Immortal Beloved

My favorite hairdresser left DC but the salon he worked at is still here.  I went to a stylist he recommended and was reminded how gorgeous the salon is.

It's an old mechanic's garage and it has the high ceilings of an industrial space.

I remember Shawn telling me that the owner designed and created all of the mirrors.  

I believe there was once an even taller tree in the bathtub but it has since been replaced by shorter bushes.

I love the image of the lone wig.  I didn't see anyone go near it while I was there but it's ready when needed.

It's A Beautiful Day In This Neighborhood

These are the buildings that I pass on my way to work.

This is the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue where I've seen a few good concerts.

The National Portrait Gallery which resembles a lot of other big white buildings in DC.  Like the church below.

The DC Chinatown which really isn't a Chinatown like the one in NYC.  There are a couple of Chinese restaurants but it's mostly become a neighborhood full of Fuddruckers-type restaurants and Bed Bath & Beyond.

But the exciting discovery was the Go-Go Lounge only a block from my building.  I left my apartment around 6 am one morning and saw a very "lady of the night" dressed woman walking by.  One of my co-workers told me about this place and it all made sense where she was coming from. 

My Dead Hollywood Crush

I thought about posting just pictures of Paul Newman.  He's beautiful.  But he's more than a pretty face.  I'll watch any and every movie he's in. I'll take him as Eddie Felton in Hustler to Harry Gondorff in The Sting.  And his relationship with his wife makes him that much more attractive.

The White House Fall Garden

This morning I was at the Nantucket airport and I received the most wonderful email from Karen inviting me to go with her to the White House Fall Garden Tour.  The White House opens up the garden periodically for these tours but I've never been on one before.  I had a goal to get back to DC in time for our 3 pm tour.

It was one of those hurried days but completely worth it.  I'm skipping over the pictures from the past week in Nantucket because I'm kind of excited that this actually happened today but they will appear shortly.

Karen in front of the west side of the house.

The view from the White House garden.  The area beyond the fountain is where I graduated from college. 

Karen thought Sasha and Malia should have found it fun to come out and wave to us like the Royal Family.

The famous Rose Garden.

And a picture of the Beer Summit that happened in the Rose Garden.  There were lots of photos like this one to remind the visitors of what happened where and which first lady planted what trees.

Sasha and Malia's swing set.  Am I wrong to think they probably don't use this any more?

The famous White House Beehive which makes the honey for the White House beer.

The kitchen garden which was really far away from the house but large and impressive.

And this is probably my favorite picture of the day - Karen with Rosalynn Carter and the White House.

Black Watch

I'm leaving for a week in Nantucket.  It's my first vacation in over a year and I'm so excited.  It's the perfect time after a month of crazy changes to just escape for a little while.  I want my Moonrise Kingdom experience.

I'm boarding a plane in a few hours but I really wanted to post on the play I saw Wednesday night at the Shakespeare Theater called Black Watch. 

The space was amazing.  It's been built since I left DC in 2008.  We actually sat on the stage for the performance which I was wary of in the beginning but I ended up loving it. 

The play is about the Black Watch in Iraq during the early years of the war.  The Black Watch is the Scottish infantry regiment.  The play goes through the history of the regiment in an innovative way using the uniforms to tell a story.  I cried a few times because it brought the war to a very intimate setting. Erik went with me and he was still deciding if he even liked it.  I did and it resonated with me more than I expected.  It's interesting to see the experience of our Allies in a war that was very much an American war.

I walk by the theater every morning on the way to work and think it's beautiful, especially when it's lit up.

I'm off to Nantucket to find Wes Anderson.

It's Pie Time

I went to a dinner party on Sunday night at Karen's house and saw this beautiful pie made by my friend Jill.  It reminded me how much I love this season and how a pie party needs to happen soon.

First Dinner Party

I get these urges every month or so when I want to cook for people.  I found some recipes on Smitten Kitchen that are very autumn-like and it was a wonderful excuse to buy lots of cheese.

I definitely don't have the skills of Mer but I'm happy with a platter of cheese and crackers. 

Yes, that is Dave.  A familiar face from the NYC days.  With Christina and Jill.

I feel bad about catching some of them unaware but I love Jenica's gesticulations.

I made a big pan of orzo with eggplant, carrots, mozzarella, onions and parmesan.  I would make this again but switch out the carrots for sweet potatoes.

I forgot to take a picture of the best part of the meal - the dessert.  I made an apple, pear, ginger crisp.  It was supposed to be a pear, cranberry, and ginger crisp but the pears were not ripe enough.  I supplemented the one that was ripe with granny smith apples and honey crisp apples.  I love any and all crisps.