The Past Few Weeks

Hello! I know, I have been a bit MIA these past few weeks. But here I am, I am back! I have had so much going on but I am back and will be blogging regularly now from my new home in Ft. Lauderdale Florida. Yes, I have finally made the flip to Sunny Florida to be with my beau. For now I thought I would share what I've been up to recently.

~My besties from DC threw me such a nice going away party in Washington. Everything was pink. It was adorable and SO fitting. I couldn't ask for more wonderful people that I met over the past 7 years!~

~I moved. Yep, this is the look of our living room right now. Do you like the decor? I call it the messy boxes look. I am wishing that when I wake up some little elves unpacked it during the night. What a job ahead! I have a lot of stuff!!!~

~Beau and I went to China! It was an amazing trip! The picture below is from the plane ride over. Yep, the snack was noodles, it made me laugh. ~

More to come from the land of sun and flip flops. Love you all!

xoxo~Rebecca

10 Things to do before May 9th

One of my good girlfriends was asking me the other day to make a list of 10 things I would love to do before leaving Washington. Oh my! I told her that recently I do not feel like there is enough time in the day. Between packing, working and trying to sleep, my time in this fabulous city is ticking away. I have SO loved calling Washington DC my home for the last almost 7 years. It was fun for me to put together a list of things I really want to do before I leave. It is pretty funny because of the items include food and beverage...what's new! I hope I can check off my list in the next two weeks!

1. Pictures of the city - everybody who knows me knows I LOVE taking pictures. I would love to be able to get some photos of me and girlfriends around the city. In front of the White House, the Capital, on the terrace of the Newseum, the Kennedy Center.

2. Glass of Champagne on the Lincoln Memorial - Remember the scene in Wedding Crashers where they end their night on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial drinking champagne....well I do. I would like to have a little bubbly there as well.

3. Margaritas at Lauriol Plaza - This DC restaurant gives me memories of being an intern in DC. Margaritas, Sangria and good Mexican food.

4. Run around the mall - I do this now but recently I've been so busy, I need to do this and take it in during the early morning.

5. Drinks out - W hotel, the view is just so wonderful at this hotel! Drinks at the Gibson, outdoors.

6. Cupcake tour of DC - Georgetown Cupcake, Baked and Wired, Hello Cupcake. I think I need to have a bite of each before I leave.

7. Happy hour wine tasting - Zola wine bar and kitchen has wine tastings through out the week. I have been saying I was going to take advantage and go. I should realllllly do this soon.

8. Shopping in Georgetown - no explanation needed.

9. Washington Monument - I have never been to the top of the monument.

10. Tour of the White House - please? Can somebody arrange this?

Ok, I had to add this picture. It was too funny.

I will miss DC. Thanks for being a good home for me.

xoxo

Big Changes

I received this small journal as a gift a few weeks ago and fell in love with it. It has been sitting on my desk and I have found myself staring at it during the middle of the day. Most of you know that I have been considering the option of moving for quite some time. I was never sure when the right time was to go but these past few weeks I have really started to feel like it was totally the right time.

I gave my notice on Friday to my boss and will be leaving Washington DC on Friday, May 7th! It is a little scary but also so exciting. After being with same company for 7 years, the company I interned with in college, it was a crazy thing to give my notice and walk away. However, it felt so good and I feel like a weight has been lifted from

my shoulders in a way.

I found this picture of me from when I just started my job 3 years ago. I saw the building come together as a great site for events from a construction site. It has been a great experience,

but I am ready for what is next!

I'll be packing up my desk soon and heading to Florida with beau.

I am sure I will have lots to write on the way!

xoxo~Becca

I Love DC - #6

After a long 11 days at work, late nights, lots of stress, big events, it all ended well. I have been really glad to have the weekend at home with no plans. Today I spent the whole day in my apartment cleaning, cooking and organizing. I ran a few errands in my neighborhood, pedi mani at my local nail place, coffee at the local Firehook and groceries up the street. It was a dreary day, but the leaves were colorful and bright and I enjoyed walking around my neighborhood with nothing planned for the day, little stress and enjoying "my home".

I love the area I live in! DC has a lot of different neighborhoods: Georgetown, Dupont, Adams Morgan, Woodley Park...I live in Cleveland Park. I have lived here for about 5 years. I moved into my old apartment building with a roommate on the 3rd floor and two years ago I moved out into my own place right downstairs to the 2nd Floor. Since I sold my car a couple of years ago I find myself hanging out in my area even more. There are great restaurants and bars right down the street from me. In the middle of the city Cleveland Park is a little place of its own that I have really come to love. Here are a few of my favorite places in the Connecticut Avenue area.

1. Indique - I have become to love this Indian restaurant! For take out or for dinner at the restaurant, it is not too expensive, the food is always great and the place is always busy. Yummy warm naan bread with al of the sauces, I want some now!

2. Yogiberry - New York has Pinkberry & Taste D-Lite. DC has caught on to the craze of frozen yogurt shops also. This past year Yogiberry opened up and as a treat I love the original or green tea with berries and fruity pebbles on top. yum!

3. Cleveland Park Day Spa - nothing fancy, but they can always fit me. $40- for a pedicure manicure and I can walk home after, perfect. You can't beat it.

4. Bardeo - Oh I truly love this place! It is a great place to meet friends out and taste the wine flights or wines by the glass. Monthly they have awesome wine tastings that are such a steal, $25. I think I frequent here about once a week. I will miss this place!

5. Uptown Movie Theatre - The one screen theatre can seat over 800 guests. I love sitting in the balcony, it makes me feel like I'm watching a big production. A lot of movie premieres take place here, the other night when I was on my way home I saw the new Michael Moore movie opening there. I already have my ticket to see New Moon there next weekend. I CAN'T WAIT!

6. Sorriso - Want a yummy thin crust Neapolitan Pizza? Sorriso is a great family run Italian restaurant right off the metro. It is cozy and always full. The owners are always there, sometimes it makes you feel like you are eating in their home.

I really love this place.

xoxo

I love DC - #5

Brunch! Ok, so I guess brunch is something I love in NYC, Florida, DC, Paris, Cleveland, London....anywhere. I LOVE brunch! Love it. Brunch is a great way to get together with friends during the weekend and drinks lots of coffee, catch up and eat yummy omelette's and croissants. So in a dedication to my "I Love DC" posts, here are some of my favorite places to enjoy my favorite meal of the week, brunch! My favorite places to drink lots of coffee and chat with friends.

1. Le Pain Quotidien - I know that Le Pain is a chain, however I love it. I remember the first time I went here was in NYC city when I was an intern and Sofia Coppola was sitting at the table next to me. I thought, hello this must be cool and chic if she is here. haha. I love the Georgetown location because the backyard patio is so quaint and a great outside location in the middle of the city. The omelet with asparagus and goat cheese is a fav and I have to say, the bread basket with the praline spread and jam is oh so yummy. I have spent many mornings here drinking lattes straight from the little late bowls. 2815 M Street, NW

2. Tabard Inn - Tabard Inn is a 90 year old inn, quaint and charming in the middle of downtown DC. It is a great little place in the winter to feel cozy and warm by the fireplace OR in the summer the outside garden is charming as well. The restaurant is always booked for brunch so make a reservation. I was a little questionable the first time I went and walked through the dark teeny library, but now I LOVE. The menu changes seasonally but the mimosas, homemade donuts and quiches always stay the same. I love the quiche with corn, crab and cheese but the Eggs Benedict are also raved about. 1739 N Street, NW

3. Cafe Bonaparte - ooooo, I LOVE this place. The first time I walked in to this little (yes, teeny tiny) cafe in upper Georgetown....I fell in Love. The crepes and cafe au laits are so wonderful, you feel like you are in France. The savory and the sweet crepes are yummy. The red awning outside of the cafe always has a line out the door on Saturday mornings. I truly believe its worth the wait and the crowded room. It is also a wonderful romantic place at night:)

1522 Wisconsin Ave, NW

4. The Roof Terrace Restaurant - I think this place holds a special place in my heart because I remember being an intern here and bringing my mom and sister here for brunch. The brunch is in the kitchen so it's pretty neat. You actually walk through the kitchen to get your food, neat. It is a great place to bring visitors from out of town because it has a beautiful view of the Capitol. 2700 F Street, NW @ the Kennedy Center

5. Blue Duck Tavern - Located in the Park Hyatt, this restaurant I love. I would describe the decor as a chic New England tavern. Wooden rocking chairs in front of glass walls. When you walk in the open pastry kitchen that is in front of you makes you mentally note to order the homemade apple pie at the end of your meal. The cheese grits to share are an absolute MUST! 1221 24th Street, NW

6. Open City - This casual cafe is in Woodley Park. It reminds me a Central Perk, the neighborhood place where everybody hangs out. Beau and I use to go here maybe twice a week before work for morning breakfasts, because it was so great. Good food, fast service, not expensive, love it. OC is owned by the same people who own the Diner, the 24 hours Adams Morgan dive. Even better!

2331 Calvert Street, NW

Make your plans for the weekend now and head out for brunch! These are a few of my favs, but there are MANY more. Please sure yours. I hope these ideas helped!

xoxo

I love DC - #4

Running.

Ok, I know you can do it anywhere, but recently I have become to SO appreciate the awesome running paths and streets we have in DC. Washington is such a great place to be a runner. I am currently training for marathon #4 and have been exploring new running options.

Today while I was doing a 10 mile training run around the city I felt like I was in a movie. It was a beautiful summer morning, slight breeze, sunny. It is so awesome to run through the Nations Capital when everybody is asleep. You run by national landmarks and forget that you live here! I ran down Connecticut Avenue through Dupont Circle. From there I ran past the White House. (Yes, I still get excited running by the Obamas house.) I slow down, gaze in. I mean really, who knows, maybe some day I'll see Michelle getting the girls off to school! hee hee. I ran to down Pennsylvania Avenue with the Capital ahead, around the Capital, past the the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial. It was a great run needless to say. The whole run was 10 miles. For any of your DC runners. Here are a few of my faves:

1. Rock Creek Park - will always hold a special place in my heart. I ran here the majority of my training for my first marathon right out of college. It is nice to run through a shaded park right in the middle of the city.

2. Bethesda/Capital Crescent Trail - One of of my favorite things to do on the weekend is to drive to Bethesda, run on the trail and get a bagel after at Bethesda Bagels. Meg and I have shared many stories over a long run on the trail. I love it. I great way too catch up and get exercise! Bethesda is such a great suburb of DC. If you want a 5 mile run or are training and need to go longer, you can connect down to Rock Creek, I have done about 20 on the trail before.

3. Reno - So this is one of new favorites. Reno is a long road that runs parallel between Conn Ave and Wisconsin Ave. The thing is you do not feel like you are running through a city, you run through neighborhoods. It connects right behind my apartment and I can make a nice 3 to 6 mile run on it.

4. Connecticut Avenue - last is my "Sedgewick Garden Running Club" run. Meg, Cerys and I have run this a lot, we meet in the apartment lobby at 6am. Right down CT Ave, run to the White House, to Constitution Ave and up to Metro Ctr. It is a 5 mile run if you hop on the metro (you can forget the CT Ave. HILL!) and go home.

Yes, running is a huge part of my life and I worry about the training and weather in sunny humid Florida, but I know I will get use to it. I have really become much more of a "runner" by living in Washington. Friends who run in NYC only have Central Park. We have SO many options here. As you can see by my pics, I have taken advantages of races. My parents love the Turkey Trot, my "running club" (ok not really a club, but I like to call us that) and I run little races here and there. My first marathon was the Marine Corps. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

If you live here or if you are just visiting, put your running shoes on early in the morning and go out for 1 mile or 10 miles. It is a great way to see the city and a beautiful one!

xoxo

the weekend

It's only Thursday but already I'm dreaming of the weekend. Recently I have been away so much on the weekends or working that I haven't had much time at home. Uncertain of how many actual weekends I have left in DC makes me want to jam pack the 2 days full of fun. I have 101 things on my to do list. Here's what I think I'll be up to. What are you up to this weekend?

1. Mastering to clean my closets! I must get rid of a lot of stuff before I move. I figured I have a free day, time to do it. I dream of the closet above. Isn't Mariah Carey's shoe closet AMAZING! sigh, some day.

2. Running and Yoga. I hurt my foot and then went on vacation. Needless to say, my training schedule has been a little off. It's time for me to kick it into gear and start running again. I have to remind myself to do yoga and not just run run run. That's an easy way to make you more tired.

3. Movies - I have been wanting to see Harry Potter and 300 days of summer. I must see them this weekend! Must!

4. Dinner with friends - I'm having dinner on Friday with Meg and her sister Erin who lives in San Fran. I love a a great dinner with wine and friends on a Friday night! Dinner with the ladies at Cork will be perfect.

5. Sunday I am going to an event at JCrew being put on by Ritzy Bee. Cocktails, Hors D'Oeuvres, new JCrew Fall Collection and a discount! (like I need one! But who could resist).

Ok, I'm already tired out, but so excited to leave the office tomorrow:) Happy almost weekend.

xoxo

I love DC- #3

Tranquil Space! Ok so I have become a little obsessed with Tranquil Space. I discovered Tranquil Space three years ago when I signed up for a newbie yoga class and have been HOOKED since. They opened up a new amazing studio on 17th street last year. The studio is the perfect place to come after work, during the weekend, on a busy day when you need to get your mind away. Not only is it a fabulous yoga studio, it is also a store, a spa and a tea bar. I LOVE IT! Yoga and retail therapy!

Kimberly Wilson is the lady who started it all! I listen to her podcast, read her blog and have read her books. I was reading an article about her recently and the girl said it perfect....they had a girl crush on Kimberly Wilson! haha. I totally agree. Kimberly was a paralegal and started teaching yoga in her living room. Years later I find her story of how she followed her dream and opened up Tranquil Space, designed clothes, wrote a few books, the story goes on. She is super cool with her pink stripes in her hair, her obsession with cupcakes, her cute pug Louis and her fabulous "pink palace". What other yoga studio have you heard of that offers a hip hop yoga class on a Friday night with a dj! Kimberly's idea.

I have been researching places in Florida that compare somewhat to Tranquil Space and I haven't found it yet. It truly is one place I wish I could pack up and move with me! If you live in DC and haven't taken a class there, go! If you are visiting, go. I hope you find the Tranquil Space lifestyle the Kimberly has created as fabulous as I have!

Now I'm off to bed....trying to keep my mind as relaxed as it was when I left class yesterday....Namaste!

xoxo

I love DC - #2

Farmer's Markets. I love the Dupont Circle Farmer's Market. Every Sunday morning, rain or shine, Dupont Circle turns into a fabulous organic market of local farmers. When I can, I try to make it there and buy fresh flowers, homemade breads, gazpacho (Chris' Marketplace!!!), produce. I love being in a city and being able to buy fresh from the farm ingredients. The market is always so crowded and so fun to people watch. On Thursdays there is a mini market in Penn Quarter that carries my favorite gazpacho and cherry vendors. I love being able to stop and pick up a few things on my way home. I hope Florida has some great little markets. I am sure they will have fabulous oranges :)

I love DC - #1

I moved to DC as an intern during the Summer of 2002. To be honest, I was not very excited to be living in the Nation's Capitol. I felt like everybody I knew worked in politics, it was boring and stuffy. I wanted to be in New York City, with the excitement, the high energy, my girlfriends from Syracuse. (I lived in a house with 6 college guys that summer, it was quite an experience being the girly girl I am.) Well, 7 years later here I am. I've been here since graduation and I have come to LOVE this city. I think D.C. is a wonderful exciting place to live and I will miss it tons. I thought I would start posting my favorite things about DC and have a comparison of what I'm looking forward to in Florida:)

#1 - The view! No skyscrapers, trees, huge monuments, its pretty! The pictures above are from my office view, an event at the Kennedy Center with DC in the background, the view you see when you fly in, amazing. When I fly into DC I always love seeing the Jefferson Memorial in the distance, its so pretty. When I worked at the Kennedy Center for 4 years, it still excited me to drive up to it at night when it was all lit up. It is a beautiful city. I have been lucky to be here and enjoy it. That being said, it will be fun to live by the beach for a few years and have palm trees, sandy beaches and the ocean as my view, I won't complain.