How to Start Your Day

This morning, I woke up to a pile of cat yack filled with cricket carcasses! What a wonderful start to the week. Poor little party cat seems to have overdosed on HBCs...I can't say I'm not thrilled by her inner-killah spirit, but I think someone's learned her limits...

Meanwhile, I have spinach everywhere!!! 

(yes, this post has guaranteed my spot to early granny-hood. Cat + garden = 80-year old trapped in my body. Can't stop won't stop.)

On Saturday, I went to a local wine festival with my love Sara! Met another Sarah and had fun running into people of the past and tasting all the (mostly) delicious wine from around town. Note: Horton's fruit wine is a no-go. Blech.

And finally, the countdown is on. It's been almost two months since I've seen this fool and almost one year since our lives ended completely. SW 2011!!!! Who could forget?!? But not to dwell on these subjects, as we have much more pressing issues at the moment... : 

I would be fooling everyone to say I haven't been brainstorming this little photo shoot. It'll go down in the books! Besides, how could this little LL not create a magical holiday memory?!?

She's sfp.

Riding my bike to work tomorrow and nobody can stop me. I'm looking at you, rain.

Over and out,

hmc

Best Day Evah?

Frolicking in fields. Playing with weeds. Looking at pretty flowers. Sounds about right.

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

The Hook

The weekend verdict? Stay in town with the 'rents and listen to some banjo-playin' fools while catching up with an old friend over spinach, artichoke, and asparagus pizza. Yumm. I haven't seem Tim in almost two years, which is crazy to me because he was one of my best friends in high school and we used to always run in the same circles (literally). I love bumping into people you haven't seen or talked to in forever and picking up exactly where you left off. It's so refreshing--I only I wish I'd brought my camera to catch a picture of Tim's stylish new grizzly man beard. It was v. impressive. 

Meanwhile, everything in the Lou is bursting in techno-color green. The fields are lush and delicious and ready for fall. My mom was on her typical mission: find something to paint, stat! So, she pulled out the new ladder she bought for her bathroom and started sanding. It began a sad, chipped blue color but ended with an awesome glossy black finish--the perfect addition to her room.

Also, it's walnut season like woah. Watch your head...

What's the story, morning glory? They've taken over the blackberry patch.

More exciting news at my parents' house: they planted two fig trees (and "they already have figs! See!?!'). Gettin' figgy with it. 

On one of her recent scavenger hunt adventures, my mom found this old medicine cabinet for $3 and decided it was something I needed to fix up and have. Umm, ok!!

So proud. 

I found this Anthropologie mug at Goodwill for a whopping $.35!! I'm gonna pretend the 'm' is for my middle name....

Boo lovin'.

So ladylike...

My parents are in the process of "renovating" their patio. In the meantime,  the front yard is a giant sand pit filled to the brim with walnuts and cats. Tiger especially loves to lie, play, roll, and frolic anywhere near the glorified, oversized litter box. Meow.

Saturday night, we went to Montpelier to watch fireworks for Constitution Day. It was awesome because we got to "sneak" in the back gate and drive to a secluded part of the steeplechase course to watch the show all by ourselves--how many people get to use James Madison's estate as their personal playground? Super lucky, and it was the perfect night for fireworks. 

Anyway. Don't have to work until 4:00pm today. Who knows when I'm leaving... midnight at the earliest...? Trying my best to keep the cranky pants at bay. We shall see. 

xxx, Hannah