Good Eats

All those years working in Alexandria and I never once went to The Majestic in Old Town – until now! I always assumed it was some crappy diner, based on the huge neon retro style sign. Oh no. It's a fantastic little art deco styled fine dining establishment with strong drinks and delicious food.

I had the Fried Green Tomatoes, Amish Chicken 'Hunter-Style', and Red's Crispy Treat - a crepe filled with Chiboust cream, caramelized banana, rice crisps, and chocolate 'milk'. Yuuuuum. I highly recommend.

In further food news, I've been snacking on Popcorn Indiana's Cinnamon Sugar Kettle corn. It's "all-natural" and only 130 calories per serving. The only problem is, it's tough to stop munching. So be warned. 

Dog Parties

Yesterday I ran into one of my neighbors who we see pretty often when she takes her cute little beagle outside for business. She mentioned she was having a birthday party for… wait for it… yes, for her dog!  and asked if we would like to come. I have heard of this phenomena and was so excited to experience this for myself.

The party was at this little shop in Fairfax called Wylie Wagg. It's very nice and has all kinds of toys, accessories, all-natural dog food, and the like. I think we will shop there when we finally get a pooch of our own.

Meanwhile, I think we may have been the only people at this party without a dog or a miniature version of ourselves, which I've learned makes you less approachable at this sort of thing. People like talking to other people when they can comment on the cuteness of their living belongings.

My verdict on doggy birthday parties? Yes, it's ridiculous, but why not celebrate the furry friends in your life? I remember how special our family dogs were growing up, and I think any reason to get friends, neighbors, kids, and dogs together can't be bad at all.

Spring

Last week I went under the knife. I have been freaked out about the possibility of surgery for some time now but it just had to happen. Luckily, everything turned out just fine and I am so relieved to be done with it. I spent most of last week resting and recovering (aka watching Netflix). When I was finally ready to go outside after a few days, it was spring!

One of the great things about living in the DC area is the beautiful landscapes in springtime. Although I was not up to fighting the crowds at the Cherry Blossom festival, we have plenty of trees in our neighborhood that are full of lovely blooms.

Spring is a time for rebirth, renewal and regrowth. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to experience Spring in my surroundings and within.

Thank You Iceland

I just discovered these fantastic commercials for Reyka Vodka via our friends Lindsay and Danny who we had the pleasure of consuming vodka with last weekend at the Russia House.

I love the juxtaposition of the rough, hand drawn animation with a simple video. Add to that, the fact that this girl is just adorable and hilarious.



There are two more here and here.

Crazy Sexy Diet

I just finished reading Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet. This book is a fabulous introduction to why the SAD (standard american diet) does not work, and why eating a fresh, plant-based diet is the way to go. Kris' writing style is so entertaining and down to earth, it feels like you're getting advice from a good friend, not like you're being lectured on why your favorite foods are crap.

Much of this book was a refresher course for me, based on some of my learning in the past couple of years. But it's always good to get a pep talk and to learn new tidbits to keep you on track. While there is a lot that is covered in the book, here are a few points that I especially want to focus on:

1) Ditch the "crack" (aka sugar) - This has been a constant battle for me. Even though I think smoking is nasty and drugs are dumb, I can totally sympathize with people who have addictions. If I can't say no to a cupcake, it's gotta be pretty tough to kick a drug habit. Kris lays it out plain and simple—sugar is yucky and addictive. She also gives some great alternatives to say, eating a roll of cookie dough. Not that I've ever done that…

2) Dry brushing -  I started dry brushing about 6 months ago. I've been kinda up and down with this but it does feel invigorating. It really helps me to stop and connect with my body for a minute. You can read more about dry brushing here.

3) Meditation - you can eat right, exercise, and take a butt-load of supplements, but if your mind is whack, you're gonna fall off the wagon. I have experienced the power of meditation, and what a difference my mood can be if take even 1 minute to close my eyes and just breath. But, admittedly, I'm more of a yoga class meditator. This book has inspired me to make mediation a part of my daily routine. Yes, it's one more thing on the to-do list, but I think my mind and body will thank me.

Give a Little, Get a Little

TODAY ONLY, Forever 21 is giving 100% of every dollar you spend online today toward relief efforts in Japan. Sign me up! Here are a few things I snagged.

Smoothie Recipe

A friend of mine told me about this Smoothie he tried the other day. It sounded so yummy, I created my own version of it. The combination of these ingredients sound a little odd, but it tastes so good–like pumpkin pie in a cup!

Nutty Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

3/4 cup nut milk (I used Hazelnut)
5 oz. fresh carrot juice
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 heaping tablespoon almond butter
a few dashes of pumpkin pie spice
1 pinch salt