Weekend in Virginia

S participated in the Colonial Beach Triathlon last weekend, so we went down there Saturday afternoon to stay over night. He finished, a little slower than his goal due to a swim snafu, but did great (despite barely training for it). Sigh. Wish I could do that. It was so hot and the women were just so stellar.

Colonial Beach may have been described as the "playground on the Potomac" once upon a time, though it was kind of dumpy, to be honest. The beach was rocky and the water was kind of muddled. We had dinner at High Tides which featured good seafood as well as a convenient location from the hotel. We also had ice cream, always a score.

I will never "know" Virginia like Michigan, and it's never going to be quite like home. But we've had a chance to see parts of the state--the Shenandoah, Richmond, Charlottesville, Onancock, and Chincoteague in the past year or so, which is a better track record than previously. Still much more to see, though.

Easter 2014

Easter was good this year.

We shopped, we ate out (a lot), we mostly picked our some furniture. We went to 8:30 am mass and then to brunch at Bistro Cacao. And we worked out, ate lamb, watched the Office. And it was calm in our world.

Easter is one of those holidays fraught with tension, when it's just us. It has not been the best of holidays. But this year, it was fine. Except for the drama with the drunk kid at Hawk & Dove. Gosh I hope he was OK.

So Easter was good. Though I think my favorite scene was the little boy who wrapped his legs around his mom when he took communion. And also, looking at pictures of my super cute nephews.

The Week...

From a snow day on Monday to jury duty on Tuesday and Wednesday, to crazy work time these last couple of days, it's been a very busy week. And the weekend is solid, too. But phew. I feel like I can breathe a bit over the next few days. And the luxury of a weekend away is nice, too.

New Orleans was good. I think I enjoyed SBISA as much, if not more than, August. Their cocktail list was outstanding and had all of our favorites, literally, on it, like a Blood & Sand and Mary Pickford. And you can never go wrong with redfish. Sweetbreads and veal and rabbit aside, the Hors d'oeuvres at August were as delicious as anything. But I'm glad, so glad, for a weekend at home!

Ten Busy Days

How is it March 10? We've had a busy week that continues with more travel. Birthday weekend was fun, with great meals at Le Grenier, Acqua Al II, and an overrated brunch at Georgia Brown's. Big Board worked fantastic for the party--more food than we needed, but good service and the space worked very well. It flew by, as it always does. We also saw Capitol Steps, which had its clever moments but it grew less funny with each skit. I think some fresh material about our president is needed.

This weekend was Gainesville, and I met Aunt J at Devil's Millhopper for a picnic and a short hike down the sinkhole. Then on to the University of Florida and the symposium. Spent some time at the Swamp catching up with some usual suspects. Then home. Of course, we had the craziest airport experience ever, where we ran into Romney and Ryan as we boarded. Um, yeah. So I may not have gotten the best selfie ever, but I will take one picture, that turned out quite good. We were so excited about that. The entire flight home was full of VRWC types, like Kristol and Barone and SE Cupp. Ridiculous.

Oh, and there was a pesky birthday somewhere in there. We just had sushi at Kabuki which was nice, mellow. Quiet.

Now it's New Orleans, right. And life must settle down of course. But it's been a fun ten days. Now if I can just figure out how the power outage affected the garage.  As tired as I am, I'm grateful for one extra hour of daylight now. I can use it. And I can run after work, finally.

Celebrations

We had dinner at Bourbon Steak in Georgetown this past weekend to help a friend celebrate 4-0. The latest in a series of birthday celebrations for those born in 1974.

I have a little time to go before that particular milestone. Though I think I remember these guys turning 30. Or 26. And they remember each other turning 21. And here they are, friends so man years later, really a half of a lifetime later.

I am a little uneasy as this year starts. I don't know why. I don't feel particularly happy or content, but I'm not necessarily unhappy. It's an odd thing, I think. To just feel at the edge, and not entirely comfortable. Maybe there's a sense of groundhogs day, and maybe I'm just waiting for that family development I want and don't talk about.

There will be other steak dinners and other celebrations. And other field trips to what used to be the Brickskeller. How much time have we spent there over the years?

But where I am at, at 37 going on 38, I am not sure.

Charlottesville

The days are going by so fast now. We had a fun weekend in Charlottesville this past weekend. Yeah, the UVA-Clemson game was a blowout, and we did leave at half-time. But the Fall colors were gorgeous. We had a fantastic dinner at Brookville, sharing a steak and this zucchini short stack with maple syrup and goat cheese. Perfection, pretty much. We went to T's old favorite watering hole, and then had another drink after the game/before dinner. It was a fun day, with one highlight being the receipt at CVS :-)

We stayed overnight in historic Staunton at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel. A little disappointing and over-priced, though I think the noisy wedding party dimmed my view. We made it back in time for football, of course. And a beautiful drive through the Shenandoah Valley in peak Fall colors.

How is it November?!

Getaway

We had a wonderful stay at the Inn at Onancock during the weekend after July 4 for a spur of the moment getaway. The bed & breakfast was fabulous, and we enjoyed a variation on a crab benedict and a spinach & cheese quiche as the entrees for two four-course breakfasts we had over the weekend. Her biscuits, scones, and fruit tarts were also amazing and made-from-scratch. We particularly enjoyed the wine-down hour, and it was a wonderful opportunity to meet the other guests and enjoy some fantastic wines and appetizers. 

We went to the Charlotte for dinner, which was also delicious, and were very helpful with directing us to area attractions. 

We also got in some kayaking and beach time at the infamous Chincoteague, along with an infamous miniature golf rematch (I win! again!). So glad we got away, so wish it was for longer. Only a few more weeks til Jamaica...

Wine Tasting and Sushi

Saturday was just about the perfect day.

It was the rare respite from a ridiculous amount of rain. It was sunny and warm but not horrendously humid. I knew the husband was headed home. And I got in a decent 4.5 mile run to start the day.

So wine tasting it was.  We started out at Linden.

Then Glen Manor was perfect. Sipping cab franc, watching the beautiful blue sky, eating fresh salad. Gorgeous. And there was nowhere to be, nothing to do. Just sitting outside and picnicking with wine.

And Hikari Sushi was really good. The white tuna was like a stick of butter. Excellent cocktails, sake, fresh sushi and sashimi. I'll be back.

Some weekends are just about perfect. Life is too hectic sometimes, it's so busy and crazy and life doesn't stand still enough.

I'll take these weekends as they come.

Happy Weekend

Well, sort of happy weekend. Husband is off on travels, and I'm tired and have no plans. I haven't heard about a possible barbeque or anything, either. Sigh.

I was trying to remember the last few months, and I can't even remember how I spent my birthday. Sigh. It took me long enough to remember my  new trench coat, which should have been pulled out today in the 50 degree weather. So much for summer.

Anyway, there are high hopes for the next few months, and I hope one of those is a vacation. I will be in Florida and California next month, and hopefully will have time for trips to Michigan and Texas. And a nice island somewhere, too. And hopefully I will have time to slow down. I am somewhat regretting missing reunion, but it's a practicality issue. I have to take a step back. Three weekends gone in June would be too much. But it means missing time with friends.

Here's to summer, and some me-time. And some Arrested Development time! I am ready...

Block Party Time

For the second year in a row, we had nice weather for block party 2013. I mean, the pictures tell all, but it was a great day of neighborhood pride, fun, friends, meeting new people, eating, food, competition, drinking, matching t-shirts, and revelry. It reminds me of those days in Detroit, where you knew everyone family on the block. Where kids could ride their bikes in the streets, blow bubbles and get their faces painted and play cornhole and meet who lives next door to them. It's a different time, now, but I hope those children will always have fond memories of days like Saturday where a little piece of 1985 or 1965 still existed. So much fun. And I felt like I could pay it back by finally working on my flowers and tree box just a little yesterday. It's been exhausting to find time to do all of this! So busy lately, right?

Richmond

Last weekend, we learned to love Nascar.

OK, maybe love is too strong of a word. But we learned to like Nascar after a trip to Richmond. We learned the terminology of garages, the pit, all of the prep work and logistics that goes into a race, all of the advertising, the pre-race drivers' meeting, the checks, the star guests like Demarcus Ware, the Danica Patrick worship, the noise, the all-day tailgating, the exciting as these cars swiftly fly around a 3/4 mile track at speeds I can't ever drive. And we learned about people like Kevin Harvick, who won the Toyota Owners 400. We learned about the fandom of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, and our adopted favorite Karl Edwards (he was robbed!).

It was a fun weekend with friends in our Dodge Caravan, the cavernous white minivan. We've been so busy lately, working and traveling (like I'm about to embark upon again..) that you forget what it means to have a day with friends. We also had a mediocre breakfast at the Strawberry Street Cafe, but that gave us a chance to explore Richmond a bit, as well as see the monuments on Monument Avenue.

Now on to the next stop...

Weekend Awaits

While a certain someone was released from the drudgeries of work at 3pm, I am still officially on the clock. I do get a free night tomorrow, and I intend to fill that with a workout, trips to Target and the grocery store and the mall, cleaning, maybe church depending on the weather, and then lazy time at home reading and watching bad videos. Girl's night alone is a rare occasion, and I do need to commemorate my last free Saturday night for a month. Ugh, that is a depressing concept.

I need to find a good meetings dress, either from Ann Taylor or elsewhere. And a good Miami outfit. With any luck, it'll be in the 80s there next week. Granted, we'll be facing a wintery mix. But of course.

Ready for the Weekend

It's the last free one for a while. And there's stuff to do..Crafty Bastards is open at Union Market. I am going to the Limited 50% off sale and Target. And watching football and reading. Not to mention a quiet Saturday evening, while the husband is off to a bachelor party.

So yes, I will spend some time thinking about this week before moving on. The more I read and think about, the angrier I get. Elizabeth Warren, for example, is an incapable fraud who could not even complete a press conference. And massive layoffs to prepare for Obamacare.  And Petraeus is probably going to take the fall for Libya. Unreal.

So maybe I do need a break from all of this. 

Edited to say...Petraeus had an affair? OMG. I mean, I just find that implausible. How can the head of the CIA be that stupid? Is this a massive cover-up for Libya? I mean, the timing of this is suspect. Three days after an election on a  Friday afternoon. I mean, I am speechless.... 

California and Home

Work trips always blend together somewhat, and I'm glad to be back. It was a hectic 48 hours in humid northern California. I ate enough, drank some Peet's, survived two events, and endured 10+ hours on planes. I saw People Like Us, which starred a fantastic Elizabeth Banks. The acting was good, though the plot a bit confused at times. I never figured out what the point was in Chris Pines' corporate bartering problems, and the subtext of the secret sibling relationship seemed weird. All I could think was: Wow, there is now way this single mom is not going to start to have romantic feelings for this mysterious stranger who all of a sudden is being so very nice to both her and her bratty pre-teen son.  It just defied common sense, right? The EW review is right on about how hard it tries to be heartfelt, but just too much was going on.

I also read a lot of the new Melanie Kirkpatrick book on Escape from North Korea. While Nothing to Envy featured tales more from the refugees' perspectives, Kirkpatrick's sensitive description of those rescuers provides another view on this horrible situation.  It's shameful that the U.S. took North Korea off of the terrorist list. The nuclear weapons and the torture of their own people warrants higher scrutiny. I have about 1/4 left to read.

On to the week ahead...Lions tonight, the World Series starts, and one last presidential debate.

Girl Time

With Steve gone, I've been catching up with friends. An unexpected dinner on Friday night with Cindy, the White House garden tour with Elizabeth on Saturday, and a fun dinner at Liz's with Ann and Mary on Saturday. I was grateful to have yesterday to veg out watching football and cooking butternut squash lasagna. So good.

So that was my weekend, and with any luck, I'll get another workout in tonight and then have dinner with Katherine tomorrow night, all before going to California later this week. I wish I could say that things were going by fast, but not quite. Not fast enough. Miss husband.

Friday Anticipations

There is nothing better than a holiday weekend, particularly when the next two weekends husband is gone and work will be hellish once again.

I am looking forward to...

Quiet Friday night
Saturday football and date night
Frightened Rabbit
Dinner with C&L
Target shopping
Getting in at least three good workouts.
Limited shopping? Columbus Day sales!
Maybe some work around the house
Lounging around when I should be productive
Getting some reading time done
Grocery shopping

Life is too exciting, is it not?

Is It Time To Go Yet?

So yeah, I am ready to get out of here. What I am looking forward to this weekend...

Target and Grocery shopping.
Working out.
Suit shopping.
Cooking.
Reading magazines.
Watching football.

Sense a theme? Next week will be busy because of Chicago. But this weekend, not so much. And it only gets busier from here....

Weekend Part II: H Street Festival

Wow. That's all I can say. If estimates of 65,000-70,000 are to be believed, and I do, that was one hell of a street party. We blow Adams Morgan Day away, absolutely. I've never seen crowds like that, and it was nearly impossible to move down the street. The sun was hot and we all got some color, so staying out for more than a couple of hours wasn't feasible when you could not move around much and the lines were so long. Next week, I think they need to extend it down to 6th or 7th, at least, to give folks some breathing room.  And I have no doubt they could fill that street space.

All of the credit goes to the organizers, to the fantastic music--I was impressed by the Michelle Raymond Band, to the food, to the new restaurant previews like Newsom,  to the entertainment, to the vendors and stands representing everything from the fabulous Union Market to information about the trolley.  It was utterly amazing.

If the worst criticism is that it was too crowded, well, that says a lot. Til next year!

Busy Busy Weekend

Springsteen. H Street Festival. Maybe a Navy race.

Yikes.

After a quick trip to Milwaukee, it is good to be home. But I certainly can use some relaxation time, which is not likely this weekend. That being said, a sunny day and festivities on H Street are my highlight. And a concert on a nice, early Fall-esque evening.  So here's to the weekend!

And finding out if we will have a nice or nephew!

Five Things I Am Looking Forward to this Weekend

Wine with friends on Saturday, just celebrating at home.

Getting my haircut.

Getting into at least two good workouts.

Getting rid of this nasty June-esque humidity.

And spending all day on Sunday on the couch and watching football.