Two Years :)

Two years ago yesterday, I walked {okay, more like power-walked, because, due to a bus that was behind schedule, I was running uncharacteristically late} into Saloon on U St. for my first date with "some guy".    I looked to my right, and there was the guy that I assumed I was meeting for drinks, tucked away at a little table for two.  Knowing now how obsessive-compulsive I am about being on time, that same guy still gives me grief, two years later, for being a couple of minutes late {in my defense, I did text him to let him know that I would be a little bit late!}. What followed was the best first date that I've ever been on, and, well, you know how it goes. The rest is history.

Little did I know, two years later that same guy would not only be the love of my life, but also my best friend.  Dan has brought innumerable blessings to my life, and I can't really remember what my life was like before I met him.  The mention of his name still brings a smile to my face, and, on the days that I get to see him, I look forward to it all day long.  I can honestly say that I didn't know what true, unconditional love felt like until I met him, and I am so proud to be able to call him my boyfriend.

This year, we celebrated our anniversary by going out to dinner at Acqua al 2, which, as you may remember, I raved about last month after some girlfriends and I went there for a friend's birthday.  Think yummy Italian food at its finest and that is what you get when you dine at Acqua al 2.  We split a delicious burrata appetizer with pomegranate seeds, spaghetti squash and honey {truly the perfect winter dish}, and, for our entrees, I ordered the farfalline alla zucca {bowtie pasta with pumpkin} and Dan opted for the balsamic filet.  So freaking delicious.  I was truly in foodie heaven :)  From there, we metroed to Iron Horse to watch the Georgetown game.  Since I gave up drinking for Lent {mostly in preparation for my race}, I opted for a couple Shirley Temples {I probably shocked the bartender with that request!}, and we watched our Hoyas avoid a trap game loss to Rutgers.  Side note: this upcoming Saturday is the Cuse rematch, and I am beyond excited! I'm thrilled that we'll get to be there!

On Sunday morning, we went to our favorite bagel place, I baked Dan an anniversary dessert {think cookie cake!}, we caught up on Homeland, went for a walk around Roosevelt Island, and had a nice, romantic anniversary dinner at District Taco haha, which suited me just fine :)  My top priority was spending time with him on our anniversary, which I got to do, so, therefore, was one happy gal!

I had gotten Dan a photo book that I put together to include some of my favorite memories from the past two years that I've captured on film {see, he should be THANKFUL that I'm an incurable photog!}, and he gave me the sweetest card, along with a massage gift certificate {BLESS HIM! I will redeem that after the marathon for a deep tissue sports massage!} and a voucher for one home-cooked meal.  Dan does not like to cook, although I doubt he would be half-bad at it if he tried, and, despite his acknowledgement that something easier would have a better chance of actually tasting good, I told him I had confidence in him that he could make me anything and I would like it.  I'll have to do some scheming to see how I can test him...MUAHHHH!

It really was a perfect anniversary weekend, and I can't wait to see what this next year holds for us!  We have some very exciting things in store this year, which I'll fill all of you in on as they come, and I anticipate that we will have grown in our relationship by even larger leaps and bounds by this time next year!

The Love Project: Hoyas

I'm coming out of bloggernation (get it? Bloggernation. Oh Tuesday...) to write about something that I truly love: Georgetown basketball.

First of all, I apologize for the prolonged absence.  These have been a strange last few weeks, and I haven't really been in the mood for blogging. However, I AM in the mood to gush about my beloved Hoyas' win over Syracuse on Saturday!  For those of you who are unaware, we beat the evil Orange 57-46 in the Carrier Dome, arguably one of the most hostile and toughest places to play. The win alone was enough for me, but the way we did it- a MONSTER game from Otto Porter, who proved in a big way with his 33-point effort that he deserves to be in contention for National Player of the Year- made it all that much sweeter.  This rivalry, between my Hoyas and the Evil Empire that is, as Hoya fans call it, Southern Canada, is something for the ages, and part of me is kind of sad that that the dynamic of the rivalry will change once Cuse defects to the ACC at the end of the season.

In Casual Hoya's article "Reflections on 21 Casual Hours in Syracuse", I loved the following quote:

There were two moments that perhaps didn't make the broadcast, which graphically make this last point...The first happened while Thompson huddled with his other coaches comparing notes before talking to the players. Nate Lubick was passionately making some point to his teammates when he grabbed Thompson's whiteboard from a student manager. For the next 30 seconds or so, Nate drew up plays on the board while the rest of the players calmly listened and talked about whatever point Nate was trying to make. For the last 15 seconds, Thompson stood behind Nate and rather than interrupt to make his point, listened to Nate and his player's work through it. Nothing like that was happening on the Syracuse bench where the conversation was all one sided badgering.

I also imagine that this wouldn't have happened even three or four years ago on the Georgetown team. I just don't see Austin Freeman or any other of our high school all American recruits listening and working together the way this team did. Team chemistry may be intangible, but it is real and this team has it.

It makes me smile to think that our players are so invested in being part of the process and helping each other succeed.  With so many teams acting as mere yearlong stopovers for players whose aspirations lie in the NBA, our players prove day in and day out that they actually care about each other.  Take Mikhail Hopkins, our deplorable center who was replaced by Moses Ayegba (rightly so) early in the first.  Moses had the game of his life, and, even beyond Otto, players stepped up.  There was one photo in particular, where Otto was fouled upon shooting a three, when you see Mikhail going NUTS.  The fact that he can be excited for his teammates when he a) sucks, and b) had a terrible game, is really a testament to the program that we have been able to create.

via Casual Hoya

So there you have it. No matter how much I may complain about this team, I love them to pieces, especially when they show up for big games like this one.  I can't wait for Syracuse Hate Week: Part 2, all leading up to the rematch at Verizon next Saturday, March 9th.  You had better believe I'll be there!

How I Spent My Valentine's Day

I hope all of you had a wonderful Valentine's Day yesterday!! Whether you're single or taken, I think the holiday is a great excuse to remind all of the people in your life how much you love them.

Yesterday was a really special day; while Dan is not a fan of Valentine's Day, he knows that I am, so he humors me and goes all-out for the day, which I really do appreciate.  I got some gorgeous red roses and carnations delivered to work, which is actually kind of a funny story.  I got an email at around lunchtime saying that I had a package in the Alumni Square RHO, and I had a brief flashback to college.  My guess is that the florist had so many deliveries yesterday that they felt like just dropping all of the bouquets in one place, because there were about ten of them in the RHO when I arrived.  They made me work hard for my flowers haha!  But they were truly worth the walk, and I was very appreciative of them.

He really does spoil me :)

We went to dinner at Lincoln, a restaurant in between Thomas Circle and McPherson Square.  While I was initially a little scared of the small plates {for my appetizer course, I ordered a fig dish, and they brought out one fig} and feared I would leave hungry, the meal was delicious, and I left feeling very satisfied.  I ordered a beet salad, a cauliflower and roasted vegetable dish, and, for dessert, something called the Green Fairy Absinthe.  It was a little ball of chocolate-covered cake, covered in a white chocolate cage and with sugary green wings.  I'll post a picture of it when I get a chance, and I promise that it was as good as it looked!!  I would have been perfectly happy cooking dinner at home and lounging around in our pajamas like lazy bums, but Dan insisted that, while he owes me a home-cooked meal, the stakes are just a little too high on Valentine's Day, logic that I agreed with.  I told him we can lounge and cook next year!

I am not really into exchanging Valentine's Day gifts {seriously, I eat enough chocolate as it is haha}, but we do a funny card contest every year.  This year, I bought a card with a great pun, which I was sure would win, but then Dan went and bought me a musical Justin Bieber card, and I immediately conceded defeat, without calling in a third party.  He's a tricky one, that Dan!  Luckily for me, we didn't put anything on the outcome beforehand, so there were no losers in this contest!

My Valentine's Day was also made complete by some exciting family news: my cousin Kelly gave birth to her third child, Nina Bernadette, yesterday.  She is just as cute as can be, and I can't wait to meet her!!! My parents also emailed me last night to inform me that my cousin Ashley is also expecting! I can't wait to have lots of little ones running around!!!!

Honestly, though, I was just happy as a clam to spend the evening with my love.  I truly feel like the luckiest girl every day to be able to call him my boyfriend, but, with our two-year anniversary a little over two weeks away, I guess I'm feeling extra-gushy :)

The Love Project: Happy Valentine's Day!!!

That's right, friends, it's Valentine's Day!!! Happy love day to you all, whether you are sharing it with a significant other, family or friends.

I have been eagerly waiting to share this video with you ever since I stumbled upon it on another blog, because it is so stinking sweet!  In case I haven't told all of you, it is my professional dream in life to become a wedding planner, so nothing gets me going like a good wedding does.  What I love about this wedding is its simplicity.  You can easily see that Karl and Leslie are so in love, but they don't need an over-the-top wedding to prove that to the world.  Everything, from the personalized lock placed on the famed Pont des Arts, to the intimate courtyard ceremony with just the officiant present, to the blissful looks on both of their faces, to the post-ceremony joyride around Paris, to a romantic stroll down the Seine, is, in a word, perfect.  Did I mention Karl's dance moves?!  Side note: any video that features Paris is sure to cause some happy tears on my part.

I never thought I would say this, but, after watching this video, I wouldn't be completely opposed to eloping...as long as it was to Paris {real Paris, not Vegas Paris} :)

I am truly the luckiest girl in the world, to be surrounded by love from my family, friends, and the love of my life every day.  While I don't think you need a holiday to tell the people you love how much they mean to you, I certainly get sucked up in the day.  Hug or kiss the people you love a little harder today!

And so, I leave you with a little Nat King Cole {if you automatically think of The Parent Trap, we are officially kindred spirits}.

NOMNOMNOM

via bippity boppity boo

Love at the d'Orsay

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Pont des Arts

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Seriously, there is no place on earth more romantic than Paris

via one and only paris

Tis the Season for Long Weekends

I had a bunch of comp time saved up from some events that I worked awhile back, so I took this past Friday off, giving me a much-needed weekend.  Last week was wonderful, but many late nights took a LOT out of me!

Friday was my dreaded 20-mile run.  As the days got closer to Friday and the rain forecast grew more certain, I realized that I would have to just accept the fact that it would be raining.  And rain it did.  It really wasn't too unpleasant, other than that gross feeling you get when your feet get wet.  Surprisingly, I felt really good, and I finished in just under 3 hours, which, given the weather and an uphill run up Wisconsin in the last few miles of my run, I was more than happy with!

After recovering, I took the train up to Baltimore to visit the lovely Colleen.  We hadn't seen each other in ages, and, although I had planned to go up to visit her in September, our little stint in the hospital prevented that from happening.  It was so wonderful to catch up with her, and, I swear, she has found the cutest little spots in the city, from Parisian-style cafes to quaint little markets to farm-to-table restaurants nestled among warehouses.  I was in awe!  I even got to see the stunning Peabody Institute library, one of the venues that Brett and Colleen are considering for their wedding reception.  It was breathtaking, and I wish there was a comparable space, besides Riggs, in DC!!!

Milk and Honey, an adorable Baltimore Market

The Peabody Institute Library.  I want Colleen and Brett to have their reception here SO BADLY!!!

I came back to DC on Saturday night, because I had some serious baking to do for our annual Galentine's Day party, inspired by Amy Poehler's uproariously funny Parks & Rec character, Leslie Knope.  I ended up baking mini heart-shaped cherry/cranberry pies with chocolate drizzle, and I was very pleased with how they turned out!! The brunch was on Sunday morning, and, being that there was one savory dish, we essentially gorged ourselves on sweets and mimosas {not complaining}.  It was a great group of ladies, and I'm glad we've made this an annual tradition!

My little pies :)

Lovely ladies!

On Sunday evening, I went over to my parents' house for dinner, and, surprise, my baby bro was there as well!  It is always nice to get the four of us together, particularly since Tim will be flying the coop and moving to NY the first chance he gets after college graduation in May {yikes, I still am in disbelief}.

Yesterday, Monday, was one of the longest work days EVER, because Dan was returning from a 4-day golf trip with some buddies to Arizona.  I missed him terribly while he was gone, and he sure knows how to bring a smile to my face!  I was beaming from ear to ear from the second I walked through his doorway last night. I'm very excited for our Valentine's Day plans, just a nice dinner and exchanging cards.  Last year, I set the precedent of not buying each other gifts for V-Day, opting instead for a funny card contest. It forces us to be creative, and, anyway, who needs more chocolate?!?

I hope you all had a lovely weekend as well!  I couldn't be more excited that this upcoming weekend is yet another long weekend!  Hooray for President's Day!

The Love Project: Unconditional Love

Hi friends! I hope you all had a lovely weekend! I'll post about that in a bit.  I wanted to talk first, though, about unconditional love, being that it's February and we're talking all about love!

An association that comes to mind when I think about unconditional love is the love that a parent has for a child.  No matter what the child does wrong, their parents still love them {so I suppose this post ties slightly in to forgiveness as well}.  I can't overstress the importance of, at the end of the day, being able to remind yourself of how much you love someone, whether your parent, sibling, friend, child or significant other has tested you during that day.  I don't always succeed at it, but I try to never go to bed angry at a person.  Now, I may wake up angry the next day, but I try to not end my day with negativity.  If I am upset with someone that I love, I try to take a moment at the end of the day and remind myself of why I am grateful for that person.  If I have had a heated conversation with someone or am just feeling generally pissed off at them, I try to send them a text or an email, or even call them, at the end of the day to let them know that I am thinking of them.

I know that that approach may seem childish {trying to push aside legitimate problems and possibly superficially "move past" a situation}, but I think that I thrive when I am able to step back and remind myself of why I love someone.  And that, my friends, is what unconditional love is all about, being able to look past petty annoyances to remind yourself to show gratitude for those who you truly love.

What does unconditional love look like?

Even if your family is fighting, you have to all come together for Thanksgiving, right?! It's un-American not to!!

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Mommy and baby, such a sweet picture

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Nothing makes me melt more than seeing daddies interact with babies

via morning coffee

The cutest little family

via better than fine

I'm very excited for Thursday's post {Valentine's Day, in case you live under a rock}.  I have the sweetest, most romantic video to share with you that will hopefully capture the spirit of the day perfectly!

The Love Project: The "anti-Bachelor" Love

Some of you may know of my love for the Bachelor/Bachelorette TV shows.  As much as I judge and hate myself for religiously watching such trashy TV, I can't look away from such an entertaining train wreck.  Plus, there's a little part of me that hopes that, despite the abysmal statistics, one of these couples will find meaningful, lasting love.

There is one thing that I always try to keep in mind while watching the shows: however fabulous it may be to be spirited away in a private jet to Curacao {this makes me laugh every time because of how consistently bad Emily and all three of the guys were at pronouncing this little island's name}, Prague, and every exotic location in between, shopping for expensive designer clothes and slow-dancing during a private concert with a semi-recognizable band, that could not be further from what real life is like.  I would venture to guess that the expectation that life will be all about such grand gestures is one of the main reasons why the vast majority of the relationships on The Bachelor/Bachelorette fail.  First of all, if life was one nonstop grand gesture, none of those bouquets of flowers, exotic trips or expensive diamonds would feel all that special anymore.  Also, and this may shock some of you...ABC is paying for and organizing all of those dates {shhh, don't tell anyone}.

Speaking from my own experience, Dan and I are a very active couple, so we enjoy coming up with new and interesting things to do.  However, with busy schedules and the budgetary restraints that come from being two young professionals, we can't just pick up and go on some grand adventure every time that we hang out.  Frankly, I kind of like it that way!  That makes trips to Boston, New York, to vineyards, farms, driving ranges, beaches, museums, historic homes, breweries and the like all the more special.  And, to be honest, some of my very favorite moments of our relationship have come when we have been relaxing at home, have had a meaningful conversation, or are not even doing anything in particular.  Interestingly, I also felt so happy and connected when we went on our 12-mile training run last summer as we prepared for our half-marathon.  Running, as a shared interest, is something so convenient and fun to do together.  I certainly don't feel my most glamorous or put-together when I'm running {particularly not in the summer, when I'm sweating like a pig}, but something about pushing my body to its limit, and sharing in that activity with the person I love, does make me feel strangely beautiful, sweat and all.

What I'm saying is, take the time to appreciate the little moments in your relationship, the things you don't necessarily plan, the lazy Sundays spent watching TV, and the conversations that help you get to know the people you love better.  Actually, one of my favorite nights of our relationship came in August 2011, a month where I went on vacation with my family for a week, got to see Dan for about 18 hours, and then he went on vacation with his family for a week {and was delayed in getting home thanks to that pesky Hurricane Irene}. I was so elated to see him after so much time apart on that first day that he got back.  Although he had driven through the night to get back to DC and could barely keep his eyes open, and even though we got dinner at the less-than-fancy Corner Bakery after spending an hour in the AT&T store replacing Dan's phone that had died over the weekend, I couldn't wipe the silly grin off of my face.  We were doing such mundane errands and one of us was a complete zombie, but the important thing was that we were spending quality time together.

Lazy Sundays are the best!

via Bathwater

So cozy :) I mean, come on, the bride is wearing a sweater!

via Better Than Fine