The Newest Addition

I recently commented on how the hubs and I aren't really in the wanting-to-have-kids camp right now; but that's not to say that we are soulless, heartless folks who can't care for anything. Quite the contrary, actually, as we are totes magotes one of those couples who considers their animals to be their "kids".

The current clan, up until Wednesday, included 2 kitties and a pup.  One cat (Tegan) I got from a friend in Philly who had a litter of kittens, and the kitten (Platypus) and dog (Juno) both came from a local spot called Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL). Seriously the bees knees.. if you're in the DC area and looking to adopt/save a life - go there.

(At one point, we did have 3 cats, but my oldest - Tully, 7yrs - passed away due to lymphoma in December. His illness was the main reason we got the third cat, to try and bridge the gap for our other cat and dog. Turns out newbie got along better with the cat that passed than the one we still have.. but no matter. He and the dog are BFFs!)

Scot has been hounding me for a second dog pretty much since we got our first one, and the answer has always been a resounding NO. See, I tend to get overwhelmed easily. At least when it came to having and training a dog - that was  an experience I realized I may not have been fully prepared for when it happened. Getting a dog made me realize how much I am definitely a "cat person" - they're independent, cuddly, and small. All things that jive well with my life. But that's not to say that I don't like dogs - I love 'em - but going into that was seriously similar to having a child (says the childless wonder over here). At least my mom said it was similar, and she HAS had a kid.. so yea. I'll trust her and agree.

But for the past two years, the hubs would always go onto WARL's adoption page and send me pictures of cute dogs that needed rescuing. And even though their little eyes would stare deep into my soul, begging for me to take them home.. I had to be realistic. Two cats and two dogs (not to mention two humans), in our little duplex? No.

But then there was Ballerina. Scot sent me her picture and bio several times.. to be honest, her name alone had me hooked (former dancer, here!). And she was some form of boxer/bulldog/pit mix, which is freaking adorable when you mush them all together. Week after week went by, and her name kept appearing on the adoption site. Two months.. three months.. no one was adopting her.

Finally, I agreed to go in to see her - "just to look". (Famous last words.) I think I was still on my Chris Carrabba high from the day before, because after meeting her, I told Scot that if she was okay with the dog and the cats, we could adopt her.

Without going too much into detail - and since we ALL know where this is going - we ended up bringing her home just 4 days later, this past Wednesday!

She's 3 years old, and came from a kill shelter in DC before making it to WARL. She has clearly had at least one litter of puppies at some point in her life, and definitely has some abandonment issues. She was put on Prozac just a few weeks ago since the stress of being at shelters so long was clearly getting to her, and was incredibly timid in her crate but really opened up once we got her in a bigger room with just the two of us. The staff at WARL believes she wasn't getting adopted in part because of her breed, in part because of how not active she was in her kennel when people walked by, and in part because of the unending loop - she wasn't being adopted, and people don't want "unadoptable" pets. We were told she has select dog-reactivity, some leash aggression (as in, chews up her leash), and has a prey drive - which is a toss up in the air about whether or not she will ever get along with our cats.

All this being said, it actually made us want to adopt her more - to truly save and rescue her. We brought our dog Juno in to meet her ahead of time, and they got along just fine. We then spoke to the behavior specialist/trainer who has been working with Ballerina over the past few months, who gave us great tips on introducing her to the cats slowly. Everything was looking up, and it was like our answer was made for us. When we picked her up, I can't even tell you how many people/staff came to say how happy they were, how much they would miss her, and how great she is. That right there nearly made me cry!

So we officially have a full house, and I swear to you if Scot sends me another picture of a dog I will make him sleep on the couch.

Oh - and I almost forgot! We renamed her Khaleesi. MOTHER OF DRAGONS. (Ballerina was just her shelter name!)

That time I met Chris Carrabba

If I died tomorrow, I'd be okay with it. Because not only did my fabulous husband get me a Vitamix for my birthday (reason number 18 I know I'm getting old.. my ideal gift is a fancy blender), but I also met Chris Carrabba on Friday.

I think you need to let that sink in for a minute.

Because I finally. finally. finally. met the man of my teenage (ok.. and current) dreams.

If for some silly reason you have no idea who I'm talking about.. most folks know him as Dashboard Confessional. Some recall him from also being in Further Seems Forever - and now he is currently a part of an awesome little folksy band called Twin Forks, which I have now seen twice in as many months.

A little history: as with many women my age, I fell in love with Chris & his gut-wrenching music and insane voice in my teens, with the release of his first album, The Swiss Army Romance. I actually firmly believe that my first experience with his music was when I was 15 (around 2000/2001) when my friends and I went to this small, hole in the wall venue on Long Island to see New Found Glory, who just came out with their first album and still only charged $10 for a show they were headlining. One of the first "bands" to perform was this fairly cute guy, just sitting on stage with an acoustic guitar (and by stage, I mean a slightly raised platform in a catering hall type place). He was the first opener, so I paid some attention, but was more interested in what NFG merch I could get my hands on and feeling oh-so-cool for being at a hip show with an up-and-coming band.

About a year later, I would realize that the opening act was actually Chris Carrabba in his early-early days, and I had no idea what I was witnessing. The SHAME. (Also - funny story - we ended up not even seeing New Found Glory that night, as my dad came to pick us up and dragged us out of the venue at 10pm before they even came on. I wouldn't end up seeing them for over a decade until their most recent tour last year. Womp.)

Anyway, shortly after that show, I remember my friend burning me the Dashboard CD, which I wore out playing in my car every chance I got. Thus, my love affair began, and as he got bigger and bigger, I would go to see whatever show of his I was able to.

The last one I saw was a few years ago, for the 10 year anniversary of The Swiss Army Romance. Scot and I even ended up using one of his lesser known songs - I Do - in our wedding ceremony a few years ago. Yes, the love is real.

So when I heard that he had started another side project - Twin Forks - I was both intrigued and beyond ecstatic that I still loved his music (bonus: it was mostly happy stuff!). They opened for a larger band back in May that I was able to catch in DC, which was amazing and wonderful and gave definitely gave me my Chris Carrabba fix (especially when he played a few Dashboard songs). I was hopeful I might be able to meet him and the band at their merch table after the show, but I had no such luck. Such is my life.

But THEN. Then I noticed that they were doing a second leg of their tour - but this time, they were playing much smaller venues, and headlining. And their Instagram was showing tons of meets-and-greets. And they were playing in Philly a few days after my birthday and ohmygodyouguysthismightbemymoment.

I think you can guess the rest. I went, I saw, I conquered met Chris (and the rest of the band).

I told him aaaaalllll about my first experience with him and his music.

We became besties. He signed my CD.

And it was magical. I mean, the pictures show him smiling and having fun but he was kind of all over the place and maybe not the most friendly person in the world at the very moment, but I can hardly blame him. Lots of things to do and people to see and he has like 15 years of this under his belt. I think this pleased my husband, as he was fairly certain I was never coming home.

No matter! I finally met the man who helped define my teens and 20's (I'm really not exaggerating) and it was all sorts of magical. Le sigh.

(Sidenote: I totes wrote a Top 5 post a few years ago.. guess who was number one? #hestillis)

Have you had a celeb crush that you just can't seem to shake? Any luck meeting them??

Beaches & Peaches

Ah, summer. How I love you so.

Sure the warmth and sunshine is lovely - not to mention our annual trip to upstate New York to visit Scot's parents on the lake - but just the freshness of it all, if you know what I mean. Everything is so green, so lush, and so seasonable. I largely feel that it is so much easier for me to eat more healthily in the spring and summertime simply due to the increase in availability of several yummy fruits and veggies. And not only is there a wide variety that are "in season", but so much more of it is so incredibly local, as well. (And I'm a big local-food junkie!)

This is one of the reasons why I love that the winery I work at is located on a local family farm. They always have an interesting assortment of things that they grow and tend to on-site (apples, some peaches, egg-producing chickens, two greenhouses, an apiary, etc), but they do also get some produce from other regional farms. They will also occasionally have bananas, watermelons, and avocados from Mexico and other warm climate places - you know, some of people's staple pantry items in the summer that are simply not easy to grow in Maryland conditions. It's all about variety!

There are a few things that, without fail, get all the farm customers excited. First and foremost would be the farm's signature unpasteurized apple cider, made fresh on site. Then would come the cinnamon sugar donuts made fresh daily.. and then the fresh strawberries in early June and farm-grown peaches in early July. But for those of us who are just way too impatient, they do get some Harrow Diamond peaches in from South Carolina in late June. Which I discovered were just perfect for making some quick & easy peach froyo!

The idea came to me, shockingly, from Pinterest. The fact that this recipe only has a measly 4 ingredients and can be made in my food processor had me itching to try it out. Trust me, you'll want to run to your local grocery store or farmer's market and snatch up as many peaches as you can.. I can't think of a better or more refreshing treat on a hot summer day!

Oh, and the best part? It's good for you!!

*recipe originally seen on Just A Taste

Isn't it amazing how such simple, natural ingredients can produce something so yummy?? Now excuse me while I go bury my face in this deliciousness.

The Struggle is Real.

Unngghh. Birthdays.

Well getting older, really. Because let's be honest, I kind of love my birthday. The amount of coupons and free things that you get alone are enough to get anyone excited. (Free yoga class! $5 off my next hair appointment! $10 off at Victoria's Secret! Free gifts at Sephora! ALL THE PRESENTS!)

I think what is getting to me most this year isn't so much the physical number, but more-so the life changes I'm noticing as I get older. Don't get me wrong, some of them are amazing - but some them can also be a bit depressing. Things change - it's a part of life - but when I occasionally take the time to look at my life last year, five years ago, ten years ago - it's of crazy. Not only with what is happening in my life, but who I am as a person. What I've done, where I've gone, how my life has turned out thus far.

Basically, I'm getting all introspective in my last year of my 20's. (Thanks, yoga.) And no, I'm not super freaked by turning 30 - everyone I know says their 30's are better than their 20's, so kudos to that!

But, as with anything, there's going to be the good, the bad, and the ugly.

DC Delights

While I don't technically live in DC, pretty much everyone in my particular suburb of Maryland considers themselves a part of the DC metro area. (#wannabe's) I also have many a friend who actually does live within the city limits, and find myself trekking in there quite often despite our recent move a bit further north. I've definitely gotten to know certain parts of the city fairly well, but my general knowledge is extremely lacking - which I kind of hate! I love how much I can rattle off about Philly and NYC, how I know fun spots to go and don't look like a little lost puppy when walking around on my own. Not so much with DC. I mean.. have you seen their street system? It's obnoxious. All circles and diagonals and conspiracy theories of Illuminati and Freemasons (see: Dan Brown).

via TravelPod

All this is to say that I have fairly limited experiences with local DC culture. I know there's a ton of stuff that goes on, but it's not always feasible to explore everything I want to. While we are maybe a total of 15 miles from downtown, it will take a good hour or so to go anywhere of interest, especially depending on the time of day.

When we first moved into the area about six years ago, we did the whole touristy thing and walked around the Capitol, down Constitution Avenue, around the Smithsonian, etcetera. My favorite find that day - which I have since learned is a "thing" down here in the summers - was the Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Art. We meandered upon this randomly in the middle of the day, but apparently it's a fairly big  hotspot that hosts events such as live Jazz throughout the season. It's been on my list to go back for one of these events.. but have I? Of course not.

personal

personal

A much more recent and local discovery I've made - that I have admittedly known about for the longest time, and even used to work a mere mile from - is the Sunday night drum circle at Meridian Hill (aka Malcom X) Park.

First off, the park itself is gorgeous. I totally want to have a photo shoot here.

via Time

Second, the drum circle? It's magical. It's crazy, fun, invigorating, and a quintessential DC experience. The premise is that every Sunday, a bunch of people come together and bang on drums, shake tambourines, and dance their booties off. There's no particular "group" - it's open to anyone and everyone. Some people take part in the action, some play frisbee or do yoga.

via Washingtonian

And others (me) sit back on the grass to just take in the scene with some noms and vino (it seems that the police often overlook the whole alcohol-in-public thing during the drum circle hours).

personal

I'm under the impression that this takes place mostly year round, and has actually been going on since the 1950's or so. It's definitely a local delight that I fully intend to enjoy more of this summer.. possibly tomorrow?!

Does your town have any local treasures that everyone else may or may not know about?

Self-expression a la Hair (aka, what I do when I'm bored)

A few things about me:

- I love me some big, flashy earrings. It is rare that you will find me without dangly earrings of some sort hanging from my lobes.
- I believe that a classic nude pump should be a staple in every woman's closet (along with the LBD, of course).
- Changing my hair is one of my favorite forms of self-expression (aka, I get bored quickly and change it.. a lot).

So about that last one..

You may have noticed that I am a natural red-head/ginger/vampire/whatever you may like to call it. My natural color veers towards the strawberry-blonde end of the spectrum, almost more orange than true red. It took me a really long time to grow to love the fact that I'm a natural ginger.. it's definitely been a love/hate relationship.

Growing up, I was always threatened to never dye or do anything unnatural to my hair because it was "so pretty just the way it is!". So I grew up terrified to do anything to it. I mean.. dye? What?! Do you want me to KILL my lustrous locks? Bae, please.

Until one day in 10th grade (ultimately coinciding with my pop-punk phase.. yay 2001 Good Charlotte!) when I decided that I absolutely MUST dye just the under part of my hair Manic Panic blue. You know the shade. Of course, I had to bleach my hair first in order for the color to show.

(Gahhhh I can't find a picture!!)

Needless to say.. Mama Bear wasn't too thrilled with me. I mean, I was a dancer. What dancer has blue hair? Pout.

Anyway, it eventually faded and then grew out. I left my hair untouched for quite some time after that, until about 2010 when I decided to revisit the under-color, but with black this time.

See it? See it? See it?

I actually quite enjoyed it. And then, in 2012, I made the big plunge and actually dyed my whole head of hairs.. a deeper shade of red. Like I mentioned, I did actually grow to love having red hair.. I'm just still not a huge fan of the shade. Luckily, that's easily fixable and lo and behold.. red on red actually produces a fairly natural looking hue!

Yep - it was dyed for the wedding!

But this isn't just about color. I also very much enjoy growing my hair out, then chopping it all off. It's like a vicious cycle.

Long, then short, then long, then short, then long, then a perm, then short, then super duper short, and now a cute little asymmetrical bob that may either grow to be long again, or be chopped back into a pixie cut, depending on my mood at my next appointment.

But I supposed the most recent update would be this one:

A purple panel on one side! I'm obsessed.

Anyone else have hair ADD? What's your favorite cut/style to rock?

Must Try for July: Rosemary Gin Fizz

Happy July 1st! Otherwise commonly known 'round these parts as my birthday month. Since I'm not quite 30 just yet, I'm still claiming the right to have a birthday month, and not just week (or, heaven forbid, a mere day). Too bad I have nothing planned just yet.. pout.

But anyway, seeing as it's the beginning of July, it is also the official start of the 30 Day Blog Challenge - which I think calls for a cocktail. Don't you agree?!

See, my fantastic husband decided that he really loves gardening - a hobby that I 100% support. He started with a small indoor garden at our old place two years ago (which, honestly, with the grow lights,  made it look like we had a certain operation going on inside the house) (which we didn't, just to be clear). Once we moved to our current duplex - one with a beautiful yard that we know we will be at for at least a few years - he decided to build a more permanent garden outside.

Needless to say, it has grown immensely in the past couple of months. I'm actually kind of impressed at his green thumb.. Lord knows I certainly don't posses this trait.

There's zucchini, cucumbers (for pickling!), tomatoes, corn, lettuce, broccoli, bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, and.. a whole lotta of rosemary.

We've been using it here and there, but tend to veer more towards our fresh basil as herb of choice for most dishes. After contemplating our rosemary-related options with a few friends, we came up with the (genius) idea to use it as an accent to a delicious summery cocktail, a la an infused simple syrup. Hence, the Rosemary Gin Fizz was born.

If you like gin.. and you like rosemary.. this is a must try for July!

What other herbs do you think would make good cocktail mixers??