weekender!

So... I'm planning to have a pretty good weekend. Every Thursday, I'll try to give a little weekend update and would love to hear about others' plans as well. This season is usually chock full of neat things all over the country... here's what I'll be up to.

FRIDAY
8:30a-5:30p- temp as a receptionist for DC broker firm, Johnston & Lemon.
6:00p-7:00p- authentic Chinese dinner at the apt
7:30p- ? - neighborhood drinks and game night! (Cranium!)

SATURDAY
9:30a-12:00p- Tossed & Found bargain sale, fundraiser for the Junior League of Washington
12:30p-1:30p- visit the highly acclaimed Murky Coffee in Arlington, VA
2:00p-5:00p- go to the dog park with the newest addition to the family, a young Cocker Spaniel/Border Collie mix-breed named Sophie. Check out her profile here. More personal photos soon to come!
6:00p-8:00p- dinner and drinks with my friend Liz B and her visitors. Hooray for visitors!

SUNDAY
10:00a-4:00p- Smithsonian Kite Festival! (aka fantastic free kick-off event for week-long Cherry Blossom Fest)

"I want to know all your plans."

ps: if you can guess what song (or band wrote it) that is, i'll send you some sweet mail :)

capitol style

It's tough to put a finger on DC home style. With so many blocks of similar rowhouses, some residents will do whatever it takes to distinguish their property from their neighbors, be it an abstract sculpture in the yard, an unlikely paint color or an especially decorative entryway.

This home, for sale on Girard St NW, is a stand-out lot on the street with its royal blue trim and golden gargoyles atop the turret. I'm a big fan of the turrets and rounded windows on houses like these. You can find more photos and real estate info on this home here.

The much anticipated Cherry Blossom Festival (which I am very excited to finally attend) begins on Saturday. And the delicate blooms have a huge impact on spring style in this city. Check out Apartment Therapy DC for some lovely cherry blossom inspired decor.

I also wanted to share a find from designsponge. This vintage-looking bedside table is part of the DIY Wednesday post, and because it is Wednesday (and I love this table!) here you are. This is a perfect craft project for those of you with some weekend time. The end result is an easy-on-the-eye original piece of functional furniture.

flavor of the week

Spring is finally here! You'll probably want to be spending more time outdoors and less time in the kitchen. This Spring Tabbouleh recipe, courtesy of the lovely Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks, is a great dish to welcome the season.

I understand she's just trying a different take on the traditional Mediterranean staple, so her recipe is sans tomatoes. But in my opinion, tabbouleh without some juice-popping cherry tomatoes is lacking. So I'd add 'em.

I'd also add these yummy glazed lemon cookies to the menu. Cafe Johnsonia provides play-by-play photo instructions with her recipes, which is great. Does anyone have any favorite spring recipes to share?

Also, apologies again for the delays. I'm finally getting in the groove here, so expect a weekly schedule of neat things coming up!

a fashionably late update

Good morning! No, I did not forget about you. But as an excuse, I've had my coffee at different times and places in the past few weeks. So much has happened and is happening!

First things first. The Knoxville News Sentinel will be publishing a slightly abbreviated version of the Norris Cottage Renovation story, featuring Regina Merritt & Co. Not quite sure of the publication date yet, but will let you know soon. If you're local, get a paper. If you're not, you should be able to find it here.

I made it to the District! I'm staying with some hospitable friends who live in the Columbia Heights area, near Mt. Pleasant. This neighborhood is extremely vibrant; with people, noise and color. I would love to share more about it, but am not familiar enough yet. However, the Prince of Petworth has one of the best neighborhood blogs I've seen. His muses are unique houses, old architecture and city living, to name a few.

Lastly, I wanted to suggest this amazingly sweet 'n' salty treat I had tonight. Bacon + Chocolate is the newest exotic chocolate bar from Vosges Chocolate. Believe me, I was doubtful. But the blending of these two flavors (two of my favorites, I might add) is ingenious. This chocolate is absolutely delicious. The founder and chocolatier, Katrina Markoff, is a pretty fascinating woman. This video is long, but it gives some insight as to how and why people truly savor chocolate. Markoff's inspirations are valuable, and we are fortunate she is able to package her loves and share them with us.

tasty things

I've been a little preoccupied in the past week with writing and studying. So first, check out allthingscottage, because it is up-to-date and chock-full of neat stories and home ideas. Share it with your friends and neighbors!

For those of you that love food, I highly recommend Kim Sunee's memoir, "Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the Search for Home." Although she's barely 40 years old, she has lived a rich, fascinating life. It's a delightful read, plus there are recipes at the end of most of the chapters. Neat.

After I took the GRE yesterday, I was so relieved to be able to put away all my notes and flashcards. So to celebrate, I baked one of my favorite desserts: Gran's Pumpkin Bars.

My sister and I used to spend our afternoons at our friends' grandmother's house when we were younger. Although she's not our grandmother, she likes being called Gran. And she loves to cook. She would make casseroles and pasta and buttery biscuits for us while we sat on her pastel-colored daybed and watched VH-1's Pop-Up Videos. Good times.

Anyway, I don't remember the first time I ate her Pumpkin Bars, but I remember asking for them on my birthday for consecutive years after the initial tasting. Last night was my first attempt, and they were perfect.

Gran's Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup cooking oil
16 oz can pumpkin




2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until fluffy- about 5 minutes. Mix in dry ingredients. Spread in ungreased 15x12 or 9x13 pan. Bake 25-30 minutes. Check center with toothpick before removing from oven. Let cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz cream cheese
1/2 butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Beat together until smooth. Spread generously on top.