In fact, I'll see you next week- same time, same place?

I hope all of you had a wonderful summer & for all you teachers/students out there, many well wishes on the start of the school year!

life lately, mostly according to my iphone

^^Missing this little nugget, despite her perfect record for scratching up my legs every time she sees me. Interpretation: I'm her favorite. Also, it's remarkable that she sat still for this picture.^^

^^He burns, & it turns to tan. I burn & return to porcelain. And so it goes. Good thing I love him lots ;)^^

^^I managed to get two holes-in-one, but neither were on the gimme on the 18th hole... Because I'm awesome like that.^^

^^I have a serious love affair going on with Old Town. Don't worry, my husband knows & has the same problem.^^

^^While wandering the streets one day I stumbled across this little beauty of Washington's. As if he didn't have enough land at Mt. Vernon... This townhouse was used as an office & a receiving house for his belated guests.^^

^^For those of you who don't follow me on instagram, I'm starting up a little stationery & paper goods business, & this was the night we bought a computer for it! Obviously I'm beyond giddy in this take but manage to compose myself for the next. More details to come soon ;)^^

^^Random fact #57: Trader Joe's has the prettiest flowers I've ever seen at a grocery store. And I hate to say it, but I think the tulip has a tight race against the peony for my favorite flower these days. I mean seriously, look at how gorgeous they are! Please note the mint julep cup that's finally claiming a purpose in my life. Might mean an excuse to buy fresh flowers for my desk on the reg... fingers crossed.^^

Hope everyone has a wonderful (and safe) Fourth of July!

alphabet gummies + strawberries: the perfect popsicle

So call me naive, but all my life I've been under the impression that popsicles were too messy, too involved, too everything to make the effort to create your own. Ha. That's just silly. But the effort to make ice cream? That's another story. But I digress...

While perusing the bulk candy aisle at Wegman's, I made a pact that by golly, I was going to make popsicles so that I could have an excuse to buy the super fun alphabet gummies! Husmate laughed at me, & this is what transpired: simplistic yumminess.

We're talking 4 ingredients, plus the gummies {if you have a sweet tooth like me}.  So the mystical number 5! That's it, & if it's summertime, there's a darn good chance that you already have the core four: strawberries, water, sugar, & a lime. Lucky for me, I picked up my popsicle molds on a whim for cheap at IKEA, but if you don't have molds, just use little paper cups.

1 cup mashed strawberries

1/2 cup water

3-4 tablespoons sugar

juice from 1/2 a lime
fun gummy bears, letters, fish, etc. {optional, but yummy}

Add the first four ingredients together, put gummies in your molds, pour the mixture over that, & freeze.

A few notes: I used 3 tablespoons, banking on the gummies adding a sweeter taste. 

Don't be brave & try mashing the strawberries in the measuring cup with spoon like I did at first. It will fail miserably & cause your counter to turn a darling shade of rosy red. Just whip out the potato masher you were gifted or bought because mashed potatoes are totally your comfort food. It's much easier. Believe me.

That amount filled six little molds for me, but it could make more or less depending on what you're using.

& voila! Easy popsicles. Perfect way to cool down during these muggy, humid summer days, & quite tasty, too, if I do say so myself.

virginia beach weekend

 ^^ Wouldn't it be grand if all city halls were this pretty? Meet Alexandria's City Hall, a stop we had to make before we drove south to the beach^^

^^ He beat me by one shot. ONE. Next time, husmate, next time...^^

So what does one do if they succumb to beach fever but are unaware of what Atlantic beaches are on the approved list {as one has always been accustomed to the serene Florida beaches}? Take a stab in the dark & try one, of course. How else would we ever find out the truth? 

Two weekends ago on a whim, husmate & I took a trip to Virginia Beach, VA. Not exactly what we tend to like in beaches, but it was fun nonetheless. It was an air show & concert weekend for the VA Beach Oceanfront, so there were people of all walks of life everywhere. But hey, watching a harrier hover out over the stretch of water in front of you? Pretty cool & totally worth it. 

When we weren't burning our feet crossing thrice the depth of sand that we're used to or getting slightly sunburned {because surprise! we're of the pale variety}, we were wandering the strip & boardwalk majorly people watching {note: modesty isn't a thing here, but bikini tops, unbuttoned shorts, & basketball shoes are} & watching Mississippi State's Regional baseball tournament {accompanied by late night runs to Sonic for cherry limeades, tater tots, & corn dogs}. Also, after two games of mini golf {a required beach activity in our book} in which husmate putted into the water twice, he still won both. Lame. I expect a rematch will come out in my favor {fingers crossed} & I think next on our list of beaches to try is the Outer Banks in North Carolina or perhaps a beach in Delaware. Any suggestions are welcome!

dreaming of a hot summer's day

I never thought I would get to a point that I would admit to wanting to see & experience the sun so much that I even miss its hot summer days. If you know me, you know that I am a fair-skinned freckled girl, my make-up is one color hue off from white (aka porcelain, ivory, or 01), & I don't tan, I burn. That being said, even I am sick of this cold, dreary, & wet winter and would rather worry about dehydration than wearing enough layers to shake off the constant shivering (I'm from the South, can't help it that I'm a wimp).

This weather makes me long for the weekend husband & I spent in NYC last summer. So here goes a trip down memory lane to help remind me of what sun looks like:

Summary:

+ It's a good thing I don't live in NYC as I would probably spend all my time eating at Chelsea Market, as evidenced by a fourth of these pictures showing its yummy food. I wish I could say those were the only pictures of food I took there, but I can't lie either. Womp womp...

+ I wish that we had had time to walk the whole Central Park. My nerdy self tells me that it would revel in all the beauty of Frederick Law Olmsted's design (which also makes me want to reread The Devil in the White City. Nerd alert). My cabin fever tells me it just wants to see grass and trees and flowers and warmth. Either way the desire to trek all over that park right now is pretty great.

+ I really miss being able to throw my chacos on & wear them with anything in my summer wardrobe, dresses/skirts included. No shame, only fame guys. Now that I'm married, I can partially blame it on my adventurous husband (but it's not really his fault).

+ That Highline Park is pretty dang neat. Totally suggest walking on it the next time you're in NYC.

+ We walked the Brooklyn Bridge (because who doesn't love a bridge merrily designed in gothic architecture?), but as the majority of the bridge was covered in scaffolding along the whole walk, there wasn't much to take a picture of...

+ Even DC was shining beautifully in the sun that weekend. We took that picture as we walked back from Union Station after our horrifically long trip back in a Megabus (New Jersey turnpike, anyone? Yuck). 

Ah, sun... get back in my life.