Virginia/DC Weekend

A couple of weekends ago I drove back to Virginia for my Dad's birthday. Robin an Erik came as well, so it was two solid days of family time comprised of much, much, much eating. It's how we do.

We kicked off Saturday lunch with Thai food in Chantilly, VA. Robin wanted to try a place that was known for its pad thai. The pad thai was pretty good, but the meaty and succulent chicken satay really should have won the awards. After lunch, Robin and I caught the train to Rosslyn where we crossed Key Bridge into Georgetown. There, we met up with Matt and Suzanne for window shopping and cupcake ogling. Apparently, the cupcake craze has hit Georgetown. We initially tried to go to Georgetown Cupcake Company, but apparently they are outrageously popular since they're featured on a television show. The line was UNBELIEVABLE. It looked like it went three blocks up a Georgetown hill. We did not stand in it.

We did end up going to a place called Baked and Wired with a minimal line and fricking delicious cupcakes. Robin got the Smurfette, which was lemon cake with whole blueberries and--Jeebus help me--it was luscious.








Later that night, we met up with my parents and Erik in at Makoto, a tiny Japanese restaurant in the Palisides neighborhood in DC. Palisades was where we used to live way back when and it is verdant and pretty and I always feel nostalgic thinking about it and looking at it. Robin mis-remembered the time of the reservation, so we ended up killing some time at the Safeway beforehand.
















When it was time to amble over to Makoto, I was completely charmed. First of all, it was tiny (appeals to my cuteness preference); second of all, you were required to trade your shoes for the house slippers to eat there (panty hose footies for those you prefer); thirdly, the servers were all older Japanese ladies who appeared as if they had been there forever.

We did the 10 course chef's choice and it was a bargain for fine dining at $60.







YUM.













Mom and me.

























The Mahan Men.

The sashimi course.













One of the cool things was that they offered a wasabi root, along with grater, to use on your sashimi (well, it came with the special upgrade fatty tuna sashimi, but there was enough for the rest of us to have a taste as well).







































Mom, exiting the restaurant in happiness.












At one point during the day, Robin bet Mom that we would eat something before 8:30. Since he was wrong about the reservation time (it being 8:30, rather than 8), Mom won the $1 bet. Robin paid up.

Saturday Project

March 26, 2010

Laura, Megan, and I traveled to San Fransicso to see Mirhiya. Saturday, before we met up with Mirhiya, we spent time in the city, met up with Charles and Laura's friend as well. The city was lovely: the views, the fancy donuts, the wines, and the salumis.

Sunday after we met up with Mirhiya who took us for a tour of boutique wineries in Napa and then spent the night at her family's beach house in Stinson Beach.

Saturday Project

March 20, 2010 Anne and Nate visit Chicago.
This photo is from the cold, blustery and gray day that we walked down to the Field Museum (where both the special exhibits were sold out).














This photo is actually from Friday, but Friday was when I took all the main photos, unfortunately.

Anne enjoying Hot Dougs.


















Nate also enjoying a hot dog.















Da bean.

Saturday Project December 26, 2009

We were in Virginia and went over to Madeline's parents place to meet up with Madeline, Patrick, Christie, Stefan, and Pauline (and baby Emmet).









Emmet really like Todd.

Saturday Project

November 28, 2009
Lindsey's wedding in Michigan.

It was an opulent, joyful affair and the next day
I did not feel excellent. Lindsey looked lovely and Jennifer did the worm on the dance floor.

My first time in Michigan!

Saturday Project

November 14, 2009

Kevin and Hilary's wedding in Pensacola, Florida.

They got married at a tiny old church in the old part of Pensacola and entered their reception looking gorgeous. We were at the reception for about six hours before leaving to go out, but the music, food, and drink was still going when we left! The night ended at some awesomely dark bar called Sir Richards with karaoke.

Saturday Project

October 31, 2009.
Halloween.
Anna, Megan, and Laura.
My "costume" was basically non-existent since dressing up is not one of my strengths.
That night, we hit the Map Room and then Piece where Anna and Laura sand "99 Red Balloons" at the live karaoke, and Megan charmed a couple of pieces of pizza from the couple having a date next to us.

Saturday Project
This will be a little haphazard as I sort through photos.

Saturday September 26, 2009.
Grace and George were visiting Chicago and we got a little quality kitty time on the couch.

Kitty Break
My babies, Hef and Detective. Sometimes they snuggle and it makes my heart go pitter pat. Othertimes Hef is bopping Detective over the head because Hef feels cranky.

Riding the Bus
We rode the bus to and from the hotel to Summerfest. A cool $2.25 each way and the bus stopped right in front of the hotel. On the right, you see us standing at the bus stop in front of the awesome Sleep Inn.




You can also view Todd's mustache in this photo. Enjoy it in its fleetingness!


Below, Laura and I model our free swag that we got from the Combos booth.


We also hit the local grocery store to all load up on New Glarus beer, which they don't sell in Illinois!

Catching up...
...on the blog posts.
The last weekend in June, we went to Milwaukee with Lauren, Laura and Megan for the purposes of experiencing Summerfest as well as just putzing around the city.
Summerfest was a well run machine: never a wait for bathrooms, the toilets always had toilet paper, and the crowds weren't hard to maneuver (it was no mermaid parade, a la Coney Island.

It was a beautiful view, next to the lake, and a sunny day.

Two most fortuitous events of the weekend: walking by Wang Chung just as about they were about to finish and catching them sing their only two songs I recognize AND having my flip flops break the moment we pulled home.

Todd also shaved his beard that weekend and wore a mustache for the couple of days in Milwaukee. He shaved it on Monday, thankfully.

Clarence lives on the same street as the Seinfeld restaurant!

Late on Sunday night while in NY, Clarence took us to sit on the steps of Columbia. We had bought delicious pastries from the bakery earlier that day to enjoy. The pretty night, the view, the students and the sweets reminded me of undergrad.

Central Park!

Rowing in Central Park
My absolute favorite thing that we did was visiting Central Park, and renting rowboats for the Central Park lake. What a fricking steal at $12 for an hour! Plus, we got to interact with the surly boat dude! In all honesty, I was bowled over by the verdant scenery and the skyline and it was so peaceful and ohmygah. Clarence's idea and an excellent one at that. We stayed and dined at a little cafe in the Park for dinner.

Times Square!
I've never been. It was exactly as I thought. We also stopped in the M&Ms store to look at overpriced product. As Clarence so aptly put it (paraphrasing), "I don't know whether I should be proud or ashamed of being American for all of this branding and consumerism prowess."

Sunday morning we spent in Clarence's neighborhood (the Columbia U area) where we brunched, ate gelato, and ogled pastries before heading to Times Square.