My Weekend through Food

It all started on Friday afternoon.

Happy hour on the balcony: pony Coronas and icy Jomos. 

Then, on to Bang: mango red-pepper martinis and kale tortellini and miniature crab cakes.

Woke up: omelets and honey lattes. 

Washed it down with: gatorade and a little mud.

Recovered with: a gigantic dinner thanks to mama Suzanne and company. 

Celebrated our Warrior-dom by: watching a little Matilda and sipping some of these:

This morning, nommed on: Bodos and and Cafecitos at Hot Cakes. 

Topped it off with: Pomegranate Rice Cakes (mmm...?) and some Humpback Rocks.

Another great weekend gone sooo fassstttt. T-20 minutes until Abita (aka Party Cat aka Satan) is on the move again. Sharpening my slicing knives as we speak....

xoxox,

Hannah

Wedding Reception, Anyone?

On Friday, I met a group at Mt. Vernon for some touring and beautiful weather. This teacher is one of my favorites--super friendly, dedicated to his students, always positive and looking for ways to make his kids have a better experience, appreciative, etc. They're from California and were being eaten alive by allergies... I guess it's a small price to pay for blooming cherry trees, farm animals, and some left-over dirt from Mr. Washington. 

Spent the night with Caroline and went back downtown on Saturday to explore and soak up the cloud-free skies. Plus, I've been dying to check out the US Botanic Gardens because everyone has told me that it's a "lame" place to send my groups. Let me just say this: every single one of my groups will be visiting the gardens from this point out! I don't know what everyone's thinking--this place is gorgeous. It's a gigantic greenhouse that's sectioned off into different climate zones and plant types. There's a jungle. There's a desert. There was entire exhibit on rare orchids. I could have stayed forever. As Caroline pointed out, "not everyone likes plants as much as you," but I don't see how this can be ignored. It's right next to the Capitol, so no excuses, people! If I had a million dollars, I'd rent this place for a weekend and hold an amazing party. Everyone would have little orchids in their drinks and there'd be hidden benches for people to sneak away and smooch (maybe I just want to recreate Eileen's wedding). Garden party, 2012-style.

Before we hit up the Gardens, we grabbed lunch near Eastern Market at Tortilla Cafe. $7 for empanadas and yucca and plantains!? Yes please. We ate in the grass and it was heavenly.

Botanic Garden what what!

This is where I started to die/melt of happiness.

Happy Lady, obviously.

Finally made it home after being away for three days. Luckily, I wasn't forgotten and managed to fit in some quality Abita snuggling. Thanks again, Dad, for watching her this weekend (and not letting her escape/get eaten by coyotes...)

Back to the grind in the morning, but I'm waking up to fresh roasted coffee, planted peppers, and new magnolias out my front door. Spring in Virginia is where I always want to be.

xoxo,

Hannah

"It's really sad to ride by there now and see all them trailers"

It's a miracle!! Bahahaa.

I Have Always Been A Storm

St. Francis keeping watch...

Broken Bird's Home Bells

Yes please.

Proof that Bon Iver should probs stop singing already.

Stay Up and Make Some Memories

Sigh, such a good weekend. So productive. So happy, despite the ick weather. So pumped to rediscover my love for Dave Matthews Band (guilt free! baha). 

Ahh, those were the days!

On Friday night, I crept out of my house and met up with Kirtley at the Whisky Jar for drinks and catch-up.  He is the definition of quirky, and I love it. We ran into Meghan, which always makes me ecstatic, and the night took off from there. I left my car downtown with the idea that I'd just run to pick it up in the morning. Brilliant plan! Until...I wake up to a rainy Saturday, a tad hungover, and realize my running shoes are in my trunk, 4 miles away. I found out just how long it would take me to walk to work...

After my DT hike, I roasted coffee and thought about cleaning my espresso machine. For some reason, thinking about cleaning that thing is so much more appealing than actually doing it. Tomorrow is another day, right??

I went over to Kirtley's grandpa's house to pick through some goodies. Does he know me or what? Digging through other peoples stuff is the best way to spend an afternoon--and I made out like a bandit! A yellow camel planter!! A typewriter!! Some ridiculous drinking glasses!! A BLUE PYREX DISH! True love.

Obviously got one (ok, two) for CSex.

The cactus that broke the camel's back?

It rained all last night, and there are few things more delicious than sleeping with the windows open,  listening to fat drops hit the tree branches on the way down. Even party cat seemed to enjoy it. The cherry on top was receiving a call from my faves--Roberta and Sarah--from a Charleston bachlorette weekend. It sounded...successful!

Today was one of those weird Sundays that seemed to drag on and on and I was able to accomplish so much on my weekend to-do list. It's a miracle. I'm not sure that I believe in nesting, but who knows. I feel like I've been nesting my entire life. I could honestly be in my house all weekend, just tinkering with "stuff," and I'd be completely happy. Someone once asked me, 'what do you do on the weekends??' I don't feel like I watch much TV, and I know I am horrible about answering emails and texts and phone calls. I think it runs in my genes to be happy being alone with myself, thinking and crafting and doing whatever I please. I got my "garden" all dug up and I brainstormed where my chicken coop will go!! SO excited. 

Then...I made more food than I have since I moved here. 

Made a little bit of this:

Some of these: 

And ok, this too: 

There may be something gastronomically wrong with me, because I ate my face off the entire weekend. No regrets. It was all delicious. And, I have massive leftovers!! The world is just! I want to bring some of this to Feaster in Fredvegas...just need to decide which one to make!! 

HiHoHiHo in the morning. Blahhh.

Loves,

Hannah

Stacy's Mom...

...just came on the radio. Am I in a time warp? Am I wearing my hair in a slicked-back pony tail and running shorts from the 10th grade (well, maybe I am. Some things will never change). Usually I'm a big fan of 106.1, but this is throwing me for a loop. Not cool, Stacy. Or your mom. 

Love B-Sav.

However--I have been really into this little song called Emmylou by the Swedish band First Aid Kit. It's soft and southern-y and leaves visions of Emmylou H's amazing silver locks dancing through my head. Emmylou Harris always reminds me of my mom and her crazy friend Wendy, as they put her on a pretty high pedestal when I was growing up. Can't blame a girl. She's pretty grand. 

Today was one of the first "slow" days I've had at work in a while. It was weird. I think back to my last job and how ungodly boring every aspect was and it makes me appreciate even more how much I like my new gig...even if it leaves me wanting to slice 75% of my teachers on a weekly basis. Sigh. Got to work and my boss lady had an Irish Car Bomb Cupcake waiting for me on my desk. Hello! 

Tomorrow the girls and I are headed to Continental Divide to make up for serious lost birthday time and chug a few margs/stuff our faces with drippy nachos. For some reason, I've only been to Continental after Foxfield when I've spent hours baking in the sun and Lilly Pulitzer and PBR. I mean, it always tastes great then, so I'm sure their food is fantastic!

Just 'cause you wear Lilly don't mean you classy.

T minus (I hope) two days until I have a working toilet, sink, and shower in my little house. They look pretty fly in my front yard, but I think the neighbors are starting to fret. I'm hoping that SFP CarSex can visit this weekend, but time will only tell....gotta get fancy for that hoe. 

Ok. Serious stream-of-consciousness post. Locking up and locking down. 

xoxo,

Hannah