Never a Dull Moment

Before I start sharing the details of what's been going on in the Lyles' household lately, I will share a recipe that I promised in my previous post. The week before last, my friend threw a cookout for my birthday week celebration and I brought a sweet treat, Strawberry Pretzel Icebox Pie (straight out of Southern Living). The pie itself wasn't that much trouble, but you do have to allow yourself enough prep time because the pie has to be put together in a few steps and requires putting it in the freezer for 12 hours. All of the work was worth it though and if you closed your eyes, you would believe that you were eating an ice cream pie. It was simply delicious and a recipe that has earned a permanent place in my recipe box.

Click HERE for recipe

Last Tuesday, I received a very exciting email from the local newspaper- I won 2 tickets to see David Gray in concert. The concert was held at Merriweather Post Pavillion in Columbia, MD on Thursday night and John and I couldn't have been happier to attend. Although it was a trek to get out there without a car, thanks to some free Uber rides- we made it just in time for the show. The venue was beautiful and reminded me of Oak Mountain Amphitheater back home, with the woods and grassy hills as a backdrop. 

Friday night, I came down with a bit of a head cold and spent the night in watching Scandal. It's so dramatic and I love all the references to the little D.C. neighborhoods that we are coming to know. Saturday, I was feeling a little better. So, we took our bikes for a spin to the Columbia Heights neighborhood to try out Mi Cuba Cafe. The unassuming tiny restaurant tucked away on a side street doesn't seem like much, but boy is it. John phrased it best when he said "I feel as if we just crashed a dinner at someones home." The place was bustling with Spanish chatter and the aroma of home cooked Cuban fare lingered in the air. We, of course, had to try one of their Cuban sandwiches along with an assortment of sides including: fried sweet plantains, yuca fries, and guava and cream cheese empanadas. It was such a feast and the low prices were unbelievable, especially considering the large portions. 

We then made our way to the National Mall, specifically to the Hirsshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The exterior of the museum is a sight to see in itself, with its sculpture lined lawn and circular architecture. The 3rd floor is closed for renovation, but we did get to enjoy what the first and second floors had to offer including "Juxtapositions of Pop Culture: Versions by Oliver Laric". 

That evening, we had called it an evening until our friend Gene invited us over to his Petworth abode for a late night cocktail. Although Gene is an M.D. by day, he can whip up quite the drink (and even has a menu to choose from). I chose the "L Train" which featured lavender bitters, St. Germain, gin, club soda and lime juice. 

Sunday, John had planned quite the adventurous day. After church, we quickly changed, packed our bags and jumped on our bikes. We made our first stop at Bread Furst, the Van Ness bakery from the James Beard nominee chef- Mark Furstenberg. The menu changes depending on what's baking and the assortment of pastries, breads and sweets is enough to make your mind swirl. We chose to split a messy bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a freshly baked English muffin. We also grabbed a slice of Bostock (think extra decadent French toast) and a peach tart for the road.

We then took a detour through some stunning Van Ness neighborhood streets on our way to the Rock Creek Park Horse Center. We made it just in time for feeding and absolutely loved getting to walk around the stables and pet the horses (for free, I might add). 

We then biked a little over 6 miles, following Rock Creek, outside of the park area and through D.C. until we made it to the Shaw neighborhood. There, we met up with friends at Dacha Beer Garden. It was jam packed with people, but such a fun area full of picnic tables, umbrellas and a beautiful mural of Elizabeth Taylor. 

It was another fun weekend and I'm still blown away at how much this city has to offer. There's never a dull moment and there's still so much more to discover.