The end of summer, and the beginning of something wonderful!

The past couple of weekends DC has begun drifting into Fall, and I must say that if this is what Fall in DC is like, give me more! The temperatures are mild, the sun is shining but not blazing, and the cool breeze makes a sweater just necessary in the evening and morning hours. Don't you worry, I'm soaking it up and not staying cooped up inside.

Labor Day weekend feels like just yesterday (as does my last blog post) when in reality it's almost two full weeks ago. Danielle, dearest Dani, came for a visit and a wedding and blessed me with her presence Thursday night through Tuesday morn. Since it's getting late and I don't want this post to be forever long, I'll just give you the highlights.

Friday evening Danielle joined Sarah and Zach for pitcher 1 of Sangria at Jazz in the Sculpture Garden until I had time to get home, change, and briskly walk the not-so-short distance to the garden to meet them for pitcher 2. (Please note at an average pace it normally takes 45 minutes, and I did it in 30 +the 5 minutes I stopped to take photos of the NGA with the gorgeous flowers and lighting.) I think it was worth the photo op, don't you?

These haven't made it to Photoshop yet either... but they will. ;)

We had a grand time at the garden catching up. Sarah and I hadn't seen each other in weeks, so it was great that our schedules finally found time for us to meet. Sarah, maybe we should get schedulers like the congressmen have!

Ok, so I talked all about how the weather was... well... Friday, it was HOT. We were all glistening a little extra that evening, and Zach caught us primping Dani before the photo. I thought it was cute enough to share.

A few moments after this photo, Dani and I parted ways with Sarah and Zach to make our reservations at Cure Bar & Bistro where they are said to specialize in pairing tapas with wine selections. Danielle and I had a nice little chat with the sommelier who settled in on a Petit Syrah called "Spellbound" that he said should be the perfect compromise for Dani and I's varying tastes.

We weren't starving so we opted to go with a cheese board, a crab pie, and a tomato mozzarella salad. The cheese board was only supposed to come with three but the sommelier must have liked us, because he added an extra one that "he thought we'd like." He was right! Our waitress need not be forgotten in our praise for the sommelier. She also was quite good and made sure we were served well. The food... delicious. Wine, yum!

After our dinner we hopped a cab to meet up with Valerie, Callon, Katie, and some other ladies for a nice evening out. We traveled from our meeting point at the historic Old Ebbit's to POV on the rooftop of the W Hotel. Check out the Point of View from POV.

That's the Dept of the Treasury which plays neighbor to the White House that you can't make out because of the lighting, but I promise, it was there, and I could see it as plain as the Dept of the Treasury. The prices of course were escalated by the magnificent location, SO, we didn't stay there too long before moving elsewhere. But we stayed long enough for photos!

They didn't plan this, they promise!

Saturday we ventured out of the house relatively early for brunch at Matchbox around the corner from me. I got stuffed french toast with a honey-butter syrup, and it was delicious! I was so sad that we left the leftovers in the car too long to be able to eat them later. But the syrup stayed good for my pancakes this past weekend, and I think I can identify the ingredients. New recipe: here I come!

After brunch we headed on foot to Capitol Hill Books, just across the street from the Eastern Market. Christina's friend's friend recommended it to me after church the other week, and I thought Dani of all people would enjoy it with me. Now... please take in all aspects of this photo. Notice the windows... all the windows. Now if you opened the door, this is what you'd see:

Books

Books to the roof

Books on the stairs

Books, books, EVERYWHERE

I must admit. I had to tinkle, and in my time of need, I had to ask a fellow to get off the toilet (where there were MORE books) so that I could go. BEWARE: If you have OCD, never enter Capitol Hill Books!

Fortunately, I don't have OCD, and I loved it. They had new books, old books, non-fiction, language, current best-sellers, and old cookbooks. I know it sounds morbid, but the gentleman who owns the store said that he gets most of his books from dead people. I was delighted, though, to find that the books extend to music books as well. 

These unmarked treasures were 75 cents each. I would've bought them if I'd had a piano nearby, but I thought someone else could enjoy them until I have one to play. The red book was Handel, I believe, but I can't remember and you can't tell from the photo. They had a Music Theory text book that was dated 1944, and one from the 1800s. Oh, I was in heaven just holding them.

Both of us ended up walking out with a best-seller that was half the price of the major book stores, and mine is barely cracked. I'll update you on what I'm reading in another post since I'd get all too descriptive if I began.

We took our books and headed to the ... Library of Congress patio to drink our specially crafted sodas from We, The Pizza and enjoy the sunshine before taking a quick self-guided tour of the Library, which Dani had surprisingly never seen.

The rest of the weekend we spent in different directions, her with the wedding, and me with co-worker outings, but it was a fabulous weekend getting to see her!

I have more to write but I realize this is getting too long for the average enjoyment, so I will try my best to write again Saturday. Much love! xo

It's September! Accountability required!

I've never been one for setting goals, at least ones that are short term with a long term impact. I just do things, and after the course of doing them repeatedly... they eventually stick. But for the month of September I'm trying something new: setting goals for 1 month.

I've done it once before. Way back when I was at home on summer break from college, you know... back in the "good ole days." Ha, like that was SO long ago. At that point I set a goal for flossing my teeth every day for a month. It helped that Mom pitched in and said she'd supply a Starbucks giftcard if I achieved my goal. And you know what? However many years later (at least 3), I'm still flossing my teeth every day. Talk about establishing good habits!

In the weekend's post I talked about things I wanted to change, and these are just the ones I felt comfortable unleashing to you guys.

Goal #1

Chicken and Leek Shepherds Pie Dinner

Make a menu for the week, go grocery shopping, and cook a few meals a week that last through several lunches and dinners and still have leftovers to store in the freezer for a rainy day. On the menu this week is Turkey(chicken) and Leek Shepherds Pie and Pork Vindaloo.

Lunch with a banana and whole wheat Ritz

Hand in hand goal: Eat out only 1-2 times a week, including lunches. Bi-product: Save $$$ and stay fit. Speaking of staying fit...

Goal #2

Photo taken at 6:08 AM

Change my workout routine to the mornings so I have a more energized day and evening plans don't mess with my workout routine. This morning I ran/walked 50/50 to the Nats stadium and back in 45 minutes. Tomorrow I'm run/walking to the Capitol. (It had gotten to the point where I only worked out once or twice a week because evening plans were always getting in the way since a after-work gym session meant an hour at the gym, 20 minutes to home, an hour to get ready to go back out, and 20-40 minutes back to wherever I was supposed to meet people.) Hand in hand goal: No more morning coffee. By product: Healthy Sarah and healthy, white teeth.

Goal #3

Eat breakfast before leaving for work. I'd gotten to where I was eating breakfast in the car or purchasing something at the Cafe downstairs in the office, but the options at the cafe aren't very healthy and as cheap as they are... they add up. Plus, I'm always starving on the drive in. The plan is to do my devotions during breakfast, but that didn't happen this morning because I took too long taking photos. This morning's breakfast consisted of my last two pieces of toast with strawberry Simply Fruit topping, low fat plain organic yogurt with 1/2 teaspoon honey and a peach from the market. Yum!

Goal #4

Apply make-up at home rather than during the commute. Ok, ok, I know it's awful, but multi-tasking is what I do, I have a hard time getting excited about focusing on just one thing, so my make-up routine has been occurring in the car during the drive to work. There were enough stoplights that it was completely ok. BUT the other day on the interstate I had this man (Dad's age) pass me a bit then slow down to be side by side with my car, figured out what I was doing, and honked his horn with his hand in the air like "what the heck are you doing... DRIVE" and although I know I was driving straight and at a very reasonable pace I guess I can understand his alarm, not everyone is as talented as me, right. ;) So, the make-up routine will occur at home, after my workout, and before my breakfast.

Now, all this being said... I have two things remaining. 1) I need you guys to keep me accountable. I'll check in every week or so to give you updates on my progress, and I'll need your input as to what my reward should be if I stick to my goals 90% of the time. (I think I deserve a little wiggle room!) and 2) I must go to bed ASAP to get up at 5:50. (Insert rolling laughter from Clay here.)

Night all. Much love!

Recharge

I may be a bubbly, crazy, extrovert in the eyes of many of you, but deep down inside of me is a shy, little girl who sometimes likes to be alone. In my attempts to surround myself with friends, occupy my time with all the exciting amenities of the city, and be the independent woman I expect of myself, I sometimes go to much, talk to much, and try to hard. And it's times like those, where I realize I'm not superwoman, and no one expects me to be.

This weekend after yet another week full of adventures and an evening birthday party that lasted well into the night Friday, I felt the need to recharge my batteries since they'd been sitting on "E" since August began. The weather was perfect outside, and it allowed me a great opportunity to relax outside and enjoy the beauty of occasional solitude and quiet peace.

Saturday I woke up around 9 and drove the few blocks to the metro to drop off my friend that crashed at my house after the party and parked my car near a local Cosi (equivalent of Panera but slightly better in some ways) and grabbed a breakfast wrap inside, stepped across the street to Starbucks to grab a latte, and walked back to the Cosi corner street cafe area where I parked myself for a good 2 hours. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, not hot, not cold, not windy or super sunny, just perfect. I made friends with a nice family from South Carolina who was moving their Clemson-student daughter in at the TFAS (still not sure what it stands for) internship dorms which are apparently housed in a rowhouse directly across from the Cosi. We didn't talk much, but I did learn they were from SC, and I ran into them several other times throughout the day on the Hill.

I've been reading this book from my roommate Allison's never-ending supply of books called "The Cellist of Sarajevo" by Steven Galloway. It's a very solemn book that chronicles the lives of 3 people in wartime Sarajevo and how their lives intertwine with a young cellist who sits at the site of a shell-devastated bakery and plays the same song every day at a certain time for 22 days in his personal attempt to regain peace within himself and within the town. So far, I've really enjoyed it. In fact, I'm very disappointed I left it in the car tonight, because I won't be able to read another chapter today! But what I lack today, I made up for on Saturday.

After a good 2 hours on the patio (it's not patrolled by waitresses), I hopped in my car and drove back home for a nice bath, some laptop research, and a long chat with my parents (and maybe a little nap...). And then I strolled back to the same area for a late afternoon lunch/early dinner at SweetGreen (last week's post). There again I sat on the street and enjoyed the people watching and my book for a couple more hours. This one pigeon that looked like an albino with red eyes kept hopping around near me. So cute!

I had offers for evening plans, but I just couldn't bring myself to get out of the little bubble of tranquility I was experiencing. I was almost afraid that if I spoke to anyone or went anywhere beyond the Hill that I would lose it, the bubble that is, not my sanity. So after turning down my offers, I walked the 10 blocks to Harris Teeter, the nearest Red Box location, for a movie (well 2) and a bottle of red wine. I picked out "An Education" for seriousness and "The Bounty Hunter" to lighten the mood before I went to sleep.

I casually strolled home and arrived just a little before sundown, opened my bottle of wine, made myself a quick bowl of yogurt and berries, and planted myself in my bed watching my movies for the rest of the night. I thought about blogging, but I decided to go almost communication-less the whole day, except for the one call home, and Allen's quick call on my way to Harris Teeter.

To you, it may sound like the most boring day ever, but I must tell you, I woke up Sunday and today feeling extremely well-rested, and very happy. I took some time to think about things during my time alone, and I've got some changes I want to make, but they're all things that I should've been doing all along. Sometimes, we just get so busy playing the game of life that we forget to stop and recharge. If you haven't done so in a while, I strongly recommend it. Don't be afraid of the quiet or of the solitude, just enjoy it.

Much love! xo SY