Weekend Re-Cap: Movie, Grocery, Irene, Aftermath

Friday night I went to dinner and a movie with a friend. We saw One Day which made me really want to read the book, but didn't sell me as an incredible movie. Anne Hathaway was less than desirable with the fake British accent. Granted it was a true to form chick-flick and a much welcomes escape from the real world right now.

Saturday started the anticipation of waiting for Irene to arrive. She was rumored to be a big nasty display of weather and it started raining around 11am in the morning. A steady rain with increasing rain. To avoid going stir crazy we squeezed in some lunch and frozen custard before heading home and snuggling in for the evening. The grocery store hinted at DC's normal hoarding habits when we have a natural disaster.

As usual water was a hot commodity and then toilet paper (?) seemed to be the item of choice to stock up one. Luckily I felt that I was sufficiently stocked up on my home paper products to survive the great hurricane.

Earlier this week a new pair of sweats that I had ordered came in the mail and it could not have been better timing to have a evening where I was going to live in pjs.

Photo via Victoriasecret.com

I honestly may never go to work again just so I don't have to take these off. They are so luxuriously comfortable! I may buy another pair just to make sure I am never without these!

As we settled in with some heaping bowls of pasta, a Mad Men marathon and some beer I had to laugh at the weather forecast:

Loving that 100% rain for hours on end! It really did rain and rain and rain and rain and rain. I sadly was asleep and slept through what I was told was the worst of the storm so I missed all the excitement. Luckily no serious damage took place in my neighborhood. A few down branches and trees but very minor damage.

I am glad the hype is over. Hopefully this is the last of the natural disaster streak we have had! Luckily today has felt like the potential start of fall which I will welcome gladly this year!



I Felt the Earth Shake Under My Feet

So there was an earthquake if you haven't already heard. It was rather exciting if I do say so. Since DC is not normally a city that experiences earthquakes people were particularly shaken (no pun intended) by this. Even today (as talks shift to our next natural disaster--a hurricane named Irene) people are still talking about where they were right before, when, and right after the 'quake. Rather amusing if you ask me. Just as DC does everything else with a bit of sass...so are people's reactions.

Luckily what I witnessed was very low key. My office building was evacuated and we ended up having to stand on the sidewalks for quite awhile as building inspectors deemed the building "safe". We did have to use the stairs which was a workout for sure when you work on the 8th floor! By the time I headed home most people had fled the city (I kid you not) so the bus was empty and I wasn't caugh in any crazy traffic on the way home. Nothing was wrong with my apartment except for a few items on the floor that weren't there in the morning.

Next up is some crazy wind and rain. Tonight I had to get milk to have cereal for dinner (back to iamanadultandicaneatanddowhatiwant) and I stocked up one "hurricane essentials" (ok ok, rather what I would want to eat if I get stuck in my apartment all weekend with my book and TiVo. Here is what came home:

1 gallon of milk
2 boxes of cereal
1 bag of frozen ready to cook hashbrowns
1 cartoon of eggs
1 pack bacon (a girl needs her sunday morning breakfast!)
Butter (running low- I promise I am not going to start licking butter to stay alive)
1 bottle of white wine
1 package of pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough
1 package of instant pudding

ok so what we have learned. I obviously have no crisis management skills once I am outside of the office. But by damn I can create a disaster management plan for a whole floor of people. Go college degree!

Luckily I don't think I will starve to death between the breakfast food and fatty mcfatterson choices I lugged home.

Anyone having a hurricane party? Nothing better to do when it is pouring rain!

Copy Cat

I have been getting odd cravings to immediately make recipes that I come across on TV, from blogs, in magazines, etc.. A few weeks ago it was the falafel on Food Network and then more recently it was a post on a Fly Through Our Window that had crispy peanut butter bars and chicken curry salad. Here is the post that has Darby's original recipes that spurred the food making frenzy.

Well I read. I craved. I made. Both. In one night. (I also spilled over half a glass of sweet tea on my couch and ended up sitting on my floor devouring my makings like a poor college student)

Both turned out well and I would make both again for sure. I did add grapes to my chicken curry salad (I think Darby mentions that she doesn't like them because they get mushy- but I saw them at the store and decided to include them. They seemed to hold up the next day but I can see after a few days how they could be a bit yucky). I also wish I had buckled down and gone to Whole Foods to get some quality bibb lettuce because what I got at the Safeway down the street just fell apart in my hands when I washed it. The recipe did make a lot of salad which was great because I was able to have lunch left overs AND send some home with my co-worker for her to have for dinner!

The crispy bars were good. Almost peanut butter overkill for me, but I do have to say these made an awesome on the go breakfast for the week so I could avoid the office cafe! I also could have done with a lot more shredded coconut. Yum! So delish.

Also-- read Fly Through Our Window. Darby is such an inspiration. She has a wonderful family, a adorable t-shirt business, amazing photos, great food, a twin sister with a fantastic blog and just lives and all around awesome life.

Ballet Toms

My Toms love affair is no secret at this point. I go through my fair share of Toms sand wear them almost everyday on the way to work before I change into heels. I saw these the other day and naturally fell love as they are ballet inspired!

I would totally rock these with some pale pink, grey and white outfits. However I feel like these would be a 2-3 wear shoe as they would get so dirty! Probably why they are in the wedding section on the Toms website.

Two Sides to a Coin

There are two sides to every story right?

So what happens when you can see both sides of the coin?

What do you believe in when one side is lovely and the other is ugly?

As much as I want to, and did believe in the lovely, I am starting to see that their may be a lot more truth in the ugly.

Metal Chicken Sighting

About a month ago Miss Sara sent me a link to a hilarious blog post. (Sara is the queen of keeping me up to date on great blogs so my reading doesn't get stale!). I was at work when I read TheBloggess's story about her discovering and delivery of a giant metal chicken. You have to go read her story (I still cry laughing I find it so funny) and then make sure you read the first follow-up. And then finally- her latest installation about the metal chicken.

Well last weekend we were out on the the Eastern Shore in MD getting some crabs (post soon about MD blue crabs, their lungs, and really having to work for your meal) and we saw this guy:

Look familiar?

Sara- I almost bought him for you. Sadly I don't think I would have been forgive if I would have suggested strapping him to the top of the car.

A Greener Clean and Other TV Goodness

I should probaly never have gotten cable. It was a luxury that due to a year end special I was able to afford on my budget. I love coming home from home from work, flopping on the couch and watching an episode of House Hunters, Say Yes to the Dress, The Bachelor/ette, etc. Obviously this can get very out of control if I am feeling lazy. Today was massive lazy afternoon. (I did have a productive morning prepping for some things I have upcoming this week). But then I took a quick nap and it all went downhill from there.

So in honor of my wasted hours this afternoon I figured I could turn it into some sort of productivity and write about a few things that have caught my eye on TV lately.

First off. I always thought the Beggin Strips commercials for those rediculous bacon shapped dog treats where hilarious. (The poodle loves those things). They recently came out with a new version of the Bacon! commercial and there is a poodle. Must share.

 Second, I have seen the commecial for the new Scotch-Brite Greener Clean sponges. I have started looking for them in the grocery story and Target and I have yet to seen them. I can't wait to try them out! Made with natural and recycled fibers these seem like a great thing to incorporate into my household as I seem to have a clean/new sponge fetish since I have to hand wash every single on of my dishes. Check out the products here. If anyone finds these let me know where!

Found @ hiphomeowner.com

Last, but certainly not least, since I could watch (and laugh) this a million times in the new Geico commerical. Hopefully this brings back some childhood memories and makes some of you laugh.

Happy Birthday Mom!

I just wanted to take a moment to wish my wonderful mom a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Wish I was there to celebrate with you today!

I love you mom! I know this is the start of another wonderful year full of adventures, love and happiness!

XOXO,

Andrea

Virgina Peaches, Apples and Wines. Oh My!

A few weekends ago Sam organized for a few people to meet up and go peach picking out in Virginia. As I am sure most of you have witness and/or heard at this point, DC's summer heat issues have been out of control this summer so we dragged ourselves out of bed early on Saturday morning to get out to the orchard. The drive out to the orchard was beautiful. Ashley and I did have to set Sam straight about "mountains" vs. "rolling hills" but once we all came to consensus we all could appreciate the rolling hills. We went to Stribling Orchard and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to go pick peaches or apples. We had a great time and the staff at the orchard was incredibly friendly and helpful. We are already thinking about an apple picking adventure and I have some ambitions to make some apple butter!

I was surprised at how small the peach trees were. The peaches were easy to pick from my 5 foot advantage point.

Picking some peaches

 The beautiful Virginia rolling hills and view from the orchard.

My loot from the adventure. I brought home about 18 pounds of peaches for under $20! What a deal!

After picking peaches we found some shaded picnic tables and chowed down on our eclectic lunches that we packed for the day. The highlight was the childhood enjoyment of my fruit rollups that I had purchased earlier in the day.

(Ashley, Sam and Sarah- You can thank me later for posting these. And don't worry...we didn't let Ashley eat the plastic as much as she wanted to)

After lunch we decided to check out a vineyard that was just next to the orchard. Chateau O' Brien does  wine tastings for $5 and we were able to sample a variety of their wines. Their venue is very nice and they have an on-site dog who is a mascot! We all really liked their Virginia Apple Wine and purchased bottles for $20. I am sipping on some tonight!

After we finished our wine tasting there we decided to try out one more vineyard since it was a lazy Saturday, hot as can be in DC and why not, right? Luckily we had Sam with us and he remember there being a vineyard just down a dirt road and over a few rolling hills. After a non-conventional driving route we found Linden Vineyards.I am not even sure I want to write about this place because it was such a treat!

The vineyard was set just far enough off the main road that you really felt like you had "gotten away". We were warmly greeted when we came in and did another $5 wine tastings. These wines were really good! We all seemed to really like many of them and knew we would have a hard time picking just a few bottles to take home with us. After the normal tasting we also were allowed to taste an amazing desert wine they had that was incredibly fragrant and savory. After our tasting we were told about their membership that allowed people to come and sit on their beautiful veranda that overlooks the vineyards and drink wine and dine on cheese and bread. We lucked out and due to the heat, the normal membership requirements (the purchase of a case of wine) was waived and we selected a bottle of wine to split and enjoy outside. We also ordered two portions of fresh chevre with some fresh baked baguette.

I can not rave enough about Linden Vineyards. We had such a great afternoon enjoy each other company, the wine and cheese and a day away from the busy DC world. I would have to say that we are still thinking about the case membership so we can go again and have another wonderful afternoon.

3 Year DCversary

Today is my 3 year DCversary. T.H.R.E.E. Y.E.A.R.S.

Oh.

My.


Is all I can say. I never ever ever ever ever imagined I would still be here. I am not really sure what to focus on writing this post. How three years feels like the blink of an eye? How three years feels like eternity with no end? How these three years have been the most challenging and life changing in my life? The highlights of what has happened to me here? Favorite memories? Why I am still here?

I guess the following ramblings will have to do as I sit here wondering how time possibly got to this point.

Three years ago Alex and I moved into our one bedroom apartment. We lived with a desk as a kitchen table. Mismatched chairs. A bedspread that was too small for our bed. Camp chairs. No TV (but a TV stand). A GIANT desk. Hardly enough money (well I hardly had any money). And an ambition to  buy blue plates. Almost a year later we divided the assets, realized we never found blue plates, which was maybe a sign, and went our separate ways. I ventured out to find myself in a city that I never thought I would find anything in.

After that I somehow found a roommate off of craigslist and lived in an apartment that was worthy of a TV show. Battled some roaches (a lot of roaches). Learned how to brine a turkey. Really started to understand the power of friendships, especially the ones that conducted from opposite sides of the country. Learned to fall in love with a lot of things. Started to figure out what wearing big girl pants was all about. And then decided that it was either me or the roaches. The roaches won.

My first attempt at living on my own. Talk about being an adult. I now 100% understand why people say that if you can, living on your own before you get married is one of the most valuable experiences. I have learned a lot about how to live: I now get excited about recycled sponges, laundry detergent that is on sale, dishwashers seem like unicorns, and I have learned to appreciate making a space that you love and can call your very own. But also have started learning about being your own best friend and realizing it is okay to have whatever life you have and to not be self conscious of who you are and what you enjoy.
I also learned how to paint stripes. I am a pro stripe painter. I am constantly shocked when I open my front door and see that I own an apartment full of furniture,  books, kitchen things, lines and clothes.

It is moving into year three that I can officially say I am a "DCer". Whatever that means. It feels a bit like a battle scar. A reminder that this was never the life I saw. But above all


it is an accomplishment.

It is a tale I will always tell.




And that is the end of me sentimental sappy post.