{Five Things} in NYC

That time we spent our last few hours in NYC at The Plaza drinking wine.

Last weekend in New York City with my besties from DC was the tops. We laughed, ate too much, drank too much, and reestablished our love for brunch, rose wine, the Kate Spade store and wealthy benefactors. Here are some of my favorite moments from this weekend (as if there were only 5 favorite moments).

That time we had cocktails AND a bag of donuts at lunch.

That time I was still learning how to use the selfie stick at the Carrie Bradshaw steps on Perry Street.

That time we made best friends with the Irish bartender and he decided to give us party favors.

And that time I FINALLY met Alice, emily and phil's little piece of sunshine beauty.

A Weekend in Washington

Still pretty, even with all his scaffolding. My photog skills though...

I got off the plane feeling like I was coming home. It's not a usual feeling in a place you haven't lived in over two years, but DC is like that for me. I did a lot of growing up there. It's where I met lifelong friends, had my first fight with a coworker, learned when to keep my mouth shut (something my brother has been trying to teach me for years...), and also when to speak up. 

This weekend was the baby shower for my friend Emily, who is graceful and lovely at all times, and is so even at 7 months pregnant. The baby shower was on Sunday afternoon, and as "Junior Hostess," I got to show up early, help set up, and drink mimosas before anyone else got there. It's pretty awesome. We spent the afternoon in complete love for new baby D, and I can't wait to meet her in the spring!

But before Sunday, I visited all my favorite restaurants and shops, including Capitol Hill Books, which is kind of, like, the best place in DC. Books are ripping the seems off the place, shoved into crevices that may only be there by accident. It's like a disorganized version of Shakespeare & Co. in Paris, and I love every inch of it.

I also had my first mussels experience on Friday night at Granville Moore's, and they were delicious. The sandwich at Mr. Henry's was as satisfying as I remember, and Cap Lounge is...the same, and amazing.

The best part, though, was seeing everyone. It feels good to walk over to H Street in a pack of four again, chatting about the day or work or family, or drive down Penn and see the places I once saw every day. A friend once described DC to me as an Island of Misfit Toys, a compilation of people from all over the country who somehow band together as lifelong friends, coworkers and companions. I don't think she's wrong. Every time I go back, I'm reminded how much I'll always love my Island, and the Toys that live there.

Shower!

Hostesses (and jr. hostess in the middle)

It was quite a spread.

Good friends.

PS. Thanks, Olivia, for the pics!

A San Antonio Wedding and a Visit to the Country

The bride walked down the aisle with her father, and I had forgotten a kleenex. Weddings are always emotional for me and, well, for a lot of people. Something bubbles up when I am surrounded by love and the promise of commitment, and the emotion escapes through my eyes. I felt better when I realized I wasn't the only person in my row with tears in my eyes.

I drove to San Antonio Thursday to attend the wedding of a good friend from DC. I hadn't been to SA in at least five years, and even longer than that since I'd been to the River Walk, which is where most of the weekend's festivities took place. What a lovely area of town! Despite temps in the 90s, it was nice to lounge by the pool at the Omni La Masion, meander down the river, and enjoy time with good friends.

Beth and me at the Bridal Luncheon. Trying to beat the heat with our fans!

The bride was sweet to let me get ready with them on Saturday even though I wasn't a bridesmaid, and I loved having some extra special time with my DC ladies, whom I see so rarely these days. *sad face*

The wedding was at the San Fernando Cathedral. It was a beautiful, well-lit church near the river and provided the perfect backdrop for Olivia and Josh to say their vows. Between the ceremony and the reception (a time referred to as the Catholic Gap since Catholic weddings are usually so early in the day), we guests took a bus tour of downtown San Antonio. The bride and groom graciously provided the buses with beer while we toured. So we sipped the cold beverages and I gave a debatably-terrible recreation of the Battle of the Alamo to two non-Texan friends.

I can create the story for you, for a small fee.

Eventually we arrived at the McNay Museum for the reception. Y'all, this reception was amazing. The food was incredible, the toasts were sweet and thoughtful, and the band was spot-on. Olivia has been talking about their wedding band, Blind Date, for months, so my expectations were pretty high. This Austin-based band exceeded them all, and I danced the night away to incredible music in the air.

Awesome couple!

Miss these ladies! 

And my former roomie!!

Mmmmmm.

The next day, I got up and made a necessary run to Whataburger with my buddy Beth. Because #texas.












I decided to spend Sunday night a few miles outside Bandera, TX at my Aunt Jenn's house. I hadn't been to their house in forever, so I took advantage of being so close to spend time with her, my uncle, and their three great kids. We went to dinner at a Bandera staple, the OST Restaurant, and then Jenn and I chatted underneath the stars for hours until bedtime. The next morning, in true country-living fashion, we baked buttermilk pies.

They have roughly 30 chickens and get at least 10 eggs a day! 

Beautiful morning in the Hill Country.

Dogs on the porch.

Homemade crust is the way to go!

Beautiful...and delicious

I drove the few hours back to Abilene yesterday afternoon listening to an audio tape I bought on the way down. Spending time with friends and family is about all I could ask for out of a weekend, and this one ranks pretty high on my list of favorites. Driving north on Highway 83, I watched a Texas sunset alter the landscape to my left and change the sky from bright blue to pink and orange. I'm pretty sure I smiled the whole way home.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

#OMVbach

Last weekend, I spent a relaxing, quiet weekend reading and drinking coffee on the sands of beautiful South Padre Island, TX. I splashed in the waves, listened to seagulls cawing, and spent hours contemplating why we are all here on this earth.




Hahahahha, jk. It was an absolute Hot. Mess.

A very good friend of mine from DC, Olivia, had her bachelorette party this weekend in Padre. We had a blast. I met new friends, spent some much needed time with old friends, and loved celebrating the bride-to-be. Olivia and Josh are probably the most perfect couple in the history of time, and I loved getting to see the bride in her element: dancing on a stage barefoot with a crown on her head and hot pink sash around her shoulders.

I'm not going to describe every detail, I'll leave that to the bride over at Mother May I. I will say that I love my DC friends, and it always makes my heart so happy when we can all hang out.

It was a weekend of wine and champagne, white sand and cold water, Cards Against Humanity, a lot of Mexican food, a lingerie shower and bridal jeopardy, some border patrol agents, jello shots (oi..), group texts, happy crying, maybe some property damage at the bar, even more Mexican food, and many laughs.

Monday Meals

My first year in DC, I lived primarily on lean cuisines, pizza and take out Thai food. I had never really cooked before, and didn't really feel like I had the time to learn. A new job, a new city, and trying to make new friends made my time in the kitchen minimal. Then I moved in with little Lanie, and I was inspired by her ease at the stove and the wonderful smells that filled our apartment. I decided to try my hand at simple dishes (pasta), and gradually worked my way up (pasta and chicken).

Being back in Abilene, where I have the ability to drive to and fro the grocery store and can actually buy more than I can carry, I try to cook a few meals every week. They're usually a random mixture of everything I have in the fridge that is about to go bad, but sometimes I throw together something that's actually decent. So I'm going to try to post a new recipe here every Monday, even if it's a recipe I ripped off borrowed from another blog or Pinterest. The inaugural post: Turkey and Black Bean BBQ Stuffed Sweet Potato (the name needs work...)

Ingredients:

-favorite BBQ sauce
-crushed red pepper
-chopped parsley
-1 can black beans
-sweet potato
-onion
-spinach
-minced garlic (duh)
-1/2 pack of ground turkey (or beef or chicken)
-colby jack shredded cheese (or your favorite)

Poke the sweet potato all over with a fork and bake at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes. While it's baking, heat oil in a pan and add garlic, crushed red peppers and onion. Brown the turkey and then add the spinach. Once the spinach is wilted, add black beans. Sprinkle parsley to taste, then add BBQ sauce. I added a lot because I love it, but any amount will do.

Once the potato is done, cut it open and smash the insides with a fork. Add a spoonful (or two) of the turkey BBQ mix and mix with the sweet potato innards.

Sprinkle your favorite cheese over the top and voila!!

Have a favorite sweet potato recipe? Or BBQ recipe? I'd love to hear it. Please share in the comments!