Hair Cut

I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow at a new salon - Smitten that is attached to my apartment building.  I haven't been before and I am super nervous.  I didn't like the last salon I tried in Tyson's, so hopefully I'll like this better.  The last hair salon (which shall remain nameless) wasn't bad per-say- like she didn't f*** up my hair or anything, but she just wasn't friendly. She hated Arlington and Virginia and DC, which was kind of a buzz kill to someone new to the area, and she also never had anything nice to say about my hair- not that I have amazing hair or anything, but my stylist back in MI, Julie K, used to always compliment my hair and bring over other stylists to look at it too - such a sweetheart.  So fingers crossed tomorrow is better! My hair is insanely long right now, so I am hoping to cut some inches off- it will be a big change!  Here are some looks I love:

   

I'll have pictures afterwards tomorrow!

Fall Favorites

Happy almost Friday!!!

It's been a while since I posted again - Paul and I went to his family's hometown near Buffalo for his cousin's wedding, and this past weekend my best friend from home came to visit.  We had so much fun partying nonstop both weekends, but it was exhausting!! Now Paul is in Dallas for work, so I've spent the evening giving myself a mani/pedi, a face mask and catching up on the Real Housewives. We're looking forward to relaxing this weekend!

Even though I swore I wouldn't go shopping again - I just can't help myself. The weather might be heating up again, but I am ready for fall fashion! I get that way every year.  It's the end of summer and I am ready to wear jeans and sweaters- and then as soon as it's freezing cold I miss my summer dresses. Oh well. Here's what's on my current fall favorites list.


  
These Dolce Vita boots from Piperlime    and this blouse from J Crew


 
I'm obsessed with this Rebecca Taylor blazer.  and these J crew track pants

 
Love these J Crew shoes. And also, I would sell my first born for this Burberry coat.

So many clothes, so little time. And money. I always forget about that...

Happy Friday!

I love this quote. It always makes me just excited for the future.

 Last weekend I went to Chicago and my flight was delayed 6 hours! Six! It was terrible, but I did make some new friends while stuck at the airport.  I had a good time visiting my college friends, but it was great to go home and relax after all of the travelling I have been doing lately.  I don't know how people do this for a living constantly.  All I can think about is all the airport germs I am picking up and I just want to take a purrell bath.

I'm going to Virginia Beach with Paul this weekend to celebrate our 2 year anniversary.  I can't believe it's already been two years! We're seeing Dave Matthews Band tonight (for those of you that don't know- Paul is obsessed. He's been to like 30 DMB concerts and I've been to 4 in the last two years). Then we're spending the rest of the weekend at the beach in front of our Oceanview hotel.  I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend.  Hope you all have a great weekend!

Finally catching up

So I know I have not posted in a while - it has been an insanely busy summer.  I think the last time I wrote, Paul's mom was visiting from New York.  I happened to catch some sort of horrible summer cold/virus that weekend that left me coughing for a solid month.  It was horrible.  The next weekend I went to Urgent Care, where I was told I had coughed so hard that I bruised my ribs and burst blood vessels in my ears.  Wonderful.  They gave me a codeine prescription, which left me passed out every single night, making the next few weeks slightly blurry.  Codeine cough syrup is probably the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted by the way.

We've been loving our new apartment (I'll post pictures soon).  We've had a few barbecues on our rooftop terrace and it's been great. I am definitely loving living in Clarendon.

We also went to Charlottesville a few weeks ago to visit my Granny with my parents.  We had a great time with them Saturday, and then Sunday Paul and I spent the day checking out some vineyards in Charlottesvile.  First, we went to Dave Matthews' vineyard, Blenheim, since Paul is obsessed. It was very cute and quaint.  The winery has a gorgeous view looking out over the Blueridge (?) mountains.  The woman doing our tasting told us that Dave Matthews just purchased the surrounding 300 acres because they were going to be developed into houses, and he did not want the area to be developed and ruin the scenery. Next we went to Trump vineyards, which I did not think I was going to like - I thought it would be very tacky and over the top.  We actually found out that Donald Trump bought the winery from the Kluge family, a family that has been in the Charlottesville area for years and that my granny and mother had talked about a few times while we were visiting.  I was pleasantly surprised by the Trump winery, which is run by Donald Trump's son Eric.  Although the Trump logo was on everything possible, including a plethora of merchandise to buy that was probably unnecessary to sell at a winery, the winery still had an overall elegant vibe - not tacky like I thought.  Their wine was very good - we ended up buying three bottles.  The Trump/ Kluge winery is known for their sparkling wines, as well as a wine that is aged in a bourbon barrel. Lastly, we went to Jefferson Vineyards.  That vineyard was nice as well, but not anything special.

The following weekend, Paul went to Pittsburgh for a bachelor party, and I spent my weekend poolside.  I also went out with some friends from back home, which was really fun.  Then I spent Saturday with my aunt and uncle.

This past weekend, I went home to Michigan to go to the Nordstrom pre-sale with my mom.  It was wonderful.  I bought way too much, and probably cannot go shopping again until 2014. But I made some great purchases at fantastic prices.  More on that later....

Paul and I attended the Best of Washington event put on by Washingtonian magazine on Wednesday night at the National Building Museum  We had such a great time!  We definitely ate way too much food, but everything was so delicious! My favorite was the corn and crab salad from Blue Duck Tavern.

This weekend I am going to Chicago to visit all my college friends.  I am super excited to see everyone! I definitely need a weekend to just relax soon though...

Hope you are all surviving this crazy heat wave!  Woohoo summertime in the DC swampland.

Memorial Weekend

Happy Friday!!! The next best thing to a three day weekend, is a four day work week.  I also start summer hours, which means I get to leave at 1:00 pm today!!! Sadly, I am sick right now, so I plan to take a nap as soon as I get home.  Paul's mom is coming tonight, and we are really excited to show her our new place and take her around DC.  We're going to La Tasca tonight in Clarendon for sangria and tapas, and also plan to go to Bluemont Vineyard.

We spent most of last weekend unpacking, although we did manage to fit in some fun activities as well!  Friday, I finally went to the dreaded DMV, which officially is my least favorite place in the whole world, and I will do anything to never go back there. 3 hours later, I finally met a friend for a much needed drink at Proof.  I have to say I was slightly disappointed in my cocktail, which sort of tasted like strawberry salt water.  Yuck. Paul met us there, and then we went over to Jaleo, a spanish tapas place, for dinner.  Jaleo was delicious and I would definitely go back!

Saturday we went to the Kenny Chesney concert (my birthday present from Paul).  We had so much fun!! Eric Church was absolutely amazing, and Kenny was incredible!! Such a good time. Saturday morning before the concert, we got crepes and mimosas from our favorite place, Oby Lee.  Oby Lee is a coffee and wine shop with delicious crepes.  Coffee and wine- could it be any more perfect?  Actually yes- it is attached to our building.

 

mimosas and crepes from Oby Lee

  
Eric Church and Kenny Chesney!

Sunday we went to brunch at Matchbox in Eastern Market.  We shared the breakfast pizza (so good) and the berry waffle which was also good.  Unfortunately they were out of the peach mimosa I wanted to try, so I went with one that had pineapple and apples, which was decent.  After brunch, we went shopping in Eastern Market and found a cool painting of DC for our apartment.  We spent the rest of the day unpacking and then checked out Fuego in Clarendon for some tacos and margaritas.  How do I describe Fuego?  I feel like it has so much potential, and then just falls short.. The first problem was that we were seated next to a teenage couple that was blackout drunk and fighting with each other.  He actually left her there for like ten minutes and she passed out at the table.  It was EXTREMELY awkward.  They have $5 margaritas on Sunday, which is a pretty good deal.  I thought my margarita was okay, it was a little too syrupy for me, but Paul liked his. Paul got a hibiscus margarita, and mine was twisted with hibiscus and regular.  We got a few tacos to share (they are small and come with two each). They were decent, but seemed to be lacking any original flavor.  All in all, I don't know if we would go back.

We spent Monday unpacking and then went to a barbeque at Paul's friend's house Monday evening.  We also purchased a new couch from Crate and Barrel (15% off!).  It is a sectional made for apartments, so it is very compact.  It will fit perfectly in our living room, and will provide a little extra seating since we don't have room for a chair or anything.  And before you ask, no actually, we did not need a new couch. Paul hates mine for some reason (it's a little bulky) and rather than hear him complain for the next year, I gave in. Which means that I am guaranteed to win the next battle that I care more about... Relationships are all about compromise ;)  Anyway, our new couch will be here in July, and we are selling the old one on Craigslist (Let me know if you need a couch!!). '

Have a great weekend! I will post pictures of our apartment next!

Home is where the heart is

Well, we did it.  We're finally moved in to our new apartment. The move was pretty stressful, so I am glad its's over.  Friday we were up until two in the morning packing and it seemed like everything that could go wrong did.  We ran out of tape twice, and both rolls of packaging material for dishes and glasses, as well as paper towel.  We ended up using toilet paper and t-shirts to finish wrapping things!  Then we ran out of boxes, so we had to go to UHaul at 7 am to buy more before the movers came.

The movers came right on time (actually a few minutes early).  We used a company called Two Marines Moving, which hires veterans from all branches of the military for their moving services.  I was a little nervous when two boys that looked younger than my brother showed up, but they did a great job!  One of them did drop a load of furniture from his dolly- resulting in a damaged dresser.  Luckily, the piece is old anyway and the damage is at the bottom.  We filed a claim, so we'll see how that goes.  Overall, they were a great price, and I thought they did a good job.

Paul and I decided that there was nothing we'd rather do less than clean out our old apartment Saturday night or Sunday, when we needed that time to unpack (we didn't take off any work for this move).  So while the movers were taking our things, I searched for cleaning companies that could come out ASAP.  I found a man named Tom on Yelp, who said he could come out Sunday afternoon, which was perfect.  So Sunday, we drove back to Peachtree and waited for Tom to show up. I'm not going to lie, he looked like Mr. Clean on steroids- bald with ginormous muscles.  He ended up charging us the high end of the quote he gave, which was a little irritating, but I figured that we could pay a little more to have someone who came out on such short notice and on a Sunday.  While he cleaned, Paul and I went furniture shopping.  We need an entertainment center and a coffee table.  We had some trouble finding things because all the furniture we saw was so big and bulky!  Nothing seemed to be made for a high-rise city apartment. We finally found a media console we liked at Bob's discount furniture, then went home to pay Tom the cleaner.  He did a decent job, but there were definitely spots I noticed that he missed.  I think that boys just don't pay as much attention to details the way that girls do. He did a pretty good job and it was great not to do it ourselves!

Later on Sunday, Paul and I decided to go to the Crate and Barrel in Tyson's Corner since we were still out there. We should have realized sooner that C&B was the perfect mix of both of our tastes (Paul likes modern and contemporary, and I like vintage and organic).  We ended up finding an entertainment center that we liked even better and a coffee table to match! More expensive than the Bob's piece, but worth it. Monday night, we walked to the C&B in Clarendon and bought it! Our new furniture will arrive next week, and then that leaves Handyman Paul to build it!  Afterwards, we walked to Boulevard Grill and had dinner to celebrate our new place and new furniture.  I love being able to walk everywhere.

Paul left yesterday to go to Dallas for a work training, so I am on my own unpacking, which was good since I definitely have way more clothes and toiletries than him.  I have a walk-closet now, which is to die for.  I have everything color-coded and organized. I'm hoping to get a lot more done tonight too (and sneak some more of my clothes into Paul's closet).  My parents are coming tomorrow to pick me up on their way to Delaware for my dad's band reunion and Paul will meet us there.  I'm so excited for them to see the place, even though it's not all unpacked yet.

 Overall, our new place feels wonderful - we have so much more space now.  Well, more but less at the same time.  We have much more living space, but less storage space. My old apartment had a linen closet, and also a food pantry, and this apartment doesn't have either, so we have to be creative with our kitchen space, and I also need to find something to store all my toiletries in.  The nice thing is that we have two bathrooms so that helps! The other thing I love so much about our apartment is how open and bright everything is.  There is constant sunlight pouring in, which is amazing, and helps detract from the construction right in front of us.  And that's another thing - we must have great windows and walls because you can barely hear the construction.  Being in a penthouse and having high ceilings is fabulous as well.  Once we are all unpacked and settled in, I will post pictures!

Packing is hell.

So I know, I haven't posted in a while.  But it's not my fault.  We got delayed in Maui an extra day (long story) and then we have spent this week packing to move into our new apartment.  The move is Saturday and I feel like we still have soooo much more to do! I want to post some pictures from Maui, but that will have to wait until we're moved in.  The following weekend we're meeting my parents in Delaware because my dad's band from the 70's/80's is reuniting.  We're pretty excited! Paul has a work training in Dallas and flies back in Friday night and since we didn't want to take two separate cars, my dad of course saved the day by offering to come pick me up!  Which also means they'll get to see the new place. It's a win-win situation.  Well, unfortunately, I have to get back to packing, so that is all for now!  Happy Wednesday!



This sums up my week perfectly :)

T minus 36 hours

I apologize for any typos or weirdness to this post as I am typing it from my iPad since the bf is using my laptop for real work. We leave for Maui in approximately 36 hours and I am so excited!!! Today I bought a cocktail dress for the awards dinner that we'll be attending. There weren't really specific details on the type of cocktail dress, and upon going through my wardrobe, I realized that the thigh-length dresses from my sorority formal size 00 days were no longer realistic options. Another milestone in growing up. Since I of course realized this two days before the trip, that meant a slightly stressful time-crunched trip to Nordstrom. As I began pondering a Diane Von Furstenberg dress, Paul  brought up the suggestion of giving myself a budget. Such a smart man he is. I hate that word- budget- it's so depressing. And elusive. I had a rough idea of what I was looking for- nothing too bright (even though it was Maui, I don't want to look like a peacock or anything), nothing that belongs in a strip club, yet nothing too formal or "work attire". Possibly lace, and absolutely nothing super snug or tight. I brought about 15 dresses to the fitting room with the help of a very friendly salesgirl. Friendly, but terrible taste , or maybe just poor at reading mine, as one of the dresses she picked for me looked like the Easter bunny humping a lamp shade ( I kid you not).  The other two she chose were in the color I hate most - orange. Worse still, one was orange with lighter orange polka dots, and the other was orange with what looked like a Hawaaim sunset printed on it.

After about a half hour of suffocating myself in lace, tulle,  and satin while simultaneously destroying my self esteem, I had finally narrowed it down to two. One, a gorgeous Rachel Roy sleeveless red dress that drapes to mid calf with an uneven hem.. The other was a lovely teal Trina Turk stretch sheath with a slight V in the back. After much deliberation, I chose the red. I'm a sucker for a red dress, especially one that can pull off being so classy and elegant in such a bold color. The teal was great too, but seemed better suited for a day time event. Ill post pictures when we return! Next, of course, came time to actually check the price tag since I had ignored those pesky little things while hunting for a dress. It was approximately double the budget I had set for myself, but worth it, I justified, considering all the weddings we'll be attending the next few years, and hopefully classy political functions as well. I also figured it was pretty much next to impossible to find a red dress of this level of class. So worth the price. And I'll keep telling myself that the next 6 months while my credit cards sits in a block of ice in the freezer. Such is life.  I do have to say though, that my justification skills surprise even myself sometimes. I can pretty much find reasoning in any thing imaginable that I want, and make it sound like an amazing idea that no one can resist. I don't know if that's good or bad.  The devil in the red dress on my shoulder seems to give in every time.

Well that's all for now, I am going to quit while I'm ahead before i accidentally delete this whole thing while typing away on my iPad.  I will post once we return, as you can imagine that tomorrow evening will be filled with endless hours of packing, ensuing panic attacks, and repacking (squeezing a mani in there too). Next time I talk to you all, I plan to be gorgeously tanned and relaxed! Aloha!

The times, they are a changin'

I feel like I've been in a rut lately here.  I've become too settled on things that fall short of what I want for myself. I lost sight of what I really wanted, and just let things happen. But I think that after today, I am ready to make some changes and go after the things that I want.  There are so many things I want to do and accomplish, and I can't just sit around and wait for them to happen.  Life is too short!  I'm not the kind of person who sits idly by and lets life happen.  My dad says that when I want something, he better help me or get out of my way.  I am very ambitious and focused! I think I finally know what I want, and I am ready to get it. This quote describes my life perfectly- things aren't going the way I want, so it is time to change my own direction, instead of just waiting for things to change on their own.  Stay tuned!!

Weekend Shopping

Happy Hump Day everyone!! My mom came to visit this weekend, which was super fun!  We did a lot of shopping!  See below for some of my new purchases :)

I've been eyeing this bag for a while and trying to decide which bright summer color I wanted.  I finally caved and bought the yellow!

  

These two supercute work dresses from Ann Taylor. I love dresses that I can just quickly throw on and don't have to think too much about coordinating in the mornings.

  

J Crew work dress

JCrew casual dress



Sorry this picture is so blurry.  Mint is my favorite color right now, I really want a pair of mint shoes. This sweater is from C Wonder.  I'm obsessed with that store- it's like Tory Burch and Kate Spade got together and had a kid. Though the real fairy tale is that Tory Burch and her husband, Chris, had a bitter divorce and Chris decided to create C Wonder.  It's been quite the legal battle between the two of them.

Anyways, I also got some shoes from DSW and other apparel from JCrew, Ann Taylor, and the Loft.  W
We also went to Bluemont vineyard on Monday and had a great time.  The highlight was my mom finding a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo peep toe pumps and Nordy Rack.  I'm so jealous!  What a wonderful weekend.

In Memory of Lilly Pulitzer, May she rest in Pink.

 

 

As you all may know, Lilly Pulitzer passed away this weekend at the age of 81.  She was adored by sorority women and resort-wearers around the world.  Lilly married the very wealthy grandson of Joseph Pulitzer (aka the Pulitzer Prize).  The couple was known for hosting wild parties. However, after a few years, she had a nervous collapse and went crazy. When she finally returned home, she began an orange juice stand to keep herself entertained while her husband was at work. This soon turned into a fashion empire, after she realized she was spilling juice on her clothes and needed a way to camoflauge the mess.  So, she created a sleeveless floral shift dress made out of a bright and colorful cotton.  With that, Lilly Pulitzer's bold and tropical design was created.  Customers loved her dress, so she created a few more to sell with the juice. Her dresses, or "Lillys" as she called them,  rose to fame (her marriage was not as successful and she divorced to marry Enrique Rousseau). She began selling her dresses exclusively in Palm Beach circles, and then globally as her friends appeared in magazines.  Then, her childhood friend from boarding school, Jacqueline Kennedy (my idol), wore a Lilly dress while on vacation.  From there, Lilly Pulitzer became a brand that none of us will ever forget.  Due to a few unfortunate business decisions in 1984, the brand sought bankrupcy protection, but was revived in the 1990s.  Personally, I blame the lack of fashion in the 80's generation.  Although Lilly consulted with the company in recent years, she mostly stayed out of it, and lived a private life in Palm Beach.

      The takeaway here, is how inspiring Lilly Pulitzer really is.  She had a bit of a mental breakdown, but was able to overcome and rise above to new heights.  She took lemons, well, oranges actually, and turned them into a beyond successful clothing brand.

      Lilly Pulitzer was wealthy heiress who lived a colorful life, and wanted everyone else to live that way as well.  She was a fashion icon who believed that happiness never went out of style. To her, life was a party all the time, and what better way to live than that? 

 

We believe elegance can be casual. We believe gracefulness can be compatible with fits of laughter. We believe in living a colorful life- Lilly Pulitzer (1931-2013)



DC Cherry Blossom Season

Its Cherry Blossom time here in DC!! I've missed this both summers I've been here now and I'm so excited to see them- hopefully this weekend.  Thanks to all the random cold weather, peak blossoming time has delayed over and over.  It is now April 6-8th, meaning this weekend and next weekend should be perfect times to see them.  We'll be enjoying them this weekend with friends, as well as going to the Fireworks show for the Cherry Blossom Festival. Hopefully they'll still be around next weekend for my mom to see too! 

Aren't these pictures beautiful?

       Cherry Blossom history (since I'm a nerd):  Each year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC. The gift and annual celebration honor the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan and the continued close relationship between the two countries. Over the years, the gift giving has been reciprocated, with the US giving dogwood trees to the people of Japan.  In 1981, we were able to give Japan cuttings from the cherry blossom trees to replace some of their cherry trees that were destroyed in a flood.

       First Ladies of the US have been big supporters of the Cherry Blossom celebrations, starting with First Lady Taft.  Historically, many were involved in events through the National Conference of State Societies’ Princess Program.All first ladies in recent years have served as Honorary Chair, many participating as well. In 1999, First Lady Hillary Clinton took part in a tree planting ceremony. In 2001, First Lady Laura Bush greeted guests with remarks at the Opening Ceremony. Honorary Chair First Lady Michelle Obama was involved in 2012, planting a cherry tree in West Potomac Park among dignitaries and guests. Today, more than 1.5 million people visit Washington, DC each year to admire the blossoming cherry trees and participate in diverse programming that heralds spring in the nation’s capital. (courtesy of National Cherry Blossom History.org)

Fun Fact- it is a federal crime to pick a cherry blossom from the trees that surround the Washington DC Tidal Basin!  Glad I learned that beforehand!

Go ahead, wine a little.

True Story.  I would really like a glass of wine right now, but I would also really like to look good in a bikini in Maui in a few weeks, so unfortunately I'll be postponing my wine until after the gym.  I just got a wine rack from my grandma's house that used to be my grandfather's and it's currently taunting me. I'm so glad it's almost Wednesday, which means just 2 more days until Friday!!! (I know, I live for the weekend).  I'm so excited for the Cherry Blossoms in DC this weekend.  I've missed them both summers I've been here and so it will be my first time seeing them.  We have a full weekend planned with friends, and I also need to squeeze in a trip to the dreaded DMV. Still, I'm so excited for some nice weather and a fun weekend with friends.  The last two weekends were spent with family for my grandma's 80th bday, and then for Easter, which was great, but I need a few cocktails and some people my age!

One thing I love about living in Virginia are all of the amazing vineyards not too far away!  Since living here for less than a year, I've already been to about ten of them! Paul first took me on a wine tour with a town car for our anniversary, and then we went on a bigger tour in a limo with a bunch of friends.  We also like to go on our own on weekend afternoons to try some new wines.  It's so much fun, and I've learned a lot about wine, as well as improved my taste- no more Barefoot for me haha! My favorites are Chardonnay or Cabernet, depending on my mood. I'd pretty much drink it all though. I better stop- I sound like an addict now.

In other good news, an update from my last post.  After all of my problems with my cable company and their refusal to fix anything, I was so irritated that I tweeted a rather rude tweet about their lack of customer service.  I was contacted by a rep via Twitter, and then by phone, and I got my bill back down to the last price I was paying - not the best, but better than nothing.  Just goes to show the power of social media! Well, that's all for now.  Hope you're all having a Happy Tuesday!!

Becoming a Grown Up

      It's been almost a year since I've graduated college now, and I still feel like I'm playing dress-up somedays when I put on my work clothes.  For the most part, I think I have adjusted to the real world pretty well.  I pay bills on time (mostly), I own furniture (I gave up a lot of shoes for that couch), and I no longer binge drink on weeknights (wine doesn't count, right?).  There are days though, when I just want to throw a giant temper tantrum and run to my daddy to solve my problems. Days like yesterday and today. Since I have moved here, it has been one problem after another with my cable company- who shall remain nameless since I am feeling slightly more forgiving today.  My bill has changed every month since I've joined in May and has continued to increase- much to my irritation.  This has meant countless phone calls on my drive home from work, trying to catch them before their office closes at 6:00, and then waiting on hold for a half hour. I'm not even losing that much money, we're talking $15 or so a month, but it's the principle of the matter, and I refuse to back down.  Unfortunately, they seem to keep winning this battle, and as much as I want to just hand the phone over to my dad to take care of, that doesn't seem to be an option.  Mostly because he's 10 hours away. 
     Some other real world things I've encountered recently- taxes. Luckily, my dad has offered to take care of that for me. He has, however, given me a deadine on getting my own car insurance.  This also means I need to finally give up my Michigan residency and officially call myself a Virginia citizen.  Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be an easy task here. So lucky me, I'll be spending the next two weekends at the DMV and getting an emissions and inspection test- which is something Michiganders don't do.  I've heard horror stories of the DMV and I am not looking forward to this.  Oh well, to be an adult! Ironically enough, "Living on a Prayer" is playing on my 80's throwback Pandora right now (best station ever), and that pretty much sums up my feelings on my new adulthood right now. We're halfway there, livin' on a prayer.

Relaxing with some delicious Rose from a vineyard in Charlottesville. 

New Apartment!!!

It's been a crazy couple of days! Paul and I went apartment hunting all day Saturday.  It was very stressful and I didn't realize all of the compromising that would go into both of us looking for a shared place. Obviously, compromising is not really my strong point.  However, I am so so happy and excited to say that by Saturday evening, and officially as of today, we have found an apartment! May 10th we'll be moving into a 2 bedroom penthouse right in downtown Clarendon.  For all my Michigan friends, that's prime real estate right there.  I'll spare everyone all the boring details (like 24 hour concierge, granite countertops, stainless steel, terrace- I could go on and on), and just say that it is an amazing place! I cannot wait to move in!!

 This will definitely be a change for me, since we need a couple new furniture pieces, and I can see now that agreeing may be a little difficult for me :)  But I know it will end up being perfect in the end!  I can't wait to be right in Clarendon, superclose to DC, and be able to walk right outside to tons of restaurants, shops, and bars.  It's pretty much real estate heaven.  So come visit friends from home!  And friends from here, we'll be having lots of get-togethers!

                                       
                                                               The exterior view. So excited!

Blogger-Elect

Hello everyone! As you can see, I've decided to start blogging about my life here in our Nation's Capitol. This will include my adventures, thoughts and opinions on fashion, politics, food, drink and any other thing that comes my way.  Bear with me as I learn to navigate all the technological  nuances of blogging :)  Enjoy!

My two favorite things -  the inspiration behind my blog :)