Say what?

A conversation I had today, with a perfect stranger. In an elevator.

Woman (smiling): Hello!
Me (taken aback by her friendliness) : Hi...
Woman: Job Interview?
Me: Yep, that's right. {why else would I be sporting a suit jacket when it's 90 degrees outside?}
Woman: I could just tell. Don't look hungry.
Me: Oh yeah, I already covered that - I ate not too long ago.
Woman: No, I meant for the job. Don't look too hungry and desperate like you need the job.
Me: Got it.

Moral of the story: don't talk to strangers in elevators. Kidding, of course. But this did make me laugh.

Owning it - Curl Power

If I were to ever write a manifesto*, it would echo the sentiments of this article I came across in the NY Times. Hair has been a sensitive topic for me over the past 15 years or so. Reasons including:

1. I have massive amounts of it.
2. The texture has a mind of its own
3. Humidity likes to fight with it.
4. See #1

As we all know, it's hard being 'different' when you're a kid. I felt like I had some two strikes against me when I hit adolescence - first having a name that is weird/unpronouceable, and the second - having a wild mane atop my cabeza. Though I have never felt compelled to change my name, I have worked diligently over the years to learn how to deal with my hair. Hours upon hours have been spent blow-drying and flat ironing, not to mention the serious coin I've spent on product and tools. But for me, it has been worth it, since hair is something we wear every day. Also, thanks to some knowledgable/amazing (albeit expensive) stylists, I've learned how to work with my curly hair, perfecting product application technique and all.  Serious business.



thumbs-up for being au naturale. and for toile curtains.

 After a couple of years of prodding to work with my hair, instead of against it, I've essentially come to terms with the fact it's large and in charge.  Now that I'm living in such a humid climate once again, straightening is an utter waste in the summer months. And that's okay by me. 10 years ago I wouldn't have been able to say that. This acceptance has helped me become more comfortable with who I am in general, and has definitely freed up a lot of my time. Said time allows me to spend more time trolling the internets for precious videos like Jessica's affirmation. Because we should all be like Jessica, and simply like what we've got. Amen.

*99% sure this won't ever happen.

Summer's a-blazin...and almost over and out

Admittedly, blogging is not my strongest skill.  Perhaps it has something to do with the dinosaur vintage laptop I still use, which seemingly takes forever to do anything ?  Or the fact that I mostly use my beloved iPhone these days for all things internet related and haven't downloaded the blogger app yet. Anyway, enough with the excuses.  Here's a rundown of all that's been going down over the past {three} months.

It's no secret that I am a big fan of good food and thankfully (though a bit regrettably) DC has tons of great restaurants.  Slowly but surely I'm eating my way through this city. Shake Shack made it's debut a couple of months ago along with Pinkberry (still not Yogurtland, but their salted chocolate carmel is divine)and Serendipity3. At Ted's Bulletin, my dining companion and I were daring and tried the PB&J burger. The verdict? Pretty tasty, if you are into sweet + savory. And then there's the ridiculous infatuation this place has with cupcakes so of course that means I've been to Georgetown Cupcake, Baked & Wired and Crumbs. It's easier to justify when you bike to these places, right?



Shake Shack picnic @ Dupont



For Memorial day weekend, I went to Duck Beach, aka Mormon Spring Break. I had no idea what to expect, since I have heard approximately 68 different opinions about this annual event.  Luckily Jill, Summer and Nicole decided to make the journey from Phoenix, so I knew it was going to be fun no matter what. The weekend definitely exceeded my expectations and was really just what I needed: time with good friends and lounging on the beach.

The downside to the weekend was that I was a total gimp.  A few weeks leading up to the trip I managed to get a stress fracture (or something similarly painful) in my right foot. Despite limping, very slowly all weekend and being hopped up on Ibuprofen, I still managed to have one of the best weekends I've had in I don't know how long. There were numerous mobile dance parties, late nights, and quality time spent consuming Jill's no-bakes. Still my favorite. It also made me realize just how much I miss my amigas, which prompted me to start planning our next beach rendezvous basically the day I got home from NC.




Say Anything throwback, 2011 style

 
June was spent working back at the same temp job that I was at in March, April and part of May. I had a 3 week break and was asked to come back. Definitely a love/hate relationship because the job itself was so boring, but money has proven to be quite necessary these days. 



practicing our smiling. he's got it down.



Also in June I started working for a family who lives in NW DC taking care of their newborn baby boy, staying the night to wake up for feedings, etc. After working my 9-5 job, I would Metro to their house a couple of times a week. At first I wasn't so sure about this gig, but decided to try it out.  Although exhausting, I've actually enjoyed it and learned a lot and feel more confident about having my own infant - someday.  My temp job ended two weeks ago and I've just been taking care of the baby. I no longer stay the night, which means my quality of life has improved dramatically and I no longer feel like a sleep deprived zombie. It's also made it easier to continue job searching and interviewing since I have so much more free time during the day. Sometimes things just work out. A lot better than we can anticipate.



baby J



I  took a much needed trip to the West Coast at the end of June/beginning of July. I flew to PHX, where I was able to spend a little time with the fam, hit up Last Chance (2X, naturally), see T'liese and get a haircut. You know, cover all the basics.  After roughly 24 hours in the inferno, Jill, Summer and I peaced out to So Cal for cooler temps and some R&R. 

Instead of just hanging around Huntington Beach, we decided to spend a couple of days closer to LA. Friday we explored Santa Barbara, which has been on my list for years now. It is a super charming, quaint town that I would highly recommend.  Saturday we hit up Malibu, where we encountered LOTS of paparrazi (they were waiting for Paris Hilton, who we caught a glimpse of, at what appeared to be a staged party. whoopee).

Sunday we made our way to HB for church, and stayed to celebrate America's bday the next day.  Props to that city; they really know how to do Independence Day right. Flags galore, firework light displays, lots of patriotic displays in yards - they take the holiday very seriously. We spent the day at the beach, basking in the sun, and I was beyond ecstatic to boogie board. Fact: one of my favorite memories ever was when I spent, not exaggerating, 5 hours boogie boarding in Hawaii. I felt completely nostalgic and happy that the water was warm enough in HB to get in b/c it's usually frigid. Also, notably, the first year, probably ever, I wasn't sweating profusely while watching fireworks. I was actually chilly. So great.  Before we rolled out of town on Tues. we stopped at Balboa Island for lunch and of course, our favorite - balboa bars.

beautiful Balboa



Temps in DC in July were insane! No escaping the heat.



Favorite Pastime

And it's not baseball.  My absolute most favorite thing to do now that it's warm outside is to go for a bike ride.  I simply cannot get enough.  I love the tranquility of going by myself + pondering about life or letting Pandora entertain me with some jams as I cruise around in the sunshine. And then there's biking with friends, which is a blast and takes me back to my childhood and simpler times. Sometimes there are night rides, which remind me of summer vacation, freedom, and little to no responsibility. Therapeutic, to say the least.  I've been taking advantage of the favorable temps (read: not ridiculously humid) while they last. 

Bike ON.

Mt. Vernon Trail

Praise to the Mom



THEN

I wish I could be with my madre today to celebrate her. It's overwhelming when I think about all of the sacrifices she has made to be a mother - including that time we both almost died when I was still in utero. Basically I was a handful before I even arrived, and my mom has loved me unconditionally through it all.  She is a superstar. There are countless other sacrifices she has made, and there is no way I can ever repay her for the wonderful example she has been to me.  A few things she has taught me:

* The importance and vaule of hard work. People always assume since I'm the baby and the only girl in my family that I was spoiled. This absolutely was not the case; from a young age it was work, work, work. There aren't many things that are as rewarding as the satisfaction that comes from accomplishing short-term and long-term goals.

* How to be self-sufficient. This wasn't something I truly appreciated until I moved away from home. All of the things I watched other kids struggle to learn/accept I already knew thanks to my mom's wisdom.

* How to serve.  My mom is a complete dynamo when it comes to giving of her time and her talents. She is crazy talented in so many ways. 

*How to love and forgive others. It's been amazing to watch my mom through the years as people have been unkind, even downright rude to her, and she is always more than willing to look the other way and strives to be a peacemaker. It speaks volumes of her character and I appreciate that she practices what she preaches.

One of the biggest drawbacks of moving to DC has been being away from my mom. She has been, and continues to be, my biggest cheerleader. Happy Mother's Day to my favorite mom in the world!  I love you beyond words.

NOW

Adventures in baby-sitting

During my last bout of unemployment (thanks, dismal Phoenix economy), I got creative about how to make some quick cash. Every day I scoured Craig's List looking for random gigs.  Said gigs included participating in focus groups, working as a brand ambassador and I did a couple of health studies at ASU (having someone pay ME to get a physical = genius).  It kept things interesting.

Since I've been in DC, things have been somewhat mundane because I've just being doing the office temp thing. A few weeks ago I got a call from a woman who received my name from her sister-in-law via my friend Cassie asking me if I was interested in watching her 10 month old twins. Initially I was hesitant about accepting since the prospect of not one, but two small children seemed a little daunting. However, I decided it would be good for me to mix it up. Plus I heart bebes.

There was some definite anxiety on the actual day of about watching baby A and baby E. They're on a pretty tight schedule: eat every couple of hours, have a bottle every couple of hours, sleep every couple of hours. Repeat. You get the idea. And factor in there are two of them, which means double time.  Anyway, my anxiety was all for naught, because things went really well. The highlight of our time together was going on a huge walk around their hood, Chevy Chase, which is quite possibly one of the cutest communities in the US of A. Aside from a few moments of post-nap hysteria, I was  impressed with how easy-going they both were.  I've watched them twice now, and I think it's safe to say, they like me, they really like me.

                                                           

                                                  

clean. happy. ready to zonk out. success.



i believe in a thing called love

...and so do Will & Kate. For some reason this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRYNYb30nxU was stuck in my head while I watched the Royal Wedding. Perhaps because the band is British? Who knows, but I thoroughly enjoy the chorus.
Since the actual wedding took place at the crack o' dawn on Friday (clearly I value sleep a lot more than some people, who watched it in real time) we had a Royal Brunch on Saturday, to ohh and ahh over the dress, the venue, David Beckham, etc. The girls who hosted know how to do it right and I couldn't get enough of the decorations. And the food was also pretty tasty - sweet potato hash, beignets, muffins, and fruit.

My favorite is the "Keep Calm and Marry On". I see singles wards worldwide adapting this motto in the near future.

Evading Taxes

In college I would usually turn to Facebook /reading blogs/anything on the web to procrastinate writing papers. Now that it's time to wrap up my taxes, I'm so desperate to avoid them that I am blogging. Hmph. You would be too if you owed the state of AZ as much money as I do...not cool.

Anyway, I am happy to report that I had a nice, low-key weekend. This has been rare since moving here. I can't quite explain it, but the pace of life is so busy that I feel compelled to always be doing something, and there are always fun things going on. In a lot of ways I really enjoy this. But there comes a point when complete exhaustion sets in which can make life miserable. Basically I haven't felt truly well rested since I got to DC at the end of February. No bueno.

However, this weekend I made a concerted effort to catch up on my sleep. I slept in Saturday and Sunday, which has made a huge difference in how I've felt. Rejuvenation - check.

Friday night I started things off right with a much needed manicure/pedicure. It was long overdue. And the nail tech was incredible. Props to her and her perfectionist ways for doing an excellent job and helping me feel relaxed and pampered. Blissful, indeed. Afterwards I met up with some friends for Indian food and debriefing. Always a good time.

Saturday was a productive day that included the gym, cleaning, Crumbs, and the outlet mall. It rained most of the day, and sadly, the outlet mall did not put out as hoped. The highlights included purchasing an umbrella, cute juice glasses from Crate & Barrel and a sweater stone. I know, I know, how could I possibly contain myself? But, it was still a pleasant day because I wasn't confined to a schedule, which has been pretty common for my Saturdays thus far in DC.

Tonight I went to a BBQ where we had some good eats and played bocce ball. I, being a bocce ball novice, wasn't exactly an asset to my team. Aside from a few lucky plays, I was kinda terrible. Though I see why people get addicted to playing. Hopefully there will be more b-ball in my future.

Earlier in the afternoon, I mentioned to my roomies I was thinking about making cookies. My roommate Becky would not let up on this notion, so I ended up channeling my inner domestic diva (the apron is a nice touch, no?) and whipped up some chocolate chip delights with a pinch of sea salt on top. The trick is to add the addtional salt right before you throw them in the oven. Doesn't disappoint.

PS - Jill please send me YOUR choco chip cookie recipe. It's a lot better than the one on the Harris Teeter chocolate chip bag. Boo on HT all around.

Life Moves Pretty Fast

I blame blogspot for my lack of desire to post regularly. It isn't the most user friendly, and it frustrates me when I try to correct something fifteen times without any success. Anyway, things have been ever busy around these parts. I'm still amazed that I get to live in such a beautiful city rich in history with endless things to do.

The other day I had someone ask me about my experience in DC thus far and what I've enjoyed most about living here. Firstly, I absolutely love all of the diversity. So many different cultures which is refreshing after coming from Phoenix where it's mostly Mormons, Mexicans and a lot of overly tan people. Whenever I'm out and about and see these people from all over the world, I want to know their history and their perspective on the world. If only it weren't weird for me to ask them 20 questions while they shop for produce or wait for the train..

One of the other things that DC has to offer is lots of opportunity. This was something I could sense when I came out in January for my trial run. Even though I'm still looking for full time employment, the economy is strong here and undoubtedly the right position will come along sooner or later. This is a place where people make their dreams come true and it's inspiring to see. Also, opportunity abounds for new relationships and it has been incredible that I've already been able to meet so many people. Great things are ahead.

I'm still temping, which has it's ups and downs. It's nice because I would be going crazy if I were just hanging out everyday, but it's also been challenging to job search and submit resumes/network after putting in a full day. And the work itself isn't very exciting and I'm not gaining any new skills. Nonetheless, I am grateful to be earning money instead of watching my savings account decline.

The weather has been an adjustment for me. When you're used to 332 days of sunshine and you are suddenly getting rain, rain and more rain, it's a drag, no? Helllooo humidity, goodbye straight hair. Until November, perhaps? April Fools was indeed a cruel joke, I was sportin my marshmellowpuff queen jacket. Pretty sexy. But it gets the job done. The look on my face says, "why the H is it still so bloody cold?" Sidenote - I've drunk more hot chocolate in the past 3 months than I have in the past 3 years. Seriously.

My spring/summer wardrobe - approximately 80% of the clothes I own - arrived yesterday from AZ (thanks, mom!), so my new approach is to will the warmer temps to come. So far it's working - today was pleasant. I headed out to Farragut Square to eat my lunch amongst the throngs of other Vitamin D starved people here:

Some other exciting things that have been going on:

*Jimmermania is not just a phenomenon in the Beehive state. Little P-town has serious Fredette fever too. This greeted me when I arrived for a b-day party last week:

*What is better than fro-yo? FREE fro-yo. This shop just opened by my oficina, and was all about making a good first impression with its neighbors. No objections here. It's not Yogurtland, but it will suffice. I may or may not have hit up Ben & Jerry's earlier this week for their free cone day as well. Don't judge me. Besides, I had to walk half a mile to get there.

*Tourist season is officially underway. Steady stream of friends in town the next two weekends and got to hostess my first visitor, Ashley C. last weekend. Unfortunately the cherry blossoms were mostly gone, but we still enjoyed going to the Tidal Basin and a delicious late breakfast at Eastern Market. AC took the pics that day, so sadly I have none of us running around town. My guess is they look more or less like any pic you've ever seen on The Mall. Just a hunch :)

*I got a bike! Or more accurately, I'm storing a bike for a friend. Even better. There are some goregous places to ride around here, and I cannot wait for some Saturday excursions into the city or to ride along the Potomac.

*Our little casa is coming together. All five of us finally agreed on a rug, we have curtains for our front nook, as well as freshly upholstered cushions for the bay window. Yes, bay window. What, you've always wanted one too? It's the best. I adore our house and am so happy it's turning into a home ;) I had a vision for my room, inspired by my Anthro apron, courtesty of Jill, and it should be complete soon. Stay tuned...

Zipcar Take 1

Meet Truman. He lives a few blocks away from me. He's available to rent by the hour and came in quite handy on Saturday when I had some furniture to pick up didn't feel like harrassing some guy to help me. If you ask me, Zipcar is a totally genius idea. Especially when I purchased a membership via Groupon and saved a ton of dinero. What is Zipcar, you might be wondering? It's car sharing. You pay an annual fee and then you are able to rent cars/trucks (they range anywhere from Kias to BMWs) by the hour, for a very reasonable price. These vehicles 'live' all over the Metropolitan area, close to Metro stations. I first heard about Zipcar a few years ago and have now experienced firsthand how practical it is in a big city like DC.

Back at the beginning of March, I was lucky enough to score some free furniture off the listserv (Craig's List for Mormons, essentially). The only problem was the girl who was giving the stuff away kept changing plans on me, so I continued to sleep on an airmattress and live in a chaotic/unorganized room in the mean time. When things are free, you cannot complain too loudly, right? Anyway, the day for pick up finally arrived. Enter my first time using Zipcar. My roommate Laura was nice enough to come with me into the District to help navigate, bright and early on Saturday morning. If you think you are a competent person, drive in D.C. and all belief in yourself will be lost. Ok, not completely, but it is a confusing place to get around, even with GPS. What makes it even worse is when you are on a strict schedule (Zipcar late fees start @ $50. Yikes). After some anxiety and a few illegal U-turns, we made it to our destination and worked quickly to haul my new bed, dresser, nightstand, and headboard into the truck. Free is pretty hard to beat; bless the girl who gave them away for saving me a bunch of money!

Thankfully getting home wasn't as complicated and we unloaded everything in approximately 8 mins. I had some other things I needed to pick up so I hurried over to Target. Zipcar is good for a lot of things - one of them being efficiency. Usually when I go to Target I will meander around and waste time looking at random stuff. Not so on this trip. I was in and out in a record 10 minutes - I should get some type of award or ribbon for this accomplishment. Traffic in Arlington on Saturdays is no joke and I knew that I would probably get stuck in some. Luckily I made it back to park Truman right on time. Happy, oh so happy.

My Saturday got even better when Heather came to pick me up and we headed over to Costco. Also adding to our joy was the fact that it was around 70 degrees and sunny. YES. Costco on Saturdays with Heather (and once upon a time, Neebs) is one of my favorite things in the world. Not exaggerating. When we lived in PHX it was tradition to hit up Costco for samples, lunch, and occasionally we would actually buy stuff. This particular trip I accomplished all of these things. Including checking out this regional item Costco has to offer: chocolate capital building, anyone?

Temp it Up

The day which seemed unfathomable for so long finally arrived: I moved into my new place and retired my couch surfer status. I have no desire to pack a bag for a very long time. Mostly because I am still not totally unpacked and am living the glam life a la sleeping on an air mattress. Nonetheless, I am grateful for a sense of normalcy and to have all of my things in one place and to not feel like I'm infringing on someone else's space.

I have been temping at a large non-profit in DC for the past week and a half. This is positive for several reasons, including the structure it brings to my day and the cash it puts in my pocket. My commute isn't too bad, although waking at the crack of dawn has been a rough adjustment. I've been enjoying scoping out Dupont Circle, an area i the District I haven't previously been to. A few gems I saw one morning on my walk from the Metro station to the office:

Picture uno: I, for one, find this shop's honesty refreshing.
Numero dos: how awesome is this sweater? Bright + squiggly; is there a better combo?
Tres: I'm applying. CC's got what you need.

February Recap

Apparently my passion for blogging was short lived. Just kidding, mom. Things got a little (ok, a lot) crazy/stressful which left me zero motivation to record them for posterity's sake. Because, yeah, it wasn't the great month ever. My sublet in Bethesda ended January 31st so I played couch surfer the remainder of my one month stay in Northern Virginia. Living out of a suitcase started to take it's toll, along with staying at various friends' houses and mooching rides off of people. The record was 4 different places in one week. Don't get me wrong, I am incredibly grateful that I had shelter (free shelter, no less) though there's no place quite like your own space. Despite the challenges, I decided that I do want to stay in DC permanently so I began searching for housing. That proved to be a whole new ordeal - I will get back to that in a bit.

I was scheduled to fly back to AZ on Feb 12th. I've never been so excited to get on a plane before. Unfortunately, I ended up missing my flight because of traffic on the freeway courtesy of a bad car accident. There were no other flights out that day, so I was stuck an extra night. Big disappointment, especially because I had plans to hang out with the amigas once I got to PHX. However, the night turned out a lot better than expected because my friend Katie introduced me to a delicious Indian restaurant and we had fun reminiscing about our time in U3 years ago.

PHX greeted me with exceptionally warm weather (80 degrees when I landed) and I was rejoicing after a month of snow and cold temperatures. It was great to be amongst family and friends and not have to provide a bio sketch about myself every other minute. Some of the highlights included:

*Reuniting with Last Chance, aka my favorite store of all time (2X) - found some amazing treasures, per the usual.

*Yogurtland, LGO, Pita Jungle, Rumbi, In N Out, Joe's Farm Grill, Pomegranate - none of which are located on the East coast. Sad.

*Galentines day celebracion, complete with MoBach throwdowns and 'A' mountain night hike

*Susan's Run - loved seeing old friends and honoring Susan's memory

*Jill's no-bakes, aka the best chocolate morsels ever. I think it's all the love they are made with

*Never Say Never with SK. Bieb's has got it going on and tween girls are hilarious.

*I finally got an iPhone. Worth it, worth it, worth it. Best decision I've made in a long time.

While I was in PHX, things started coming together for the house I was hoping to move to in Arlington. This was a miracle in itself because getting the house was contingent on a zillion other things working out. Anyway, I booked my one-way ticket to DC thinking I would be all set to move in Feb. 25th, the day the lease went into effect. Wrong. I am still living out of a suitcase (love the patience lessons, yes I do) and bunking in with strangers, though we should be able to move into our new house tomorrow. Unless something absurd happens. Given the events of the past month and a half, I'm not ruling it out...

Caralie + me. It makes me sad to think about how much older/taller she'll be the next time I see her.

Waiting out the Storm

Back porch during Snow Dump '11

..and a storm it was! Wednesday night the forecast called for a 'few' inches of snow. I didn't think much of this, because snow has been in the forecast a lot since I've been here, and the result has typically been a lite dusting. Wednesday was the exception. The snow came fast and furious and before we knew it, our power was OUT. Apparently, Parkside is infamous for being without electricity when a storm blows in. Last year during Snowmaggedon, these poor residents didn't have power for 3-4 days, and were basically confined to their homes because the roads were so bad. So awful.

Anyway, the first night wasn't so bad because our place stayed relatively warm. And thankfully these girls were prepared. We had plenty of candles/flashlights/blankets to go around. Some other neighbors came over, we made rice krispie treats (the stove is gas so were still able to use it), roasted marshmellows over tealights and made the most of the situation.

Thursday was a different story. The temperature in our apartment was steadily dropping and I knew I needed to get out. There is a mall not far from our place so I had my roommate drop me off there so I could revel in the heat. It was almost comical how many other people were there doing exactly the same thing. Laptops and cellphone chargers galore; people sprawled out on benches reading. After a few hours I walked back to our the apartment, and decided while I was tromping through the snow that cold is easier to handle than the AZ summertime heat. Because at least when you're cold you can layer adequately and eventually reach a comfortable temperature.

Which is exactly what had to be done to sleep Thursday night. The temperature dropped to around 55 degrees in our aparement. Holy miserable. Imagine my sheer delight when I woke up Friday morning to a note from my roommate insisting that I use her car and go to her gym to take a hot shower. Of course I took advantage and got in a good work out; endorphins = huge bonus. Done and done. I spent most of the day out and about at Barnes & Noble bumming free wi-fi and did some other errands. The power was finally restored around 7pm Friday night so life is good again. One thing is for sure, I'm certainly getting my fair share of adventure here in DC.

Shortly after the power came back on. 57.2 and rising!

Becoming an Urbanite?

Not 100% sure if I'll ever truly be "urban", but now that I've become predominantly pedestrian, with the exception of friends/roomies taking pity on me, the issue of footwear has been called into question. For instance, Tuesday evening it snowed, which meant icy/slippery roads followed. Wednesday morning I had an interview, which meant trekking into the District, in business suit, attemtping to look the part of a young professional.

This is where the footwear becomes an issue. My walk to the Metro station is a little under a mile from my apartment. Once I get into the city, I still have a few blocks to walk. Lots of walking -- you get the picture. There is no way that my black patent leather pumps are going to make it on the slippery terrain. They have zero traction. So what'a a girl to do? Commit fashion suicide. Yep, I became 'that' girl. Now, by no means do I claim to be a true fashionista, though I try to look somewhat pulled together/polished. White shoes, black suit. What?

so hot right now.

About town

Since HDL didn't have to work, and I'm obviously unemployed after being here for 2 seconds, we met up on MLK Day to go to the Kennedy Center and try our luck in getting free tickets to see Patti LaBelle perform. The kicker was standing outside in a line that wrapped around half of the building. Did I mention it was below freezing? After approximately 45 minutes, one Larabar and one Sweet & Salty granola bar, we admitted defeat and went inside to warm up. The Kennedy Center is an amazing place and I will most certainly be back at a later date. Bonus: Free concerts every evening at 6pm, not just MLK day. Apparently it's not usually so difficult to get in...

Me + JFK's bust. Better luck next time.

HDL's friend (and my newest DC friend) Ashley graciously came and picked us up. She arrived just as HDL snapped this pic, hence the reason HDL and I didn't get one together. The three of us grabbed some dinner and then headed to Arlington Drafthouse. It's a movie theatre + restaurant + bar. On Mondays they show movies for a buck -- perfect for my budget these days. We watched "The Social Network", which I had already seen, but still found fascinating even after a second viewing. Afterwards, I made it home via the Metro without any complications. Success.

Big Day Out

After a little down time, I was ready to venture out of Bethesda and see what Arlington has to offer. Enter first Metro ride experience. For someone who, as a child, would get anxiety when navigating the airport, the idea of riding on various trains to get to a destination made me a bit uneasy. However, armed with my trusty Metro map, printed in color, I was certain that I could handle this. Easy enough, right? Wrong.

Things were going well enough, despite some delays because it was Saturday and not as many trains run on the weekends. Then it came time to get off the red line and change to the blue line. "You've got this", I thought as I headed down a flight of stairs to the blue/orange line. Feeling suave and maybe even a little cocky, I picked up the pace once I saw that the train was getting ready to pull out. Whew. Onboard and ready for the main event. It wasn't until a few stops later I look up and notice a sign, almost mockingly stating 'orange' line.

In a panic I get off the train and two Metro workers, sensing my distress, kindly ask if I need some help. They try to explain what I need to do to get to my final destination, and all I really hear is something about taking a bus. Huh?! Thankfully my friend HDL was waiting to meet me so I called her and explained my situation and she directed me exactly where I needed to go. People were not kidding when they warned me about the adjustment it is learning how to get around this city.

The drama of DC travel was quickly forgotten once HDL greeted me and we were able to visit Costco, a favorite pastime of ours when we were roommates in Phoenix. We also checked out the Pentagon City mall, another place of comfort for yours truly. Familiar face, familiar places. Couldn't ask for more. Oh, and I discovered the Nordstorm Rack here is pretty decent, which is helping the Last Chance withdrawals I've been having. Hallelujah.

Later in the evening, I met up with some girls who live in Arlington whom I'd never met before. I had been in contact with one of them a month or so ago about housing. She seemed really friendly when we talked before so I figured she would be fun to hang out with and would most likely have cool friends. My presumptions were correct and they were very sweet to let me tag along with them to eat at a delicious Thai restaurant in Shirlington. (Which, btw Jill, I already know exactly what you and I will share when you come visit and we eat there ;). Overall, a fun but exhausting day.

And I still had to Metro back home. Ugh. Roughly an hour of my life. As I entered the station to head towards MD, I felt confident that it would be easy peezy this time around. Not so. It wasn't a clear cut route, at least not for a novice like myself, because not only was it late, but there was also maintenance at some stops. Again, a Metro worker told me something about needing to take a bus which makes me think that it must be some sort of a joke they play on the obvious newbies. Luckily, I asked a nice older man if he could direct me where to go. He obliged and then we chatted and I learned that he had immigrated from Ethiopia three years ago and he told me a bit about his experience in America. So glad I didn't have the same ordeal that I had had previously in the day.

Fun Fact: the DC Metro takes great pride in cleanliness (as evidenced by the above sign)to the point that you can be ticketed if you are seen eating or drinking. I am definitely in support of this. Sure beats the Marta trains in ATL that would reek of curry, among other things.

Easing into It

I decided it would be okay if I gave myself a day to adjust to the jet lag, new climate, and unfamiliar area and not get too crazy and ambitious with the day's tasks. Therefore, it was a relatively relaxing, stressfree day. Just one day at a time (shout out to Elder Christofferson for his recent reminder of this).

It's safe to say that I have lucked out on the roommate situation. I'm living with 3 other girls, all totally normal and extremely helpful. One of them let me tag along with her while she ran errands, which means I got to go to Trader Joe's, Target, and Great Harvest Bread Co. Basically, all of my happy places. So nice being able to pick up some necessities and see parts of Rockville/Bethesda. I already feel my independence going down the drain without a car, but such is life..

Afterwards, we went running around our hood and said roommate showed me where the Metro stop is (less than a mile from our place) and some other key places like a farmer's market with excellent produce and a nearby dry cleaners. At this point it really is about location, location, location. Even though it was literally freezing, it was beautiful running the snow covered nature loop, which I was assured is even more beautiful in the Spring when everything is in bloom. Thank heavens I invested in some decent full length spandex because layering is wear it's at, even if it might not be super flattering. Functionality over decent fashion sense if it means staving off the

frost bite.

View from our veranda. Hot/Cold all at the same time.

Tonight my roommates threw a little dinner party, which last night I was informed I couldn't attend because there weren't enough seats. Kinda odd, but don't think they realized how this sounded. However, since Mormons tend to be flakey, a couple of people backed out last minute and I was able to eat with everyone instead of staying in my room..only a slightly awkward conversation, but it all worked out.

I met several people from the ward, including a friend of a friend who's from Mesa and also happens to look like Michael Phelps. Also chatted with some girls who moved to DC and did the same thing I'm doing. They had lots of advice on getting around, housing, etc. It is cool to be in a place where everyone has been new at some point, therefore they're sympathetic and welcoming.

Go Time!

After weeks of planning, daydreaming, and anticipating, the day finally arrived for me to say adios to Phoenix and hello to Washington DC.

Before I could peace out, however, I had to pack all of the belongings I will need for the next month into 2 suitcases and a carry-on. Quite a dilemma for a somewhat high maintenance girl with a penchant for shoes, not to mention the insane amount of warm clothing needed when coming to the East Coast in the middle of winter. Yikes. Much to my chagrin, the Snuggie and the fleece neck pillow didn't make the cut.

Fortunately, these essentials did. Shout out to SK for the b-day almond butter, aka my sustenance until I make it to a grocery store.

I had a layover in St. Paul, MN, which it turns out, proved beneficial. Why, you may ask? Because it was a whopping 17 degrees there, which made the 30 degrees in DC seem perfectly lovely. I didn't arrive in DC until after 9pm, thus I do not have any pics, but enjoyed taking in the sights from the plane. Capital building. Check. Washington Monument. Saw it. Lincoln Memorial. Goregous.

As we made our final descent into Reagan International, I had the realization that I'm far from home and all that is comfortable to me (obviously I'd reached that conclusion previously, but, no turning back now) . It felt a bit overwhelming and scary as I contemplated starting from scratch in a city where I know a handful of people. One thing I do know for sure, it's going to be an adventure; I can't wait to see what this place has in store for me and to share it with my family and friends.