Happy Fourth of July!! How are you celebrating today? Me, I’m going to the baseball game. Baseball, hot dogs, beer, and good company – that’s a perfect Independence Day.

Ordinarily a Nationals Game wouldn’t be Tourist Tuesday worthy because it’s a pretty normal thing to do. But last week, Ryan, Ryan and I got to watch batting practice behind the dugout and I just had to share photos. I brought my nice camera, with the telephoto lens, and I went crazy taking photos. It was seriously too exciting. 

My favorite player is Jayson Werth, but since he’s injured I knew I wasn’t going to get to see him. Still, I wore, my new Werth jersey to the game anyway.

However, my favorite hitter is Daniel Murphy (above) and so I was thrilled to see him. Almost everyone who knows me, knows that I talk about Daniel Murphy’s batting stance all the time. I’m so impressed with his stillness. He holds the deepest squat and then barely moves when he’s at bat. It’s incredible; and with an over .300 batting average it’s effective too.

As a result, of this deep squat, I call him power thighs. You have to have strong legs for all that! The name is slightly catching on as I’ve gotten our trivia team to be called Daniel “Power Thighs” Murphy. And while, I’m gushing about him, when we got to our seats the girls in front of us were wearing these really cute Daniel Murphy tank tops. They said they bought it on Amazon, so naturally I went home and immediately bought one for myself.

Very different in batting stance, but still a beloved player, is Ryan Zimmerman. His batting stance has lots of moving parts, including the leg kick, which I was able to capture in the photo above.

I loved this experience watching batting practice. It was so cool seeing my favorite players up close – working hard, and messing around a little bit too. We saw the pitchers in the outfield chatting, and occasionally getting a fly ball. And we saw Adam Lind swaying to the music as he waited for his turn.

Part of the enjoyment for me, was that it looked like the players were having a good time. Look at Anthony Rendon, above, he’s always smiling and I caught it! And while we’re talking about Rendon, when you’re done reading this post, how about go vote for him so he can make his first appearance at the All Star Game? Great, thanks.

Also, another big smiler and overall happy looking guy is Dusty Baker. He looks like he just loves life. As you can see from the photos, Ryan, Ryan, and I were in the stands. But there were some people on the field. Those people got to meet the players and some even got a Dusty Baker hug. I want a Dusty Baker hug!

We also saw Mike Rizzo, general manager, and a few of the television commentators. That was pretty exciting. However, I’d been hoping to see F.P. Santangelo. He is my favorite. I think he’s funny, super passionate about baseball, and I really enjoy his commentary. Maybe next time.

And speaking of next time, the three of us started talking about next year. For next year, how do we become baller enough to get invited onto the field?! That would be truly awesome. If someone knows how, please tell me.

We were getting hot and hungry so we left to get some food. My favorite thing to eat is a pretzel dog from Curly W Pretzel in section 106. I also like a normal hot dog loaded with ketchup, mustard, and relish. But this time we went to Shake Shack because the line was short. Then we went for a beer at the Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk. Did you know they have happy hour there until 45 minutes before the game starts?! I didn’t know! But now I do, and now you do too. Select beers are just $5!! That’s a crazy steal for baseball.

In our seats, I enjoyed my beer and  I prepped my score book while I snacked on some peanuts. We also got to see a few players who hadn’t been out during batting practice.

We saw pitcher Stephen Strasburg warming up. I took photos using a really fast shutter speed so I was able to get practically a flip book of photos. Let me say – pitching looks really uncomfortable. His body was contorted in such crazy ways! But I guess, it works.

We also saw Bryce Harper. If you’re a Nationals fan, you just have to love Bryce don’t you? He’s so talented, such a showman, and he just loves baseball. Look at this photo above! He’s smiling, like what a joy it is to be playing catch. I think that’s awesome.

And while I’m at it, just one more of Bryce. I love this photo because he’s small in this big expansive green field. He’s shifting to run, and he’s going to cover a lot of ground, and he’s going to catch the ball for an out – and it was awesome. Baseball is awesome.

Part of the reason baseball is awesome is the food. So yes, I’d already had some junk – but I needed dessert. I finished the game off with cotton candy. A classic, slightly messy, treat that makes me feel like a kid. It’s also just amazing. How can sugar be so fluffy? And because I’m me, I somehow stained my jersey with a pink smudge. I was so upset! My new jersey! If you’re messy like me, don’t fret, the cotton candy came out and my jersey is looking fresh.

And then the last photo I’ll share is of the sunset. How beautiful is that?! The game was awesome, from batting practice, to food, to a Nats win. I had a great time! I’m looking forward to another great time for 4th of July. And whatever you’re up to, baseball, barbecue, fireworks, or something else, I hope you have a great Independence Day.

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Two Tourist Tuesdays in a row?! I know, it’s crazy. But I can’t help myself. A few weeks ago I got to go to Infinity Mirrors with some friends from work and it was awesome. I had to share it before it leaves the Hirshhorn on May 14th. So get excited my friend, this is a photo heavy post.

I was certain I wasn’t going to see this exhibit. Two of my friends went day-of and told me the lines were crazy long. One week, Brannah and I tried to get tickets. They were gone in one minute. ONE MINUTE! But then the next week, Brannah got lucky. She got four tickets and chose to bring me and our coworkers, Amanda and Ashley. 

We had tickets for late on Wednesday and only had to wait a few minutes in the ticket holders line. Once inside, we were giddy. The artist who created these rooms is Yayoi Kusama. She’s Japanese and became famous in the 1960’s. She is known for her dot motifs, nets, soft sculptures, and of course – the infinity mirrors.

The first room we went in was called Phalli’s Field. It’s also the first on Kusama created back in 1965. Kusama tried to create the infinity effect on her own by sewing each individual “tuber.” Fatigue set in and the use of “infinity” mirrors let her create the effect in a less physically taxing way.

In each room, we had 30 seconds, which for this first room felt like enough to me.  The line for this room was also the shortest.

Some of the lines for other rooms were much longer. But it wasn’t just the rooms. In between rooms, there was information about the artist, works in other media, other immersive pieces like the one in the photo above. This one is called Love Forever. It has two peepholes so you can peer in, see yourself, and see the other person who might be looking in. The lights change color. Some colors were really beautiful. Some, in my opinion, had a bit of a boardwalk fair vibe.

Most of the rooms allowed for just 2-3 people at a time, so we had to split up. Above, Brannah and I are in a room called The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away. The lights are supposed to remind the viewer of stars in the sky. It’s meant to be a quiet place for contemplation.

While I see that, the desire to connect with the natural, looking at the photo now it reminds me of looking over a busy city at night. All the buildings, the activity, the people out there – it’s immersive and far away all at the same time.

In between rooms, there was other art by Kusama. All of it pretty bright and interesting. And fun to look at while waiting in line.

Overall, I didn’t mind the lines. Some of them were super long, but I enjoyed the time to talk with my friends about what we saw. It was also less stressful than some lines because we knew people were being moved in and out. Because remember, 30 seconds per room only.

I’ve thought about the 30 seconds thing. There were rooms where I wanted to spend more time. I wanted time to look at everything, watch the lights change color or brightness, and just enjoy the space. I also wanted time to take photos of the art, the details, my friends, and of course a selfie too. It’s hard to get all that done in 30 seconds.

However, I appreciate that it’s the policy. Keeps people from being selfish, and thereby making the lines really long.  I like it also because it made me spend time with the art I liked less. Phalli’s Field and All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins (where you can’t take photos), 30 seconds felt just fine. It felt like plenty of time to take it all in.

In grad school, I remember reading something about how people look at art for about 15-30 seconds. I remember thinking, oh that’s so quick! While that does seem short, how long should we be looking? What is enough time? While I was totally guilty of being selfie and Instagram focused, I also loved the art and enjoyed talking about it to my friends. Maybe then that’s it. If you look at it, enjoy it, take something away from it – maybe time doesn’t matter so much.

The room above is called Love Transformed into Dots. It’s the biggest room so the four of us all go into together. I liked it too because you could wander a bit more, instead of stay on a single runway. Also how great is Amanda’s happy face behind me in the photo above?!

My favorite room was Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity. The photo at the top of this post was also from this room and photo credit goes to Brannah. I loved this exhibit because I was immersed in the art. We were physically surrounded by it all. I love art that makes me want to touch it and be a part of it. This room did that.

It was the darkest. The lights flickered gently. The floor, the seams in the mirror, all seemed to melt away. That was a room I’d get back in line to see again.

Ok, so actually the last room is the biggest. Before entering we got a sheet of colorful dot stickers. Inside, we joined the dozens of other people and helped decorated the white room. We were warned the stickers were part of the art and could not leave the room.

The four of us split the stickers and explored the room. The room is basically a nice first floor of a house, with a kitchen, sitting area, bookshelves, and a piano. People layered stickers, made them pour out of cups, and took selfies. There was a working piano, which people played, while others sat on the couch and talked. It was a fun, really social way to end the exhibition.

I loved it. From start to finish we were there for about 2 hours, which I think is often plenty for a museum visit. There was so much to enjoy too – the colors, the lights, and most of all, I loved getting to be in the art. I had a blast with my friends, and so lucky I got to go. For me, Infinity Mirrors was worth they hype.

As the same time, I get why this might not be for everyone. Lines, and hype, and 30 second changes can be a barrier. But again, adored it. So if you’re curious and have the time, I highly recommend it. Try for walk-up tickets here in DC before the 14th. Otherwise, Infinity Mirrors is traveling, so maybe it’s coming to a city near you!

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For the last couple of weeks, my friends from London have been in town. It has been amazing! Museums, monuments, restaurants, shopping – we’ve done it all. After an amazing time in DC, a few of us (Charlotte, Abbie, Felix, Ryan and me) took a trip to Philadelphia, PA.

I was looking forward to it because I’d get to be a tourist too. In fact, this trip was so good, and so jam-packed with activities, that I just had to bring Tourist Tuesday out of retirement. Since I wasn’t expecting a reprise of Tourist Tuesday, all photos were taken on phones. They’re not the greatest color and quality. But I’m sure you can power through because this trip was really fun. 

We arrived late on Friday night and after dropping our stuff at the rental place we went for a cheesesteak at Jim’s Steaks. South Street was busy, and so was Jim’s. We joined the line and were soon hit with the smell of onions. Behind the counter, a guy was chopping onion, after onion, after onion. He slid the finished onions into a hip-height trashcan, and then kept chopping. All of our eyes were watering. And well… so was my mouth. I ordered a cheesesteak with whiz and onions. We took our food back to the apartment and had a really great late night snack (though could’ve used more cheese). Then to bed, Saturday was going to be a big day of touring.

In the morning we walked over to the Italian Market and had breakfast at a Gleaner’s Cafe. Coffee was good, the women who worked there were incredibly kind, and my friend Charlotte discovered that pb&j on a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel is super delicious. So far, food in Philadelphia was winning.

After breakfast, we walked around the market. I was impressed with the enormous wall mural dedicated cheese. I want that in my future house. That’s barely a joke. I’d love that.

We were also impressed with the lush variety of fruit and hugely affordable prices. $5 for a box of mangoes?! That’s incredible. And I’ve never seen papayas so big. It made us all want to cook.

While I was constantly salivating over the pasta, produce, and meats in this neighborhood, the highlight was actually Molly’s Books and Records. My friends were intrigued by the records. I was in love with the cookbook section. My favorite was one called “Early English Recipes,” which was written in Old English. I really loved the spelling, small drawings, and variety of recipes listed side by side. I left without a cookbook but did purchase a button of a woman looking blasé as she baked a cake. Felix left with a record. I think we all could have spent more time in that shop.

Next, the Liberty Bell. I knew beforehand that the Liberty Bell is a symbol of freedom, but I didn’t really know much else about it. I enjoyed the small exhibits leading up to it which demonstrated its history, importance, and preservation. My favorite part though was a sign that discouraged people from touching the Liberty Bell. [Side note, I thought, “how could anyone touch it? It must be blocked off.” It’s not, it’s just got a rope around it. I thought that accessibility was cool. ]

Anyway, I digress. The sign said, and this is a quote, “If you have the urge to touch Liberty, reach out and feel this actual casting…” Charlotte and I had a good giggle over the use of the word urge. As if the National Park Service is saying, “we get it you have desires, and you should control them, but if you can’t, here is an outlet.” Needless to say, we touched Liberty.

After the Liberty Bell, we thought we had some time before our 1pm tickets to Independence Hall. We wandered over to Penn’s Landing where we stumbled across a Science Festival and checked out the water and some boats. Then we trekked back to Independence Hall. It’s at this point I finally ready my confirmation email fully. It said we needed to pick up tickets 45 minutes before our entry time otherwise they’d be released to the public. Oops.

Ryan and I did some speed walking to the visitor’s center and thankfully they still had our tickets. But, the woman behind the desk said maybe we wouldn’t make it. We had less than 10 minutes to get across the green, across the street, into the entrance, and into the group of 1pm entry.

So we ran to meet Abbie, Charlotte, and Felix. We ran across the street. And we ran to the wrong side, which was the exit, and then we ran to another exit. Finally, we found the entrance and panting and sweating, they let us in for the 1pm entry. The ranger took pity on us and told us where to stand to get the best AC breezes, which helped a lot. Thank you kindly, Park Ranger!

On the tour, we saw two rooms (in low season, visitors also get to go upstairs) and were led by a Park Ranger. He had a slow measured delivery that clearly showed his passion for the subject. Similar to most visitors, my favorite room was the one where America’s Founding Fathers would have debated and decided on our founding documents. I love being in places that witnessed history. I like imagining that people I’ve learned so much about actually sat, worked, and talked in this room. We’d also been to the National Archives in DC earlier that week to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution – so we enjoyed coming full circle on that.

After the tour, we were ravenous so we went to Reading Terminal Market for lunch. I always want everything I see from spices, to produce, to chocolates. On the walk over, I said I wanted a sandwich as big as my head. Ryan and I found it at the Original Turkey. I had an enormous sandwich with turkey, stuffing, bacon, and cranberry sauce. Ryan had something that looked like a turkey cheesesteak. Charlotte, Felix, and Abbie went elsewhere and came back with amazing looking chili dogs. For dessert, Ryan went to Flying Monkey and got us whoopie pies to share. They went so fast that I forgot to take a picture!

Fed and happy, we decided to walk over to the Philadelphia Museum of Art so we could see the Rocky statue and walk the steps. Something I loved about Philadelphia is that there was art everywhere.

I really liked this plaza filled with oversized game pieces. As well, this fountain with spitting turtles was adorable. The weather was in the high 80’s, so I was especially jealous of the kids frolicking in the water.

We never made it to the steps because the NFL Draft was blocking our way. There was definitely a way to walk around and/or through, but we never found it. Instead, we walked through the festival.

I took a photo with the Baltimore Ravens helmet. We got free Skittles, refilled our water bottles, and sat under a tree and people watched. In the end, we were tired and ready for a treat and a rest.

Abbie had been lusting after a big ice cream so we went to Big Gay Ice Cream. It did not disappoint! Everyone had something good, but I think Abbie and I had the most impressive order. We went with the Salty Pimp. It’s vanilla ice cream in a cone, with dark chocolate covered pretzels, and a chocolate dip. It was decadent and perfect.

We went back to the rental for much-needed naps, showers, and rest. After that, we went to Brauhaus Schmitz for drinks and snacks. The highlight though was Abbie and Charlotte taught me how to play darts.

Officially I mean. I know that in darts you throw the dart at the board, but I had no idea about scoring or anything. I had some good shots, but I lost by quite a bit. We decided we’d rematch next time I was in London.

After a quick trip to Whole Foods for some dinner, we called it a day. According to my Fitbit pedometer, we walked 28,122 steps for a total of 11.62 miles. Needless to say, all of us slept soundly that night.

Sunday was more low-key. Abbie, Charlotte, and I went to Magic Gardens. The $10 entry fee made us a little bit nervous, but the money was well spent because we loved it. Loved it.

Created by artist Isaiah Zagar it’s an outdoor installation with indoor exhibits as well. The best way I can describe it is that it’s an immersive mosaic made using tiles, plates, bottles, mirrors, folk art statutes, and found objects.

My photos and my words cannot do justice to what I saw with my eyes. Every corner has something interesting to see. Some objects are beautiful as they are. Some are better because they come together to make a figure or a phrase. I liked finding surprising things, like the tile with a sign language message saying “art is strange.”

I also liked the bathroom, where every surface was covered. But my favorite was the toilet saying “R. Mutt,” a nice reference to Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain.

Although I loved the small individual tiles best, there were also some really impressive large mosaics that took over the sides of walls and buildings. It was so cool, and I left wanting to know more about his process. How much is planned? How much is randomly generated as he went?

The best thing I learned though, was that Zagar started this space while he was renting it. Later, the community helped him purchase the space. But before that, it was a pretty bold thing to do!

To end our trip, we took a leisurely walk back to the bus station. We sat at The Porch, next to the train station and rocked in oversized porch swings. We chatted about trip highlights and all the fun things we saw in Philadelphia. The iconic “love” sculpture was gone for restoration this trip, so we made due with this cute XOXO sculpture. Finally, time for the bus ride back to DC, our busy and awesome weekend complete.

This trip was a blast and left me wanting more. I’m hoping next time to eat more cheesesteaks and visit the new Museum of the American Revolution. Anything else I should add for a future Philly trip? Share it in the comments!

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It’s the return of Tourist Tuesday! I mean sort of, as it’s Thursday. It’s been months since my last Tourist Tuesday so you can tell I’m a bit rusty. However, I decided it was time to bring this series temporarily out of retirement because Colonial Beach, Virginia is incredibly cute and charming. Last weekend my friends Ashley, Anna, Charlotte and I went to Colonial Beach for a girls weekend and I just had to write about it. This little town, with only one stop light, is less than two hours from DC and has fun things like a beach, a trolley, a vineyard, and excellent wildlife. 

We rented a house called The Pointe, which is owned by Ingleside vineyards. The house is next to the river and has an amazing view. Our first morning we saw eagles flying and fish jumping. Pretty idyllic! As you can see from the photo above, there’s no driveway to the house, which we found hilarious. You can find the house after a state maintained road, after a dirt road, and after a nursery. There’s also a dock next to the house if you wanted to rent a boat. We walked out there to enjoy the sunset and beautiful view. 

Part of what drew us to Colonial Beach was actually going to the beach. It’s not the fanciest beach you’ll ever visit, but it’s clean, the water is calm, and it’s quiet and relaxing. The beach is a little pebbly but not terrible. The water, because you’re on the Potomac River and not the ocean, was so warm! It was really delightful and comfortable. We spent a quite a bit of time lounging in the water and in the shade just hanging out. I’ll also be honest (and nerdy) and say there was some pretty great Pokemon catching too.

If you visit Colonial Beach, be sure to wander around town. We rode the trolley, which costs just 50¢, and the driver provided commentary as he drove. It was informative and wonderful to listen to someone so proud of his town. He showed us restaurants, beaches, and even the road where he lived. There are also a number of cute looking restaurants, ice cream stands, and thrift shops.

While we were there they were having a car show which was fun to walk through. There were so many beautiful, shiny, impressive, old cars. The one above, from 1904 caught our eye and the owner let us get in!! Best of all, he let us honk the horn. It was a bigger rubber ball and when you squeezed it, it made a wonderful deep goose-like honk.

Our real reason for visiting Colonial Beach was to check out the vineyard. Ingleside Vineyard offers tastings for $8. It’s an incredible deal because get to keep the glass and you get 8 tastes. Although, we definitely got treated to a few more.  The vineyard also has free tours of the wine making facility, a museum, and a gift shop.

After we did the tasting, we decided to take it easy. We bought a few bottles of wine, some cheese, sausage, and crackers and had lunch in the beautiful courtyard. There are a number of tables, lots of trees, cute decorations, and a gorgeous fountain. We ate, drank, and talked until the cheese was gone. It was the most pleasant afternoon.Before leaving the vineyard we had to check out their museum. The museum is one tiny room with colonial-era wine bottles and seals, Native American artifacts, waterfowl decoys, and taxidermied animals. The museum is a bit random. I think the point is to show a collection of things having to do with the history of the area, but the objects aren’t specific to the vineyard. We each found as least one thing we liked in that quirky space. And we decided to add to the quirkiness by taking a picture of ourselves sitting on the floor in from of the decoys. So who am I to judge what’s quirky? The wildlife was an expected treat. On the first morning we opened the door to sit on the deck and the roar of the cicadas was amazing. We also saw eagles, osprey, herons, and even a little salamander. I really liked the huge spider in a web near the front door of our house. Charlotte actually saw it catch a fly and wrap it up in its web! It was pretty cool.

There’s also lots more to do that we didn’t get to. There’s George Washington’s birthplace. It’s free to go. We didn’t. I think because I want on a small rant that the house there was built in the style of the time but there’s not evidence his home would have looked like that. This was all based on a book I read in grad school six years ago, and actually I bet visiting there would be pretty nice. There’s also Stratford Hall, the home to the Lee family – like William Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee. Entry is $12 for adults. And there’s the Voorhees Nature Preserve, where we intended to go but then it started raining.

I highly recommend a visit to Colonial Beach! It’s less than two hours outside of DC and offers a charming, slower pace for the weekend and there’s lot of fun things to do. People were nice, the restaurants were good (try Lenny’s for breakfast), and there’s lots to do!

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Ok, so I know I’m posting this on a Wednesday not a Tuesday, but I have my reasons. Or excuses… I was jet lagged, I had to work, and then I left my phone at work so I was missing some pictures. Anyway, better late than never right? Today’s post is a different kind of Tourist Tuesday anyway. It’s not really about Baltimore, it’s about being back in my home town and attending my friend Emily’s wedding in Baltimore. Emily got married to Matt, whom she met in business school.

And I gotta tell you, I was so excited for this trip. Sure it was going to be a short trip, but I was dying to see my childhood friends Lisa, Emily (bride), Emily (not the bride), Rachel, and Kelly. I love them! I’ve known them for over twenty years and when we get together it’s always a blast and always feels like a home coming. 

Last Thursday my friend Lisa and her husband Mike picked me up at the airport and took me to get some dinner. We decided on fast food in part because it was late and in part so I could re-immerse myself into American culture. They took me to Arundel Mills, which is a gigantic mall with a casino and many fast food places all in a row. They took me to Wendy’s for a frosty (it’s like a milk shake) and then to Chik-fil-A for waffle fries. My brother Eric recently moved back to Maryland so he stopped by Lisa and Mike’s and we all sat around and talked for awhile.

On Friday, Lisa and I started our bridesmaid duties. We were in charge of getting materials to make flower crowns for the photo booth at the wedding. Our day started at Michael’s, which is a huge store that has everything for crafting and home decor. It’s the kind of store where you go and buy the things you need, then also things you think are cute, things that remind you of something you saw on Pinterest, and things that make you think, “yeah I could start a hobby in knitting/woodworking/whatever.”

I wandered around a lot, but only got off task a little bit. I bought some autumn leaves sprinkles and a small Thanksgiving ramekin. Mainly, Lisa and I had an absolute blast picking out fake flowers and greenery for the crowns – and best of all practically everything was 60% off. The next day the bridesmaids – and even the bride too – made flower crowns as we got ready and I’m really proud of how well they came out (and lasted over the whole night). In the picture above you can see Lisa making photo crowns and then a photo from the photo booth of me and my girls (from left to right, Kelly, Emily, Emily, Me, Lisa, Rachel, and Emily’s husband Jim’s hands) all wearing the crowns. I think we did a fine job. The photo booth photos were done by Poseybooth.

After shopping we met up with our friend Rachel for lunch at Nando’s. Nando’s is big here in London but I had never been before! So yummy! Then the three of us went to get our nails done at Bliss in Odenton. It’s a gorgeous nail salon off the beaten path. At first, I felt like the quality of the manicure wasn’t very good (Rachel and I both got cut and bled) but the nail polish has lasted nearly a week with just one chip (and I ate crabs, but more on that later).

Preparation done, it was time to finally drive to Baltimore for the rehearsal and dinner. I didn’t take many pictures during the early part of my trip, and now I wish I had. But the reason I didn’t take any pictures was because those places are part of the fabric of my upbringing. They are the places I know so well I can picture them better than any photograph. After the wedding we slept in Lisa’s parents basement, a place where I’ve spent many sleepovers before. The after party was by the Baltimore Harbor, a place where I’ve spent countless birthdays, New Year’s Eves, and celebrations. And the wedding itself was at Emily’s house a place where I spent many summer days swimming in the pool.

As Lisa and I drove all over the Baltimore area on 83 and 695 – roads I’ve been on hundred of times before it all felt comfortable and familiar. I know the landmarks, the lush trees surrounding the roads, and the spot on 695 where the radio never works. In high school I’ve probably driven on those roads with my friends talking about tests, college application and boys. This time Lisa and I talked about greying hair, saving for a house, and politics. The conversation has changed, but it felt exactly the same as it always had.

The rehearsal was at Emily’s house and then after we went to dinner at Sammy’s Trattoria. Matt’s (the groom) mother made us name tag buttons that said our names and how we were connected to the bride and groom. There was so much food! I started with apple cider sangria, then there were appetizers, then there were two kinds of pasta, salmon, chicken, and two kinds of dessert. Also, in talking to two other girls over dinner I learned that they were both in love with a chocolate chip cookie recipe from Jacques Torres that I’m going to need to try. After dinner we went for drinks at the James Joyce Pub, which is my parent’s favorite place to get a burger.

Saturday was all about the wedding.  We spent the day make flower crowns and getting pretty (that’s Emily in the photo above getting her make up done). We bridesmaids got to choose our own dresses as long as they were blush colored and flowy. I was impressed with how closely our dresses matched. Emily wore her mother’s gown which has been altered  for modern use (not more sleeves or turtle neck). It was such a lovely dress. I got my hair done in a side ponytail with just natural looking make up.

I was especially in love with the flowers! The wedding was filled with them. I also love bouquets with lots of texture and thought the fuzzy branch things were amazing. Emily’s bouquet was even more impressive with peonies, succulents, and rosemary.

As the guests started to arrive we spied on everything through the windows of the house. It was fun to see everyone’s outfits, see friends I hadn’t seen in awhile, and see the beautiful set up. Below are some shots taken by Mike. Below is Kelly and Dan – and I love this picture of him laughing. Kelly is my oldest friend and she befriended me on the first day of second grade when I was crying. There’s also a photo of Greg (Rachel’s boyfriend), Rachel, Mike, and Matt (the matron of honor’s husband). Everyone was looking pretty.

The ceremony was beautiful. It was a fairly religious ceremony but it had advice for everyone. He talked about loving each other, not putting everything on the other person, and to also give love to others. Mostly though, I loved watching the radiant happiness on Emily’s face. Just look at her as she walks in and out of the ceremony!! The pictures are blurry but her facial express is perfection.

My favorite part of any wedding though is the reception. I love good food and I love dancing They had two signature cocktails, incredibly delicious food (it was the first time I ever liked kale), and a great band called Spectrum. Also they had flip flops on the dance floor, which I totally used when my heels got painful.

But again, back to Emily. I love this photo (below), although blurry, of her and Matt getting ready to enter the tent. She hiked up her dress and the two of them literally bounded in. They then did their first dance and they are painfully, adorably cute and in love. Their first song was “All of Me,” which is usually done by John Legend and Emily sang it! And it was a surprise to everyone. She has always been an incredibly singer and she had secretly recorded the song and had it played for their dance. It was so beautiful and I’d love to hear it again.Overall it was a great party. The music was awesome, I got a minor shout out in the father of the bride’s toast for having traveled the farthest, and my friends and I had a blast in the photo booth. Below is a photo of our entire crew (girls+partners) minus Ryan and Matt. Love that photo, except for that Rachel’s face is blocked out of the E+M stamp.

Sunday was my last day in the US and Lisa and Mike made sure I got to do some things I’ve been missing. They took me to Target where I literally skipped through the store. It is such a fun place to browse! I went home with 5 different kinds of m&m’s, Sour Patch Kids, Tootsie Rolls, and two kinds of Oreos. I also saw crazy things like a Joe Flacco doll, a Chewbacca doll, sodas that spell NFL, and a cheeseburger pinata. God Bless America right?! This stuff is awesome!

Then Lisa and Mike did the best thing ever and they got two dozen crabs and some pumpkin beer for lunch. Picking crabs is my favorite thing to do over the summer. I love sitting around chatting with my friends. I love the burn on my lips from Old Bay. I love how messy it is. And I’m so glad I got to squeeze it in. It was too fast, but it was a perfect weekend. Repeatedly I felt so lucky to have such good old friends, that they have found such nice partners, and that no matter the time or the distance between us we can get back together and have a blast. Being with them is like wearing your favorite sweater: it feels comfortable and make you happy. I can’t wait until we’re reunited again.

* Thanks to Mike, and I think Dan, for the photos taken while I was doing my bridesmaid duties. Poseybooth took all the photo booth pictures (the ones with the E+M). They were super cool and emailed us the link to the photos immediately!

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Happy (almost) Fourth of July! I’m a little homesick at the moment because I know I’ll be missing out on the celebrations, fireworks, barbecues and crab feasts my friends and family are having at home. However, just because I’m abroad doesn’t mean I can’t have a great celebration. Ryan and I are traveling to Scotland for a week long vacation so I’ve got nothing to complain about. And we had some pre-holiday celebration in our flat thereby bringing a little piece of the USA to our place. My friend Kym sent me a bunch of decorations, I bought some stars and stripes socks and earrings, and I made a beautiful American flag inside surprise cake. I’m actually crazy proud of this cake and I’ve been showing photos of it to my friends for the last few days.

I really like the idea of surprise inside cakes. From the outside the cake looks wonderful and then the surprise decoration on the interior makes a good thing even better. I’ve only had a cake like this one other time, and that was when I made a checkerboard cake for my nephew Boden’s birthday. But, I’ve seen some amazing things on Pinterest and in cookbooks. I’ve seen Halloween cakes with a pumpkin inside, birthday cakes that are like pinatas with candy spilling out of the middle, and polka dot pattern cakes. People can make such amazing cakes!! I think inside design cakes should be come more of a big thing. They look great and just aren’t as difficult to master as they seem.

Now for the 4th of July I know there are lots of great food you can make. Of course you have the classic burgers and hot dogs, a few savory sides, and those red white and blue rocket popsicles (I miss those!) – but why not get even more patriotic with your food? Online you can find a wealth of ideas like cutting watermelon into star shapes, using blueberries and strawberries to make a flag pattern on a sheet cake, or throw red white and blue sprinkles on some sugar cookies. But making a fancy inside flag cake is perfect for the holiday because you’ll likely have lots of people to share it with. And hopefully, those people will ooh and aah over how great your cake looks. While they’re all impressed, you’ll know that making this cake wasn’t actually such hard work!

So as not to overwhelm myself when I made this, I used boxed vanilla cake mix. I’m not the greatest cake baker and I wanted to worry about construction not taste. Feel free though to use your favorite white or yellow cake recipe. The version I made is the most basic and all you’ll need is three layers of cake: one white (un-dyed), one red, and one blue. This will result in a cake with two white stripes, two red stripes, and one blue square. If you want more stripes just make more layers of cake. I think if I did it again I’d do one more layer of red cake and that way I’d have three red stripes and two white. Also I’d love to try mixing white sprinkles into the blue cake and see if they’d look a bit like stars.

But anyway, without further ado here are the tools you’ll need:

• a circular cake pan (I used 6″ pan because I wanted more height in each layer)
• a knife
• a circular lid/cutter/bowl
• gel food coloring in red, blue, and black
• frosting (2 store bought containers should do it, or your favorite recipe)

Gel food coloring gives the cake a rich opaque color without having to use a ton of dye. I used Wilton brand dyes and needed about 1/4 teaspoon of the red and blue dye and then added about 2-4 drops of black to each. You don’t have to use black but it makes the color deep and dark instead of a light pastel hue.

To get three layers of cake you’ll need either 2 boxes or 1.5 stanard cake recipes. You will have extra cake that doesn’t go into the final product. That’s hardly a problem through, right? Who gets mad about extra cake? Now, back to baking. Make one plain undyed layer, one blue layer, and one red layer. Let them cool completely before cutting. Cut the white and red layers in half lengthwise. Using a bowl, lid, or something else circular, cut a hole in the middle of the blue layer. I used something that was about 3.5″ in diameter – this means that the blue part of my flag will be slightly smaller than 50% of the flag’s length. Remove the inside of the blue layer and set aside. You don’t need it. Using that same circular tool, cut a circle in one red layer and in one white layer. Remove the outside of that red and white layer, you don’t need it. For the construction of the flag you should now have the follow:

• 1 blue donut layer of cake
• 1 red small circle
• 1 red large circle
• 1 white small circle
• 1 white large circle

Let’s put it all together! Place the large while circle on a plate or cake stand. Frost the top of that layer, then top with the large red circle. Frost the top of the red layer then put the blue donut on top. Frost the inside edges of the blue donut. Put the small white circle inside the blue donut. Frost the top of the small white circle. Place the small red circle on top. Use your knife to cut off any cake that is sticking up above the blue layer. Frost the whole outside of the cake. You will likely have unsightly crumbs stuck in your icing. That’s ok!

Once everything is frosted put it in the frige for 15-20 minutes. Once that first layer of frosting is firm, spread another layer of frosting on top. This second layer is your neat and pretty layer. Then decorate the top of the cake as you like with sprinkles, icing, sparklers or whatever. I used extra crumbs from the scrap pieces of cake I didn’t use.

You’ve done it! See, that wasn’t so hard. Sure it takes a bit of time, but it’s totally worth it. Now serve your cake, watch the fireworks, and have a great evening.

If you’d like to watch how to make the video, below is a 2 minute video I made.  Hope it helps!

Messy level: By no means will this create an explosion in your kitchen. However, since you have to make three layers of cake, cut them, assemble them, and frost them there is a good bit of stuff that will splatter, spill and need to be washed. Nothing too stressful, but it’s not a one bowl clean up job either.

How to Make an American Flag Cake

 

Print

Ingredients

• 1-3 circular cake pans (I only have one, three would make things quicker)
• 2 boxes of vanilla cake mix OR 1.5 of your favorite vanilla cake recipe (you need 3 layers of cake)
• red gel food coloring
• blue gel food coloring
• black gel food coloring (optional)
• knife
• lid/bowl/cutter that's smaller in diameter than your cake pan
• 2 containers of frosting OR enough homemade frosting to ice a large cake
• sprinkles and decorations as desired

Instructions

1. Prepare the batter for your cake according to the box or recipe directions. Evenly divide the batter into quarters. Use a scale if you have it or eyeball it if you don't. [Note: Even though you're only going to use 3 out of 4 layers make all 4. If you use all that batter to just make 3 layers I don't think the cakes will come out well.]
2. Leave one quarter plain.
3. Add ¼ teaspoon red food dye and 1-3 drops black dye to one quarter of the batter. Mix and check to see if it's a color you like. Adjust the color until you have your perfect balance.
4. Add ¼ teaspoon blue food dye and 1-3 drops black dye to one quarter of the batter. Mix and check to see if it's a color you like. Adjust the color until you have your perfect balance.
5. Do what you want with the last quarter. Maybe leave it to bake until last then if one of the other layers comes out crazy you can use this as a replacement.
6. Bake the cakes according to the box or recipe directions.
7. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool completely.
8. Once cool, cut the red and white cakes in half lengthwise.
9. Using a bowl, lid, or cutter cut out a circle from the middle of the red and white cakes. The hole would be about ⅔ the diameter of the cake. So if you use a 6" cake pan, cut a circle that's about 3.5-4" in diameter. Discard or set aside the outer rings, you won't need them. Set aside the small circles - you do need those. [Note: If you get confused about the cuts see the photo above in the main body of the post]
10. Using that same bowl/lid/cutter cut a circle out of the middle of the blue layer. Set aside the inside circle. You don't need it.
11. Place the large white layer on a plate or cake stand. Frost the top of that layer.
12. Place the large red layer on top of the frosted white layer. Frost the top of the red layer.
13. Put the blue donut ring layer on top of the red layer. Frost the top and inside of the blue ring.
14. Put the white small circle layer inside the blue ring. Frost the top of the white circle.
15. Put the red circle on top of the white circle. Cut off any excess red cake that is sticking above the blue layer.
16. Roughly ice the whole cake. Don't worry if crumbs are in the icing.
17. Put the cake in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes. This is to chill the icing.
18. Once the icing is slightly hardened, frost it again. This layer should be your pretty layer.
19. Decorate the cake as you desire.
20. Serve and watch your friends and family be amazed.

3.3.3077

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Get ready friends, because this is a big Tourist Tuesday. A lot has happened since last week, and if you don’t remember you can catch up with Part 1 of Back in the DMV. When last I left you, I had been to my friend Mala’s bridal shower and I had spent the day hanging out with my childhood friends. After that I spent the rest of the week walking around DC, catching up with friends, and going to Mala’s wedding. Let me tell you about it. 

On Tuesday, I went to get my hair cut at Fiddleheads in Dupont. Yes, I flew across the ocean and decided to get my hair cut. I haven’t found a place in London that I really like, and I love Fiddleheads because they specialize in curly hair cuts. I had about 4 inches cut off and the pile of hair on the floor looked like a small dog. It was gross and amazing and I sort of wanted to take a picture of it.

I then went to visit my colleagues at Live It Learn It. It was wonderful to go back, but also a little tough since I was so sad to leave the job in the first place. In case you don’t know, Live It Learn It provides students from DC public schools with opportunities to visit and experience the museums and monuments throughout the city. Live It Learn It goes into the classroom to prepare students for their trip, and then students gets hands-on experience at sites throughout the city. It’s an amazing organization. Since I left, Live It Learn It is now in a beautiful new office, and the surrounding area is mostly the same but there were a couple of new shops in the area too. When I arrived we sat around, had some snacks, and chatted. I caught them up on what I’m doing in London and I got to hear about new programs, classes, and developments at Live It Learn It. The organization is celebrating it’s 10th anniversary next month and I got to hear all about their plans for commemorating the event. As I left, I felt blue about not being around anymore but glad that every thing was going well, and that I still get to help out a bit now and then.

Although most of my DMV vacation was about going to favorite places and seeing friends, I did want to do a little traditional tourist site seeing. I took the metro to the National Mall, and decided to walk the monuments. First, of course is the Washington Monument. Here’s my first, but not last, Abrhama Lincoln reference of the post. See where the color changes in the stone? That’s because during the Civil War, Lincoln stopped construction on the monument, and when they started building again they used stones from a  different quarry. Anyway, it’s not DC without construction, so you can see work being done on the Capitol Dome in the background of the bottom right photo.

After that, I went over to the Lincoln Memorial. I saw some helicopters fly by, which is another nice DC treat (photo at top of the post). I like the Lincoln Memorial in part because it has such lovely views. I could see over into Virginia (top left picture, above) and all the way back to the Washington Monument. It’s tough to see, but I attempted a good picture of the Washington Monument with the spot marking where Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. But, I really love this monument because Abraham Lincoln is my favorite, so I love this monument. After I left Lincoln, I went to peak over at the World War II Memorial, and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial (above photo, bottom left).

Next, I did a little tour of places where I used to work. First I went to the Newseum. One of my favorite things about the Newseum is the botched headlines they print on tiles in the bathroom. But, the real reason I went was to see the exhibit called “President Lincoln is Dead,” which is about the news coverage of Lincoln’s assassination. It’s about to be the 150th anniversary of the assassination and the Newseum is on the site of the National Hotel, which is where John Wilkes Booth was staying at the time – so that’s why they are having this exhibit. The exhibit itself is pretty small, but quite nice. My favorite part was learning how papers stayed up to date. The New York Herald printed seven special editions, some within one hour of each other. Each new addition had a new fact (and sometimes rumor) about the events of the assassination. The most interesting paper though was the one above officially announcing the president’s death. They printed black bars between the columns to show mourning and it reminded me of the black mouring bunting hung on buildings, like Ford’s Theatre.

If you’ve never been the Newseum, I do recommend it. For DC, it’s a pricey at $23 for an adult ticket. But the ticket is good for two days and the museum is amazing. They have a piece of the Berlin Wall and part of the antenna from one of the World Trade Center buildings. They have newspapers that are over 200 years old and photographs that will astound you. It’s a cool place, you should go.

After the Newseum, I then headed over to Ford’s to visit my friends/former colleagues. As you can see I had a warm welcome from my friend Anna. But that was just a quick visit, my real time with my Ford’s girls, Anna, Ashley, and Charlotte, was later in the week when we had brunch. We went to Ashley’s house and had a crepe buffet brunch. We had mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, and sweet and savory crepes. My favorite crepe was a bananas fosters one made by Charlotte. Although, when we went shopping for ingredients, Charlotte and I went to Trader Joe’s and bought cookie butter. It was like nutella, and cookies, and sugar, and perfection all wrapped into one. I did bring home two 48oz jars of peanut butter, but I should’ve also brought home one jar of cookie butter. Missed opportunity.

But, the real reason that I wanted to go to Ashley’s was to visit her new baby son. He was so tiny and adorable and snuggly. It was also nice to see Ashley with him. She is a chill mom and seems totally confident and is just wonderful with him. It was also wonderful to see her dog Tuck, who Ryan and I used to dog sit. He is a really loving dog, and you can see he’s curious about the baby – but it’s also clear that sometimes he wants to be petted instead of the baby. I tried to spread the love and give them both cuddles, but as you can see from the photos I was super excited about the baby.

The main event of the whole week in the DMV was Mala and Sean’s wedding in Baltimore. I was the Matron of Honor so I had to make a speech and do a dance! I was a little nervous because since I live across an ocean I haven’t been around for much of the wedding preparation – but once I arrived I devoted all my time to the bride. I held her train, I calmed her nerves, and I safety pinned her into her clothes. Whatever she needed, I was there.

It was a really beautiful day. She had both a Catholic and Hindu wedding ceremonies. Let me say, Mala looked progressively more gorgeous throughout the day with more sparkly and decorated outfits. It was so wonderful to watch her get ready and help her be beautiful. For the Hindu ceremony, it starts with the Baraat, which was Sean’s procession. He came in on a white horse and the rest of the guest and wedding party were dancing in the streets. It was awesome and slowed traffic as everybody watches us get our groove on. What I loved most, was how happy Sean looked and how much he was enjoying himself. I loved seeing him that excited to marry my best friend.

For me, the best part of the day was being there for Mala. I gave a toast, which I think went well. I told some funny stories about her, although of course I kept the best ones to myself. She said it was a “roller coaster of emotions,” which is pretty much what I wanted. And, as I said before, I had to do a dance. The bridesmaids and some of Mala’s family did a medley of dance routines at the reception in front of all the wedding guests. The other bridesmaids and I had practiced and we were all totally nervous – but once the music came on we jumped in and had a great time. It wasn’t perfect, but it was fun and Mala beamed at us the whole time which was nice. It was great that she appreciated it so much.

I also got to see some of my college friends, Lynn, Kim and Norma. We danced, told old stories, made up new jokes that don’t make any sense, and took some funny pictures. We can’t stay up as late or get down as low as we used to, but being together felt just like old times. The whole wedding a blast. I danced so much I was sore the next morning. I don’t think I could have had more fun.

I was nervous about this trip to the DC area. A year ago, I didn’t want to leave and move to London because I was sad to leave friends, family, and jobs behind. I was nervous about visiting again because I like London and I didn’t want those feelings to come back. If I’m honest, sometimes it was tough to be back. I felt nostalgic and homesick and I wanted more time with my friends. But, what I know is that even though time passes and we’re getting older, softer, and more gray haired – the people and places I love are still there for me. They are still there and when we’re back together it’s a blast. And now, I can always look forward to another amazing trip back to the DMV.

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This is AJ. He’s nearly two and he says, “Oh snap! Mariel’s back in the US errybody!”

I wasn’t going to post a Tourist Tuesday today, but the one thing I should know by now is that every time I come back to the US and see people, everybody wants a shout out. So here it is, part 1 one of my adventures back in the DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia).

Ryan and I arrived on Friday and immediately went to CVS so I could buy giant bottles of Dayquil and Nyquil and so he could get a Gatorade. We marveled at the coldness of the Gatorade and the large size of everything. We then walked over to a nearby Mexican restaurant and got the most giant basket of chips, which they refilled when we ate them all. I love America and the refills. Speaking of food – we have been eating well. We went to Bon Chon, which is a delicious Korean fried chicken place. I have never tasted crispier skin. Amazing. I also bought Tagalongs from some Girl Scouts outside of the super market. I would’ve bought more but, I didn’t have any more cash – and then I found out Ryan was holding out and had more cash. But, it was ok because we also have Berger cookies, which are super fudgey cookies made in Baltimore. And yesterday my friends gave me a bag of crab chips – so to reiterate, I’m eating well (and by well I mean I’m eating tasty, not healthy).

Now I have done some other things besides eat. The main reason I’m here this week is for my best friend Mala’s wedding this coming Saturday. Her bridal shower was this past Saturday because her first one got snowed out. Needless to say, I was glad her first one was canceled because then I got to attend! Unfortunately, I behaved like a food blogger and only took pictures of the food at her bridal shower and I took no photos of people. Oops. But, the shower was really lovely especially because I got to hang out with Mala and catch up with my college friends Jackie, Kim, Lynn, and Norma. It was fun to tell old stories and hear new stories about babies and houses and running half marathons in the rain. I also tried on my sari for Mala and she and her sister helped me pin it. For the actual wedding, I’ll be sure to take picture of the sari and not just the food. Speaking of food, on Sunday we had brunch with my parents. We went to a nearby diner and my dad had French toast with bread that was an inch thick! It was astounding.

Yesterday I drove to Maryland to spend the day with my friends Emily, Emily, Kelly, Lisa, and Rachel. They are my oldest friends and I’ve known them for over twenty years. We went to my friend Emily’s house, and it’s her son AJ who is at the top of the post. I won that kid over pretty well thanks to all my experience at the Science Museum. I made a bubble carousel, which also impressed the grown ups, and I made him a house made out of letter tiles. Also I got in his tiny tent that has a ball pit in it, and he thought that was pretty hilarious.

But, most importantly, I got to see my friends. We sat around all day and talked. We also went on a short walk and talked. Ryan had said to me that when you’re a kid, you never understand why adults have so much fun just sitting around together, but now that we are adults it’s easy to see that it’s fun just to be together and laugh – you don’t always have to do something.

To be honest, it’s been both nice and weird to be back here. I know how to get around, I have favorite restaurants, and everything feels familiar. At the same time, it feels a little weird. I’m staying in a hotel less than half a mile from where I used to live. I’m driving a lot. And all the buildings are so new and things are so clean and spacious. It feels foreign from what feels like home now. It was jarring to feel both like I belong and like I don’t. But, spending time with my friends and family felt wonderful and like I still have a home here even if I don’t have an address. It’s cheesy I know, but I liked seeing that I can have a roots in two places.

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I do know it’s Thursday, and I’m sorry for the late Tourist Tuesday – but I’ve been lazy and thoroughly enjoying my vacation. However, now I’m back in London and probably just in time too because being on holiday was making me…doughy.

Ryan and I left Colorado and arrived in Farmington, Connecticut on December 29 and my parents fed us incredibly well all the way until we left on January 6. Hence, getting doughy. When we arrived, we had Christmas Part 2 and my dad made an amazing, and giant, steak. And the eating did not stop there. Wonderfully, my family made sure to check off everything on my American food check list. The next day we went out for bagels slathered with cream cheese, and I had mine topped with lox. We also went to a cute place called Monte Alban. I had steak fajitas and the meat was marinated in some awesome citrus marinade. There was also a delicious corn mash that was so good we asked for extras. We also went out for burgers, I had a milk shake, and another day I had a Philly cheese steak. My parents also cooked us seafood lasagna and a Puerto Rican feast. See what I’m talking about? I’m lucky my clothes still fit! 

Meals weren’t the only time we went crazy. Snacked on a lot of Oreos. Oreos remind me of the lunches Papa used to pack for me when I was in school. My parents had “winter” Oreos, which have red cream and cookies with cutsey winter designs. Ryan and I later went to Target and were a little overwhelmed by the amount of Oreo choices. It’s crazy! There are regular and double stuffed Oreos, but then there are birthday cakes, golden, mint, fudge, peanut butter, mega stuff, chocolate, pumpkin spice, and triple double. And there might even be more kinds that I can’t even remember. It was a little overwhelming. In fact, I fear I’m acclimating to London too well. I was walking through Target trying to buy ingredients for a recipe and everything was so huge. I kept saying things like, “I don’t need this much flour!” and “why is this can of oats so gigantic?” That felt weird and vaguely un-American.

But, I promise you I did more in Connecticut than eat – sort of. For New Year’s Eve we went to Barley Vine, a restaurant owned by my mom’s cousin Victor. Barley Vine is a really cute gastropub that offers tons of craft beers and really delicious cocktails. They had a few signature ones for New Years Eve, but generally they also have really inventive cocktails and interesting flavors of moonshine. It’s yummy. We had dinner – and of course it was decadent – a steak with a lobster tail. Then we danced, saw the ball drop, danced some more, then drove home quoting lines from the movie Nacho Libre. Why? I don’t know. The movie is funny and maybe we’d had a few cocktails.

Ryan and I also spent some time exploring Farmington and the nearby areas. I drove “my car,” which is the red one in the photo at the top. I call it my car because it was mine through high school and college and even though it’s now over 10 years old, I still love it. It’s a stick shift, and I hadn’t driven a car since before moving to London, and I haven’t driven a stick since our honeymoon… but when I was in that car it felt like old times. I felt 16 again, even though both me and the car are definitely not as young and fresh as we used to be. Ryan is super kind about my car and says things like, “I see how this was a cool car.” But also, that car is so old it feels rickety and makes some rattly noises when it drives.

I also went on a gorgeous walk with Ryan and my mom. We drove a little ways outside of Farmington and drove toward this path by a river. There were some houses along the path and they wrote semi passive-aggressive notes on the road telling people to be quiet. It was chilly and crisp, but the sky was bright and blue, and the river was lovely. I’m glad we took our walk when we did, because the next day it snowed.

My mom has been talking about visiting a nearby museum called the Hill-Stead and I finally went. The Hill-Stead is a Colonial Revival house designed by a woman called Theodate Pope Riddle and in her will she asked for the house to become a museum. The exterior of the house and the grounds are very pretty, but I expected the tour to be like any other historic house museum tour. I was totally wrong. This place is really special! I’m so mad visitors aren’t allowed to take picture inside – so I hope you can suffice with the pretty snow scenes. Anyway, Theodate’s father was an incredible art collector. In the house there are numerous paintings by Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Eduoard Manet and many others. My favorite Degas is called Dancers in Pink. The ballet dancers are wearing these vivid, almost shocking, pink costumes. I feel like it’s rare to see such bright pinks. The house also has two of Claude Monet’s haystacks. Seeing the art at the Hill-Stead was better than seeing it at any museum. It was so intimate! As visitors we could get closer to the paintings and see all the textures and brush strokes. Beyond paintings, there were fancy clocks, Asian pottery, and even some Greek vases.

Ryan and I also popped to New York for a day to meet up with Ryan’s mom and sister. We had a great time walking around the city. I made them go to a lot my old stomping grounds. We went to Chelsea Market and the Donut Pub. We walked passed my old building, I lived somewhere in the yellow-ish part of the building on the top right. We ate pizza at John’s of Bleecker Street, which is Ryan’s favorite. They didn’t have cream soda this time, but the pizza was still good. (You see I can’t stop eating!) We walked to Washington Square Park and looked at NYU and then on to Momofuku Milk Bar (for more eating). We also saw puppies in a shop window. I know, I know, puppies from a shop like that probably come from a puppy mill but they were so damn cute. I definitely squealed “please Ryan please can we have one!” Sigh. We also went to Eataly and passed the Flat Iron Building. I may have eaten a lot, but at least I was walking it off. I spent the last day in Connecticut on the couch subjecting my whole family to a Harry Potter movie marathon (Eric bought me all the DVDs for Christmas, so it is his fault). It was nice and cozy just relaxing with my family. We ended the day by celebrating Three Kings Day. We exchanged presents and ate an amazing seafood lasagna my mom made (yes, even more eating). Overall, I had a lovely week in Connecticut with my family and a great two weeks in the US. But, after a lovely vacation I’m happy to be back in London. I’ll be back next week with more recipes – hopefully nice healthful ones for the New Year.

Deva Curl Light Defining Gel

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Hope you all have had a lovely Christmas! Ryan and I spent it in Colorado at Aaron and Katy’s house (Ryan’s brother and his wife). It was nice to see them and Ryan’s mom and sister since we hadn’t seen them since right before we moved to London. But, the best part I think for most of us, was getting to meet and play with Boden. He is so cute! He is smiley, good-natured, and wiggly. It was fun to see him do everything – roll over, squirm around, and even grab my hair. I did take a picture of other people besides Boden, but we’re all in our pajamas and I think there was general consensus that we didn’t want that photo public. 

We were lucky enough to have a white Christmas! It started snowing about halfway through the day and we got maybe 3-4 inches. It was really beautiful and at night Ryan, Tia (his sister) and I went for a walk to look at the Christmas lights in the neighborhood. Colorado was also cool because we got to see a very different landscape compared to what we’re used to. Colorado has wide open plains and then beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains. It was a real treat.

Since it doesn’t get that cold in London and Ryan and I are non-nature-loving city slickers were weren’t totally prepared for the snow. Ryan had cloth sneakers and dress shoes. I had sneakers and leather boots without tread on the bottom. So, needless to say, we had to borrow boots from Aaron and Katy. I’m glad we did because the day after Christmas we took their dog Tarka on a 3 mile walk to the dog park. It was lovely to see all the snow and to be outside, but it was cold and our regular shoes could not have handled it. The dog park itself was pretty nice, and the picture at the top of this post is the view from the dog park.

In addition to getting to enjoy the outdoors, Aaron and Katy also took  us to enjoy some local restaurants and sites. On Saturday we had brunch with Katy’s parents at the Mercantile in Union Station. The food itself was really good but the service was so weird. You order at a counter in the front of the restaurant, then you sit down and wait for a text. When they text you, you walk 5 feet over to the kitchen window and pick up your food. They come around a little to check on you and see how you’re doing, but they don’t bring refills of drinks or anything. It was odd, but nice. I wish I had taken pictures of Union Station. It’s a train station and it’s been gorgeously redone on the inside. It has a hotel, restaurants, and it has a modern and old look that works for it.

After brunch we went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. It was packed with families taking their kids of after Christmas. It’s a really good museum for kids because there are so many animals and skeletons and I thought most of the label texts were written with young audiences in mind. My favorite part of the exhibit was the section on wales. I learned that whales sound out their sound, then it bounces back, and vibrates into a fat deposit in their forehead. How cool is that? Throughout the museum there were a lot of diorama’s of animals in their “natural habitats.” It’s an old style of exhibitions, but I think it works. What was sort of funny was that every diorama had lots of animal poop – as if that will make me think it’s really authentic. Also, they had a snake on the floor (that was scary looking) and weighed 100 pounds. The sign next to it said it was modeled after a real snake and that with your friends you should see if you can pick it up. Ryan did all by himself, but it looked difficult.

Aaron and Katy also made sure to feed us lots of the American foods we’ve been missing. They took us to Highland Tap and Burger because Ryan had been craving a burger. Prior to this experience I had felt like burgers in London were perfectly good and that I wasn’t missing an American burger. And then I had one bite and everything changed. It was cooked medium-well, it was topped with a fried egg, and it was so juicy.I took a bite and sauce and juices oozed all down my hands. I fell in love. That bite was like snuggling with your favorite blanket. It was like the perfect first kiss. It was like putting on your favorite sweater. That one bite was so satisfying. I downed the rest so fast there wasn’t time to take a picture. I sort of wish I hadn’t had the burger because now I know what I’m missing.

They also took us to the Post to have fried chicken, waffles, and biscuits. My British colleagues keep telling me a biscuit is just like a scone, but it really isn’t. I don’t know how to explain it, but biscuits are more buttery and savory than scones. Even though Post is sort of a nice restaurant, the chicken came out in a bucket – which gave us that real American feel. We went home stuffed. My pictures of all this might not look so amazing, but it was. It was amazing I think for anyone, but all this food was even better after months of being away from it. You know, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that.

Sunday we had a low-key day. Katy and I spent most of the morning having some girl time. We went to the grocery store to buy ingredients for nachos (something else on our American food bucket list, and I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow). We took Tarka to the dog park, and then we went and got a pedicure. It was meant a lot to me to spend some quality time together and just hang out and chat. In the afternoon we all finished a puzzle then went to Ryan’s uncle’s house to watch the Broncos game.

Before we left, we got one more taste of American foods. For breakfast before our flight to Connecticut we had bagels with pumpkin spice cream cheese and coffee with pumpkin spice creamer. Oh America, you are wonderful.

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