emily & trent go to washington

Our friends Emily & Trent were in town last weekend, & I got to tagalong with them on Sunday. There's always more sights to see than Jared & I can cram into a day off, so having visitors with a planned agenda was a real treat.

Always stunned by the history you can encounter in this city after stepping out of a metro station.

Middle of the intersection selfie

We were like kids in a candy shop at the Air & Space Museum

Completely oblivious, we popped out of the National Archives 1 minute before the St. Patrick's Day Parade started & happened to be on the corner of the very start of it. Serendipity!

Me & my sisters had a mild obsession with Michael Flatley's The Lord of the Dance when we were kids, & I still get a little bit excited when I see Irish step dancers. In fact, this video made me cry tears of happiness. 

Hi friiiiiiends!

One of my favorite constants in life is receiving a phone call from Emily with her newest plan for getting us into the same city for a few days. Once upon a time, we lived next door to each other in an idyllic suburban neighborhood in Indiana, with a shared backyard & a golden retriever apiece, spending our days riding bikes & dreaming on a swing set. We spent every day together up until the day that my family moved back to Virginia.

12 years later, we've managed to see each other at least once a year nearly every year, which is quite the accomplishment. We've added husbands to the equation, & now we spend our visits in our big kid apartments, dreaming of the day that our annual trips are a shared beach house while the kids entertain each other. So grateful for their friendship. Come back soon, Em & Trent!

a little party with madewell

If you were reading this in the same room as me, I would not be making eye contact with you, because I totally swore off outfit posts. NEVER FEAR! This is actually just me being desperate to put a post up/laugh at the snow because the windows are totally open right now in this 65 degree weather/shamelessly plug the Madewell shopping event I am hosting tomorrow night. 

Because these jeans. These jeans complete me. I have many a-pair of Madewell jeans, but THESE. I try to wear them every day but my husband is in the fashion industry & holds me accountable to things like diversity & hygiene. Every lady should have a pair of holey, blue denim, in my personal opinion. My father would disagree, & probably offer to make the holes for you himself for cheaper, but I digress.

Come shop with me tomorrow night at the Madewell in Georgetown from 6-8pm & let the macarons we'll have out be an added incentive to come, if even just to peruse & see my smiling face. 

See you there!!! (?) !!!

jared turns 27

Jared's birthday always swoops in right when I think winter is about to get the best of us. Celebrating my favorite human coincidently becomes my saving grace. We agree that it works out nicely. SO! With a new city to play in & cold, rainy, March weather in abundance, we made our way through almost my entire itinerary, only cutting out the lobster roll stop because the birthday boy wasn't feeling 100% & no one wants lobster rolls ruined.

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I don't really know why we started taking polaroids as our birthday wake-up call, but I figure if we can keep it up & polaroid film doesn't disappear off the face of the planet, we'll have a cool & really weird collection of photos to look back on in 30 years.

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Birthday breakfast in bed, always. 

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The cold march to Dupont

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First stop & first time at the legendary Kramerbooks. It was everything I hoped a Dupont bookstore would be.

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I managed to only peruse while Jared picked out a new novel, beings that I have quite the stack of unfinished books on my bedside table. He picked up some Chabon & I'm going to try my hardest not to read over his shoulder in the evenings.

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Fancy pork belly ramen for lunch. No better time of year for ramen & pho taste testing than the dreary winter.

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Hey there, 27 year old husband. Goin' my way?

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It was a perfect museum day, so we wandered over to visit The Phillips Collection to finally check that museum visit off our ever-growing list of places to visit in the city. So incredible to see their Man Ray exhibit. MATH!

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What's a birthday without a little Monet?

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Do not be surprised if our future nursery is inspired by this painting.

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This is one of Jared's favorite paintings, thanks to his mama's admiration of it. We stayed in this room for awhile, just looking. So happy to have someone to stand next to as we stare at Impressionist paintings in cities all over the world.

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DEGAS! DEGAS DEGAS DEGAS! This is my favorite painting by my favorite artist. I got a decent heaping of Degas in Paris, but THIS! It was basically my birthday, too. 

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I take these street pictures because someday walking the streets of DC as a part of our daily routine will seem like another lifetime. 

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He is so handsome. I just. Ugh. & that salt & pepper? Excuse me? #likeafinewine #hottereveryyear

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Had to document this for posterity. I am so sad to admit that I am not the giver of the card to end all birthday cards. No, no. It was from Andrew. Bravo, good sir.

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This looks pretty gross, but I can assure you, it was delicious. J's standing birthday cake request is brownies + coffee ice-cream, so to mix things up, I made an olive oil & sea salt monster cookie with salted caramel & espresso ice cream. It was decadent.  Jared claims it miraculously healed him & I don't actually doubt it. It was that good. We followed this up with a beer tasting with some of his friends down the street, & I'm certain the chocolate perfectly prepped our palates ;)

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Jared, wonderful Jared - I know I said happy birthday 1,000 times (in between freaking out that you're 27 because omgggg you're TWENTY-SEVEN) but I'm saying it again. Happy birthday, my love. 26 was such a journey for you & I am excited for this year's wild ride, & every adventure it holds. I love you with all of me.

this month - march

MAKING - a month out of birthday festivities, celebrating my wonderful Jared

CRAVING - Twizzlers, because that's what happens when I give up sugar

PLAYING - lots of Jaymes Young & Broods

LISTENING TO - our neighbors through our kitchen walls #apartmentlife

READING - my own writing to proofread for errors more often than the two books I started this winter

WATCHING - House of Cards, Season 3 (which will last us a week) then resuming The West Wing, duh

WEARING - heels more often, in an attempt to elevate my appearance for the remainder of winter

LEARNING - the ins & outs of Squarespace, now that Tart's blog is up & running

GOING TO - Richmond & Roanoke for #girlboss shenanigans

WORKING ON - saying "yes", which is not always easy for the ambivert I've become in my old age

OBSESSED WITH - slouchy tees & boyjeans. Saving up all my pennies.

PLANNING - our 5 year anniversary trip... Suggestions, anyone?

EXCITED FOR - My best fraaand Emily & her hubby visit from Indiana next week!

HOPING - that this time change next weekend come swiftly & painlessly. I'm SO ready for the extra daylight!

STARTING - to venture out to coffee shops on my Tart work days to avoid the cabin fever I've been feeling

FINISHING - a doormat project, an intense 30 day detox & editing our Europe photos, you betcha

What are you up to this month?

to whom it may concern:

To whatever weird allergy/sickness thing I have going on right now: get OUTTA here. Literally don't have time for this, & while having an excuse to stay in pajamas on the couch all week has been nice, I am a giant ball of low-energy thanks to you.

To the juice bar around the corner: we didn't know just how lucky we were when we picked our current apartment. your apple/lemon/ginger/tumeric concoction is saving my life today.

To Ingrid Michaelson: did it hurt when you fell from heaven? because you must be an angel. If Parachute was the only song I was allowed to listen to for the rest of my life, I would not be mad.

To the lady walking a 9 week old labradoodle outside my building: no, no. Thank YOU for letting him jump all over me. & you're welcome for not snatching him & running, because I know I'd be faster than you.

To my handsome Jared: Thank you for letting me hijack the macbook that you bought for yourself two years ago. It works out really well that you don't have time to be on the computer with your new job, but I still feel bad. You're the best. I'll repay you with kisses & three, yes THREE episodes of the West Wing tonight.

To the self-proclaimed "avocado expert" who helped me at the grocery store: I couldn't understand most of what you were saying, but any old little man who thumps avocados with two fingers & then holds it up to his ear has got my attention.

To my future dog: I don't know where you are in the world right now, but I hope you're preparing yourself for the most cuddles ever. I know I am.

To the paper towels I bought: Lucky for you, we actually were running low on paper towels................ But I really thought I had grabbed toilet paper. Cold medicine: 1 Kelsey: 0

To Parks & Rec: Why did you have to end? I've only just started Season 7 & I'm already dreading the series finale. *sniff* Andy & April 4ever.

To Netflix: Yes, I am still watching & will continue watching until spring has arrived. Please stop judging me & just start the next episode.