DC Deliciousness!

Well hello dear friends (and a special hi to you new followers)! I'm back from a whirlwind of travels last week and thinking it's high time for a recap. Let me first say that my little to trip to the Bay Area was lovely, and I might add, a whopping 57 degrees when I stepped off the plane. Coming from what felt like the center of the sun, it felt pretty terrific to button up my jacket and walk the streets of San Fran without having to change my clothes from being sweat-drenched. There is just no need for that nastiness. (I seriously can't remember the last time I wore my hair down to work - it's all updos for me, thanks.) I mean, I love the summer and all, but even I am growing weary of seeing these 110 heat indexes. That is just silly. I think 9 times out of 10 when I walk up the stairs to change after a long day's work, I yell out to no one in particular "it's HOT in this trailer!"

Anyway...so after my mid-week trip to the West Coast for work, I headed to DC on Friday for a little thing I like to call a girls trip. And let me take this opportunity to say that no matter how much you ladies love your husbands/boyfriends/significant others, it's still nice to just be girly and talk about the Bachelorette and get away for a bit, because I assure you absence made my heart grow much fonder. I nearly jumped into Mr. T's arms when he picked me up at the airport.

The girls trip used to be a tradition with a few of my girlfriends from college and we recently realized we had been slacking the past couple of years, so four of us planned a little weekend trip/R&R/culinary tour/shopping extravaganza to our nation's capital (well three of us, since one happens to live there and did an impeccable job of hosting us). As the following pictures will prove, I had a BALL. And the weather even cooperated, with highs only reaching 90 - a welcome respite from the steamroom we call Nashville. Ah, one last little summer trip was just what I needed...

If you go to DC, you MUST go to Founding Farmers. We did an early lunch there on Saturday and it was the perfect way to kick off the culinary feast of a weekend. They're big on the farm-to-table concept, and even make their juices, pastas, etc. in house.

From l to r: Emily (high school friend), Stacy (DC gal and college BF) Whitney (college/sorority friend - thanks, Chi O!), and me! You may remember these gals from the bachelorette party pics - they made the trip to NOLA with me last September too!

Whitney also happens to have a bun in the oven, so we all decided to give her a prenatal massage as a little present. Here she is reading our card (and starting to tear up, that sweet precious).

A toast! Mine is in front - a freshly squeezed mint limeade - yum!

Behold the mother of all plates. That's right - fried chicken and waffles, sauteed spinach, and homemade mac and cheese, in all its southern glory. Don't judge. I was on vacation. :)

Georgetown Cupcake, made famous on TV! The line was crazy long and there was zero shade - I'm sure they're yummy, but can a cupcake really be THAT worth it?

Dinner at Cava - so buenissimo. It was Greek style tapas and I pretty much fell in love with the place. Our Greek waiter who took the picture wasn't too shabby either. :)

Em and Lil - who says high school friendships can't last? Sr. 98!

Stace and Whitney - nice jewel tone color coordination, ladies.

Whit with her beautiful pregnant glow, and me looking like a not-so-hot mess.

After dinner drinks at Madam's Organ at Adam's Morgan!

Just another boring cab ride. I believe this was when Stacy introduced us to my new favorite game where everyone picks a vegetable they're going to be. Then, you have to say with your lips covering your teeth, "Rutabega calling radish." It's nearly impossible to do without laughing. In fact, I'm lauging right now just thinking about her demonstration. Guess you had to be there...

This trip was wonderful for so many reasons, but I think the fact that we're all approaching 30 (I led the charge by going first back in March and promised them it wasn't so bad, in fact I've kind of loved it) coupled with the fact that heck, Whitney is carrying a baby, led us to realize that sometimes the best trips aren't where you stay out the latest and act like wild buffoons anymore (not that we ever did, Mom, if you're reading this). In fact, getting back to Stacy's condo by midnight, changing into our pjs, and watching Top Chef on the DVR turned out to be just as lovely. And not feeling like you got hit by a truck the next morning is quite a fabulous feeling...

Now let's bring on fall and some FOOTBALL!