How Much Can You Fit Into a Week?

On Sunday I had one of my adventurous experiences in D.C. thus far. John and I didn't fly back home on the same days. So, that meant that I had to make it home on my own and since we don't have a car-that meant an adventure. However, I am so thankful for D.C. and all of it's transit options because it made my solo commute super simple. One app that I recommend all D.C. residents and visitors downloading is Uber. The app connects you with a driver at the tap of a button and is much cheaper than a traditional taxi. The app even gives you a picture and name of the driver coming to get you. So, it made me feel more comfortable hopping in the car with the driver, knowing a little more about him. Uber isn't limited to D.C. and is available in a lot of major cities in the U.S. as well as 35 other countries around the world.

When John did come back on Monday and I got home for work, we realized that we were out of groceries. So, we made a rare week night trip out for dinner. Since we were exhausted from the exiting weekend, we chose to find something in our neighborhood so we wouldn't have to travel far. After much deliberating, we decided to try out Thaiphoon. If you can't tell from the witty name, they serve Thai food. John and I agreed that the food was good, but nothing ground breaking. The portions were large though and satisfied my hungry stomach. We split the pineapple fried rice and Pad Poy Sian (combination of chicken, beef, and shrimp stir fried with mixed veggies & bean thread in a light garlic sauce). It was most definitely not Whole Life compliant but after our weekend of southern eating, we decided "what was one more meal?"

Tuesday, John and I met up with our friends Hannah Beth, Aleks and their friend Christina. We took a short stroll from our house to Adams Morgan to catch their outdoor movie series. Last week's movie was the Disney Pixar film, "Up". It's always been one of my favorite kid's movies and it was even cooler that it was held outside.

On Wednesday, we had the wonderful opportunity to see one of our out of town friends, Collin. After my yoga class (I'm a complete addict these days), we went up the street to The Board Room. It's a bar that has tasty drinks and you guessed it, board games. We played Jenga (it was my first time to play) and ended up having a pretty competitive match. I chose to sip on a Scottie Dog (Malibu spiced rum, triple sec, grapefruit juice & bubbles w/a salted rim) while we played. It was delish and a lovely mix of sweet and salty.

On Friday, John's parents came into town. While I was at work, John took them to the Kennedy Center for a tour and as soon as I came home- we made our way to Georgetown. As you probably can tell judging from my previous posts, we love that place! We walked up and down the boutique lined streets, along the waterfront, and made stops at Good Stuff for a hamburger, shake and fries and after a little bit more walking, Baked and Wired for a cake cup. We chose to have a weekend special cakecup called the Flapjack (brown butter cake, maple buttercream and candied bacon on top) which tasted like a pancake in cupcake form! We were stuffed, but after all of the walking and window shopping, it was well deserved.

The next morning, we got an early start so that we could get in line at Market Lunch in Eastern Market for their renowned breakfast. They serve it weekly, but they only have their famous bluebucks (blueberry buckwheat pancakes), crab cake benedict and green chili grits on the weekend. So, we ordered and split all three speciality items. Hallelujah, was it good! We also loved showing John's parents around the busy market place that was full of fresh produce, fragrant flowers, and arts and crafts.

These made not look like much, but these BlueBuck pancakes are a must try!

After taking in the sights, we were on our way to Old Town Alexandria. The town is located in Virginia and luckily, is accessible by Metro. The cobblestoned streets and numerous historical markers, make you feel as if you have stepped back in time. We walked up and down the streets for hours just enjoying the waterfront views and unique shops, including the Torpedo Factory- a huge warehouse building (that used to house a torpedo manufacturing company) that holds hundreds of individual artist studios and shops.  After we worked up a little bit of an appetite, we ducked into Le Madeline Country French Cafe. The cafe was so quaint and they even had French lessons playing overhead. The fresh baked breads that the sandwiches were served on were light and flavorful and the free pastry that we got to pick out (thanks to taking a quick online survey) wasn't too shabby either. Afterwards, we washed it all down with a nice glass of ice coffee from Grape and Bean.

That evening, we managed to drag our tired selves a little ways away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Alexandria to grab dinner at Faccia Luna Italian Restaurant. Even though the walk was quite a trek, the home cooked taste of the food was well worth it. The portions were hearty too and enough to split. John and I had a house salad that had lots of fresh veggies and a creamy peppercorn dressing and split a huge serving of Penne alla Vodka (penne pasta, marinara, cream, peas, & vodka sauce).

Then we were on our way to Mount Vernon, which while located in the city of Alexandria, lies on the outskirts and is accessible by a bus ride through the city. While the grounds are usually closed during the evening, we had accessibility thanks to our tickets to the Sunset Celebration-held to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend. In addition to getting access to the home and grounds, we also attended free 18th century dance lessons and enjoyed a glass of wine on the back porch as the sun set over the Potomac. It was pretty surreal and an experience that I will never forget. Hopefully we can return to the picturesque home for another special event soon!

By the way, check out my cool necklace. It's part of a collection that I'm selling for a friend who makes them in Nicaragua!

18th century dance lessons!

Sunday morning we woke up early and did our weekly grocery trip to the Dupont Farmer's Market. We picked up lots more strange and unusual fruits and veggies including celery root. Afterwards, we took John's parents to church with us followed up by brunch at Commissary in Logan Circle. The menu is quite extensive and has something for everyone. We chose to pick one item from the brunch menu (chorizo benedict with poblano hollandaise and home fries) & another from the lunch menu (cranberry-walnut chicken salad BLT on grilled pita). Both were great choices and I definitely see future visits in store.

After changing out of our church clothes, we took off towards the National Mall. Before we made it to our destination, we ran into the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally that rides in honor of vets and raises awareness for policies that effect POW/MIA's.Our first stop was to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, then to the WWII memorial, reflecting pool, and Vietnam Memorial. Then, it was time for dinner at the famous Ben's Chili Bowl (one of Bill Cosby's and the President's favorite joints) before going to grab our seats on the west lawn of the Capitol for the Memorial Day concert. The concert is free to the public and features famous singers, actors and actresses (such as Joe Mantegna,  General Colin Powell, Jennifer Nettles, and the National Symphony Orchestra). It was a wonderful evening and such a beautiful tribute to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.

The Hope Diamond! Just lovely!

WWII Memorial

West Lawn of the Capital!

Monday, we dragged ourselves out of bed and got ready for another fun filled day. This time instead of walking, we utilized John's parents car to make a day trip to Baltimore, Maryland (only about 50 minutes away from D.C.). We started the day at Fort McHenry, which is where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner. It held so much history within its walls and also had stunning views of the Potomac and Baltimore skyline. After soaking it all in, we went to Fell's Point and walked around a bit before going to lunch at Duda's Tavern. It looks like quite a hole in the wall, but it has some of the best crab cakes in Maryland. I highly recommend the crab cake sandwich.

We then walked around the inharbor and toured the towering Tall Ships, including the USS Tusk submarine. I'm not going to lie, the musky, dim and cramped quarters of the ships definitely made me glad that I don't operate or work on a boat for a living, but it did make me appreciate all of those who do and have done so to serve our country.

Needless to say, especially since this post is HUGE (sorry, guys), this past week has been busy, but so fun. I can't wait to continue our adventures in this magnificant city.