Hello Huzzah

The Phillips Collection

On Sunday, we dressed our best and took the train to Dupont Circle for a tour of the Phillips Collection and a walk around the neighborhood.


The Phillips is a beautiful museum (that used to be the home of a very wealthy family) that houses paintings from various artists, including Renoir's famous Luncheon of the Boating Party. The art collection is varied and impressive, but I found the antique details left from the old house to be the most interesting part; beautiful old fireplaces and carved wood molding in the music hall. (As a plus, we got to  visit our gorgeous friend Rhiannon who works there- go meet her and purchase a membership to the museum.)




After the museum, we strolled around the neighborhood, envying its residents.



Sigh. Maybe one day.
 
(Dress- Pinup Girl Clothing, Shoes- Poetic License, Bag- Hello Holiday)
 
Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared

Comet Ping Pong

We woke up late today, made coffee, and slowly got ready to go to lunch at Comet Ping Pong. Comet Ping Pong is a really fun restaurant that, as your probably guessed, is comet and ping pong themed. The tables are painted like ping pong tables and for 50 cents (the price of a ball) you can play ping pong on one of three tables in the back of the restaurant.



The pizza was delicious, the tiramisu even more so, and I think we played the game surprisingly well (ok, not really). The restaurant is eccentrically decorated and has been featured in a slew of famous foodie publications and tv shows (Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives for instance). And the LivingSocial deal we utilized was kick ass. So, look into that.





It is a 15 minute walk to and from the Tenleytown metro and in the Spring weather, holding hands, it was divine.


Perfect Saturday.
And even better, Doctor Who is on tonight.
 
Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared

A Year in DC

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of our move to DC. To celebrate, we headed downtown for coffee at Chinatown Coffee Company (delicious!) and to Washington's favorite movie theater, E Street Cinema, to see Breakfast at Tiffany's.




While, it was one of the hardest years for me personally, in many ways this year has been completely wonderful. We took a big risk- we moved far away from home, to a city where we knew no one. It was the right decision. We've had so many adventures; seen so many things we didn't ever think we'd see. And we're ready for more. I don't know if DC is our forever home (New York? San Fransisco? Edinburgh?), but for now, we love our adopted city and we'll always treasure our time here.

We can't believe it's been a year.  We can't believe it's only been a year.

Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared

Making it Better

Everyone has bad days. Sometimes it's because of simple things like CVS losing your prescription or your dentist telling you that you're going to have to get adult braces (sigh). Other times it can be more serious; an impending medical exam, family melodrama, or a sick cat. Can you tell that it's been a tough week?
For those little problems, I've constructed a short list of little pick-me-ups that are getting me through this week:

• The Big Blue bath bomb from Lush. As my friend Rhiannon mentioned, it turns an ordinary bath into mermaid water. It smells heavenly on my skin and in my bathroom and at only 7$ is one of the cheapest ways to spoil yourself.
• Baking cookies. My FAVORITE cookies are of the oatmeal-cranberry-walnut variety. At a grocery store in Tennessee, I was able to find the most delicious break and bake version. When I'm missing home or feeling particularly blue, I break out this recipe, which is very similar and relatively easy to make (I add extra craisins).
  
• Treating yourself to lunch and a book. I really like to take a book to Potbelly's and order the chili with extra oyster crackers and a big chocolate chip cookie. Also, I heartily recommend Caitlin Moran's How to Be a Woman-phenomenal.
  
• If you can (and are in need of larger forms of cheer) I suggest purchasing a little something from Hello Holiday. If you go to their joyfully colorful website and glance at their inventory, you'll know why. Plus, it's owned and operated by two of the coolest women on the internet. I want to be them when I grow up.
  
• I can't recommend snuggling enough. Especially when it's with these two. But they're mine. So, find your own.
  

While I recognize that the above steps won't solve all of your problems, they considerably brighten my mind.

I hope I helped.

Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared

Little Bits of Lately

• The past week, we walked to two memorials we haven't visited before; the Martin Luther King Jr. and the Titanic memorials.
  
  
• Last Wednesday, we met with a local photographer we both admire for a possible project we're going to work on together and we really hope it happens! We met at Bistro Bohem for a Polish/German dinner and we reallyyyy want to try Kafe Bohem next door sometime soon. (Shirt Modcloth, Shorts, TightsH&M,  Shoes Target.)
  
  
• Also, we went to Shake Shack with my dad the other night and we both wore White Stripes shirts. Because we're obsessed. Also, I wore my new Ban.do bobbi.
  
  
  
• I recently picked this book up and I'm already hooked.
  
• It's true.
  
  

Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared
p.s.
Today we're taking the seven hour road trip home to Tennessee for a little visit. So, we'll see you Monday!

Street Fun

On any given day in DC, there is bound to be a cultural event taking place somewhere. On Saturday, there were 3 (at least) and they were all taking place simultaneously, within a block of each other. We of course went to all three. And yes, we were EXHAUSTED afterwards.
The day started on Constitution Ave. for the Cherry Blossom Parade; the big closing event for the festival. (Yo, 10 am is too early for a parade to start, people.) Our favorite part of the parade was definitely the traditional Japanese dancing and drumming. Beyond that, it is truly not worth going to if you do not pay for seating on the grand stand (which of course we didn't, because, really? 20 dollars a seat for a parade). So our advice would be to skip the parade and go directly to the Japanese street festival going on directly a street over, on Pennsylvania Ave.






The street festival WAS FUN. Surprisingly so, given that the parade was a snooze. The highlights- cosplayers, the various food and souvenir vendors (our pick? the tent aptly called Chicken Smells Good), and the J-Pop performance stage. However, the crowds ruin a good thing and we didn't stay as long as we would've liked.





Going on not even a block up from the street festival was the Blessing of the Fleets; an annual Navel tradition. We admittedly didn't see much of this event, but the sounds of the Navy Band sweetly played us home.


So, our advice to future Cherry Blossom Festival tourists- either cough up the amount to sit in the privileged seats or skip the parade all together for the much more happenin' street festival. That's where the cool people are. And make sure to at least sneak a glance of the ceremony taking place at the Navy Memorial Fountain.
I promise, only maybe one more post on the Cherry Blossom Festival. Or two.
 
Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared
 
p.s.
Uzuhi, the band performing at the J-Pop stage while we were there, KILLED it. So fun.
 
Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared

City in Bloom

You knew this was coming, right? Yes, this is a very heavy picture post of the cherry blossoms. We visited the famous Yoshino cherry trees at the Tidal Basin last Saturday for a little picnic and then again when they reached the infamous 'peak bloom' on Tuesday. And yes, it was completely beautiful. The fluffy pinkness of the trees is dream like, and now we now know why there were literally a million tourists congregated around the Tidal Basin. I'll stop now and let the pictures speak for themselves.














 
Also, this is a little Japanese picnic mat that my gracious mother-in-law got me for Christmas (from Modcloth)- and I adore it. (My sandals are Saltwaters from Modcloth and my dress is also Modcloth)

 
Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared
p.s. Today is the last day of the Cherry Blossom Festival and I am grateful. The tourists do pour money into the city and I'm sure there are some polite ones running around, but I am ready for them all to go home. It will be nice to go to a restaurant, walk down an escalator, walk freely around the city, and find a seat on the metro again.

My Life in Vine

Three vines were taken at the South West Waterfront Festival, and the YouTube video is from the Cherry Blossom Festival around the Tidal Basin (more to come on that later).

Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared

Down by the Boardwalk

Saturday was the Southwest Waterfront Festival; a part of the Cherry Blossom Festival that has completely encompassed DC right now. (Tourists, go home. I'm sorry. But please.) There were bands, crafts for the kiddies, Japanese drumming, food trucks, a marketplace, etc., ending in a stunning firework display over the Potomac.


We sampled the food truck fare (barbecue and cupcakes) and strolled through the marketplace during the day. I love the food trucks- they almost look like pieces of art roaming the city.That night, we went back to see the lighted koi boats and the fireworks. Best of all- we live on the same street as the festival! Super convenient (especially when we needed our coats). For the most part, the weather was lovely and satiated our spring fever nicely.







It was a completely lovely Saturday.


Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared

Pictures From Last Weekend

 
Many Huzzahs,
Janice & Jared