Sometime around the middle of November, I'll have a weekend where I get to wake up early, but not too early, to a clean house, read a book on the couch and watch the morning light stream in through the windows. This past weekend was not that weekend. All told, I had three brunches, six trips into and out of the city, ran ten miles, walked four miles and generally spent a fantastic weekend with fantastic friends.

Happy Weekend: A Good Way To End The Week.

When I lived in Chicago, I went to spinning class every Friday after work. While most people were unwinding at happy hour, getting relaxed and lubricated, I was pedaling until my quads burned and dripping with ungodly amounts of sweat. It was the perfect way to release the stress and tension of the week and start the weekend off feeling great.

Now that I'm back at work, I'm not able to do my weekday runs in the morning. I'm generally out for an hour to an hour and a half, and there is no way I could do that, get ready and leave the house by 7:30am. Instead I have been running after work. Last night I went out for a 6-miler along the Rock Creek Trail. Spending an hour on the trail, with a hint of fall in the air and daylight fading, is a pretty beautiful way to end the week and start the weekend.

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Week(end)s Recap: Birthdays & Beach Days.

These last ten days have been all about family. An ideal way to spend the end of summer, if you ask me.

Two weekends ago, we took a short trip up to New Jersey to celebrate my Bobchi's 90th birthday. We threw her a surprise party with all her friends. She was sure surprised. About an hour into the party, her (octogenarian) baby brother also showed up. I love her reaction to seeing him walk through the door.

My aunt made her an incredible topsy-turvy cake decorated with all the things she loves: flowers, cards, birds, baseballs, and the initials of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchild.

My niece was the life of the party and entertained my grandmother's friends all afternoon.

Right after our weekend in New Jersey, we caught a plane to Florida for some more family time, this time with my in-laws. It had been over nine months since we had last seen my husband's family, and these five days together were just what we needed.

We stayed in this beautiful beach-front house in Carillon Beach.

Drank our morning coffee while delighting in this view.

Spent plenty of time enjoying each others' company, eating family dinners, assembling puzzles, and battling undertow together.

At the end of every day, we would sit on our back porch, watch the sun set over the ocean, and think about how lucky we are to have each other

Happy Weekend: Move.

This next week will be planes, trains and automobiles (actually automobiles, long-term parking and planes) as we dart from one family reunion to another. Though we're just going from Maryland to New Jersey to Maryland to Florida, and maybe back to New Jersey and back to Maryland, I thought this video by independent filmmaker Rick Mereki would be a nice way to send you into the weekend.

Next week while I'm at the beach, I'll be doing posts about my favorite beaches. I would say that it's a top five beaches countdown, but I can't pick a favorite and they're in no particular order.

Where are you going this weekend?

Weekend Recap: Beer, Milk, 1965, 17.

This was a weekend of extremes. On Friday night, hubs and I went out with friends for happy hour, and a few hours beyond. A margarita at a Mexican place, beer at an Irish pub, and milk at a motorcycle-themed bar. Wait, what? Yep. The bar happens to be next to a bakery, and what else was I going to drink with my cupcake? Don't judge.

Saturday I pretty much did this:

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Honestly, it is amazing that I don't have bedsores from the amount of time I spent laying on the couch watching this show. Thanks to Netflix finally making it available on streaming, we watched eight episodes of Mad Men on Saturday. And then I watched two more on Sunday after my 17-mile run, although I fell asleep during the second one. (I would like to justify my extreme laziness on Saturday with the fact that I woke up at the crack of dawn on Sunday to run such a ridiculous distance.)

I am thisclose to finishing Season 4 and I'm not sure what I'll do until Season 5 starts airing next year (ugh!). Since we don't have cable, I'm also not sure what I'll do once the show does start airing again. I'm sure there is a restaurant or bar around here that runs the shows. I hope.

Well, I think I'll go finish watching that second episode right now. Goodbye.

Weekend Recap: Hot. Humid. Art.

A filling, fun, sticky, exhausting weekend. A few friends were in town this weekend, which made for some exploration of local restaurants and watering holes and great conversation. It also got us out of the house on a couple wildly hot, humid days.

On Saturday we explored the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. To be completely honest, I never knew the American Art Museum existed. And it is wonderful! We went there specifically to see a photography exhibit that closed this weekend titled Close to Home: Photographers and Their Families. It showcased nine photographers' shots of their family. I particularly loved the two crisp, saturated photographs by Larry Sultan.

Mom In The Garage

Dad On Bed

Virginia Beahan's series of photographs taken after her aging mother came to live with her are beautiful and haunting.

Christina and Gram on Thanksgiving

First Day of Spring

All images via La Lettre de la Photographie.com.

I also enjoyed the museum's modern and contemporary wing, especially Nam June Paik's enormous multimedia installation Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii.

We later saw Abe Frajndlich's photograph of Paik in the Portrait Gallery along with paintings, photographs, drawings and sculptures of other famous artists, politicians, athletes and performers.

Happy Weekend: From Me To You.

Have you seen From Me To You, the amazing blog of photographer Jamie Beck? Her still photographs are incredible, but what has been garnering more attention are her cinemagraphs.

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Have an unexpectedly beautiful weekend.

Weekend Recap: Driving, Eating, Scanning.

For me, this is the true sign of a road trip:

I was a little wary of eating McDonald's the night before a 14 mile run along a trail with absolutely no bathrooms, but it didn't prevent me from getting my usual - 6-piece chicken nuggets, hamburger with extra pickles and fries. I know, gross, right? Well, it all worked out for the best. The run went splendidly - more on that tomorrow - and I got my quintessential road trip food.

The main reason I went home was to work on a project I'm putting together for my grandmother's 90th birthday. I spent all afternoon Saturday and most of the day Sunday looking through old family photographs, like this one: 

I only took breaks from my sorting and scanning to eat. My mom made a fantastic early dinner of spare ribs, potato salad and fresh Jersey tomatoes. Later, my aunt stopped by and we all drove up to my favorite Jersey restaurant Hot Dog Johnny's. It's an establishment. 

We took the long way home. Crossing the Delaware River on a small (toll-less) bridge into Pennsylvania, we drove along the river to the Portland, PA, pedestrian bridge, where we were blessed with this view of the Delaware Water Gap:

Looking south from the bridge gave us an almost equally beautiful view. The juxtaposition of the smoke stacks and the natural landscape is interesting. Sadly, this GenOn Energy coal-burning power plant is the main source of sulfur dioxide in North Jersey, negatively impacting air quality and, likely, the respiratory health of New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents.

And considering this is the New Jersey I grew up in, with trees, rivers, vast farmlands with the best tomatoes and corn you will ever eat, this is particularly upsetting. I know most people think New Jersey is Camden, the Turnpike, or the oil refineries they see when flying into Newark Airport, but this is is my New Jersey:

Ok, I'm climbing down off my Jersey soapbox now. I'll just say that it was a wonderful weekend, filled with my favorite things - long drives in the country, farmer's markets, food and family.

Happy Weekend: On the Road.

In honor of hitting the road this evening, here are a few of my favorite road trip songs. Hope your weekend is full of music, adventure, fun and family.

Wearing: Road Trip, Weekend Away.

This weekend, hubs and I are hitting the road for New Jersey to visit my family and get away from the city for a couple days. One of the reasons I love living where we do is because it is closer to my family - only about a four hour drive. Whether traveling by car, plane or train, this is my go-to in-transit outfit:

The perfect grey t-shirt I wore on July 4th is great for traveling. Same with these pants. They are chambray, so they are super light, ideal for summer when you may experience an over-air conditioned airplane, movie theater or grocery store, but don't want to bake when you're outside in the heat. The pair shown here is Joe's Jeans, but I got mine from Target. My no-brainer travel shoes are these DKNY flats I bought a few summers ago at Macy's. They keep my feet cool, but have a substantial sole, so I can walk for miles in them.

I wear the same jewelry every time I leave town. The pyramid earrings work for dressy and casual outfits, and so are the perfect pair to wear all trip long. These necklaces, aside from being beautiful, are kind of my good luck charms. I have this Max & Chloe initial necklace (with a G) and this Jess LC Franklin necklace with the phrase "Be Brave" in braille and I wear them every time I travel. Another accessory I always bring with me when I travel is a scarf. I love this one from Aldo. No matter the temperature where I am or where I'm going, chances are, at some point, I am going to be cold.

For a weekend away, I'm usually able to get all the items I need in this Hollywood Intuition bag I bought at Target last year. For a longer trip, I use it as my carry on because it fits my DSLR camera, a change of clothes, toiletries, travel documents, wallet, phone and iPad like a champ. For this weekend we are just going on a low-key trip, so I'm not planning on bringing much. Aside from my running stuff and PJs, this is all I'll pack:

My striped longsleeve t-shirt is a staple in my wardrobe. The one I own is from Gap, purchased last summer for about $20. The one shown here is from J.Crew and costs more than I would spend on almost any piece of clothing. I have a shirt similar to this gingham check button down from Old Navy and love it. Mine is flannel, so not ideal for summer, but still light enough to wear when temps are mild, as they should be this weekend. If it warms up, I'll probably change into a tank, like this one from Old Navy. These shorts are perfect because they go with every other piece I'll have with me for the weekend. I have a similar pair in linen that I bought at Target a few years ago.

Because I am staying at my parents' house, I can keep my toiletries to a minimum. So I'll make sure to bring my face cleanser and tinted moisturizer from Kiehl's and a pretty coral-colored lip gloss (Revlon Color Stay Mineral Lip Glaze in Continuous Coral). C'est tout.

Weekend Recap: Relaxing, Reverting.

This weekend, we all did a lot of this:

While I was out running errands on Friday afternoon, I stopped in at AC Moore and picked up some embroidery floss to make friendship bracelets (like I mentioned here). By the time I left the store we were getting some wicked thunderstorms and downpours, so it was the perfect time to cozy up on the couch and try to remember how my young fingers used to turn this string into jewelry. I got the hang of it after just a little while, and enjoyed the mindless monotony of tying a knot, tying a knot, tying a knot... 

After my run on Sunday morning - only 10 miles (more on this tomorrow) - hubs and I took these beauties out for a spin. We rode 5 miles down Beach Drive to our favorite farm stand to pick up some local produce. Tomatoes. Peaches. Blackberries. Green beans. Yum. Then it was 5 miles back home. Ouch.

When we got home, we turned on the USA v. Brazil Women's World Cup game, which ended up being a 120 minute plus nail-biter of epic proportions. My nerves were rattled watching the end of the game...actually, the last half of the game, extra time and penalty kicks. I cannot handle penalty kicks. I think I conjure memories of taking PKs in a few high school state tournament games and the anxiety makes my head want to explode. After the American ladies won the game, I needed a nap. Like this guy:

Have a Beautiful Weekend.

Wearing: July 4th Weekend.

Not very glamorous. Not very interesting. But very practical. This is what I'll be living in this weekend. In fact, I started wearing this outfit yesterday, slept in the T-shirt last night, and plan to (maybe, hopefully) wash it before wearing it again tonight tomorrow Monday. 

Our plans for Monday include riding our bikes into DC, listening to the reading of the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives, watching the National Independence Day Parade, heading over to watch the Nats take on the Cubbies, and, more importantly, eat hot dogs and drink beer (God Bless America). Boy, it'll be hard to root for the home team when they're playing the Lovable Losers. Later in the night, we'll probably take in some fireworks. 

This outfit will keep me cool and comfy for my busy Fourth. This T-shirt is the most perfect thing on earth. I bought a medium so it is nice and loose and comfy and I have been wearing it tied in a knot at the waist (like this pretty lady). It looks great with this Gap skirt I got last year. I might wear a pair of bike shorts under my skirt, but I might not. Let's just hope I don't get pulled over for wearing a skirt on a bike like this woman in New York. My Toms will be perfect for biking and walking around in, and the wayfarers will be absolutely necessary as it is supposed to be hot and sunny. Oh, and don't think I have a pair of for-real for-real Wayfarers. I have $8 knockoffs from Old Navy. I'm still sporting Racey Rouge polish on my nails. It will be there all summer; don't forget to tip your waitress. 

And the backpack. I could lie and tell you I'm going to carry around some adorable straw tote or trendy crossbody bag. But, you know what? I won't be. My trusty Jansport will carry everything I need for the day - a blanket to splay on during fireworks on the Mall, my camera, and sunblock, sunblock and more sunblock. Seriously, we've been having summer-like weather for over a month now and I'm still pale as a ghost. And intend to stay that way, thank you very much.

Over the Weekend.

Another fun-filled weekend spent laughing with friends, eating good food and exploring everything this area has to offer. 

On Friday night, I was supposed to go climbing with a friend, but after she got stuck at work, her husband suggested a night of champagne and Popeyes chicken. Um, yes, please! I didn't take any pictures because I was too busy stuffing my face with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and coleslaw, and washing it down with some bubbly. Hilariously delicious. I ended the night with a Pimm's cup before catching the Metro home. 

Saturday, hubs and I drove out to the Eastern Shore, to St. Michaels and Tilghman Island. In our dreams we bought this old brick house, a handmade wooden boat and hung a Labrador X-ing sign at the end of our driveway. In reality we walked around town, enjoyed the breeze off the bay, and had our first slice of key lime pie this year. 

After my 12-mile run on Sunday, we met our friends at the National Zoo, saw the zebras, sloth bear, orangutans, panda (briefly), Andean bear (briefly-er). We worked up an appetite walking around the zoo, and found ourselves at Dave & Buster's later that afternoon. Our friends' kids are on a mission to get enough D&B tickets for an XBox - 66,000 tickets, in case you were wondering - so we all spent some time playing games after dinner. Actually, we spent a ton of time playing games. The coin drop games are pointless, not nearly as much fun as pop-a-shot and skee-ball, and totally addicting. They are also major ticket-producers. We looked like a bunch of old birds at a casino, sitting in front of these shiny machines, hooting and hollering and hoping to hit the big one.