Weekend Recap

The weekend came and went just as fast as usual. Why does that always happen? This past weekend was extra special as I had some girlfriends in from out of town. Jordan, you can visit her incredible blog here, made a trip with her mom and sister before she welcomes her sweet baby boy later this spring. It was great to catch up, shop and just have girl time.

 We started out Saturday with a fabulous breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien, which is sinfully good and conveniently located next door to my house.  I will be a frequent visitor of this adorable french spot.  Below, is the Asparagus & Gruyere omelet that was simply amazing. We rounded out the day with some shopping and an appointment at a bridal salon. It was such a fun day.

Champagne Brunch at Bistrot Lepic before our bridal appointment!

I hope you all had an equally as special weekend and have a great Monday!

xoxo,

Katie

Spring Brights

Today's high in Washington today is supposed to be pushing 60! Three cheers for that! I think my Spring Fever is really starting to set in. Although it has been a pretty mild winter for the most part, I cannot wait to ring in the Spring! How fun are these pieces? The dress is by far the prettiest piece of clothing I think I've ever seen. Well, maybe.

Frugal Friday

It's Friday. A freezing-cold-we-are-expecting-snow-any-minute Friday, but nonetheless the weekend is here!   Washington is calling for snow and ice overnight. Snow is all well and good with me, but ice, no thank you.  Thank goodness for our massive load of firewood and lots of Cabernet.

This morning, while Austin made his oatmeal, he made a discovery.  Our. Bowls. Were. Terrible. So bad in fact while in the microwave, white cracks began forming across the chocolate brown ceramic and water was seeping through.  Of course the bowls were "microwave proof", but I guess they had just had enough. Thanks a lot Target.

Today while doing a little online browsing, I came across these little cuties.  I am not a frequent Urban Outfitters shopper, but these were surprisingly cute.  Whats even better? They were marked down to $1.99 each! I stocked up. The are online here but are sold out on the website.  The store I visited had quite a few, so if you too like them, check your local store and they may have some in stock!

Happy Weekend!

xoxo,

Katie

Wild for Wallpaper

To me, sometimes wallpaper just does not get the recognition it so deserves.  Yes, I agree a mauve and teal textured 80's-style dentist's ofice wallpaper is horrid. However, check out this pattern featured in a home tour of Kate and Jack Spade's home. I die.

The pop of color and little bit of pattern really bring this little guest bath to life.  It is available at Scalamandre where they offer numerous color variations to fit your own personal style. I simply adore it.

I would love to wallpaper our little bathroom at some point to really bring it to life. Our landlord is pretty laid back and would welcome any change to bring a certain "cuteness" factor to our space.  Here is our current situation.



It gets the job done, but I am certainly open to new, funky ideas.  Right now, it just seems to be a catch-all and random placement of items.  I know we just moved in two weeks ago, but I'm down for a change.  I picture some vintage inspired wainscoting with a defined ledge and an awesome wallpaper above.  I love these styles.

They are each so different but are so fun to me. I surely wouldn't mind getting ready each morning in something as cheerful as this.

xoxo,

Katie

Weekend Recap

I considered this past weekend our first "real" weekend in DC. Last weekend was full of unpacking, unboxing and zero unwinding.  Austin and I owed it to ourselves to enjoy each other and the city.  

Friday was a frigid day.  Austin had to take care of a few things work related, so I decided to ride along with him for an excuse to get out of the house and separate myself from organizing/job hunting. I needed that.  Friday night consisted of delivery pizza and nonsense television.  I needed that too.

Saturday proved to be quite the adventurous day.  I needed to pick up some items from Target, so I mapped on Google the closest one and we set out for the metro.  We became SmartTrip pass holders (a card with loaded fare on it for the bus and/or metro).  I also have to say, thank God for the DC Metro App. I would have ended up in Lord only knows where without it.  It was a long day of metro hopping, but we got the hang of it in no time!

It was some kind of freezing waiting on our first bus. But of course, knowing me, I had to capture the moment.

The sweetest little man was selling these outside of the Columbia Heights Metro stop. I couldn't say no. It was so cold, I hoped my donation would at least provide him with a warm cup of coffee. Count your blessings!

Saturday evening, we hosted wine at our place with a girlfriend of mine and her boyfriend.  We also made our first fire in our little fireplace. I loved every second of it. Our cozy little place is starting to feel like home.

Sunday evening we met up with a couple that is a friend of ours for dinner in Georgetown.  Jennifer and Michael have lived up here since last year, so we are learning as much from them as we can! We met up at Paolo's  for some of the best pizza I have ever had! I've been on quite the pizza kick lately, maybe its craving comfort food in a new atmosphere. I'll just go with that excuse ;-)  Austin and I split the Pizza Rustica which comprised of italian sausage (I picked mine off) goat cheese, caramelized onions and potato.  Potato on pizza is surprisingly delicious!  Afterwards we walked down to Old Glory, a bbq spot and had a cocktail on their heated patio.  All around a great evening with great friends!

Monday was filled with productivity and errands and of course a long walk with Bailey. Each walk I fall in love with my new neighborhood more and more.

 

 All around, a great long weekend!


xoxo,


Katie

It's a date!

Since its a fresh new year, I am thinking a cute wall calendar will do just the trick in our tiny little kitchen.  Living right next door to Paper Source has given me a great opportunity to browse their extensive calendar selection.  Here are a couple of my top contenders.

Rifle Paper Co- My favorite choice. It is so fresh and fun!

Snow & Graham

Cavallini

Old School Letterpress Calendar

xoxo,

Katie

Baby It's Cold Outside

I am beginning to think that DC weather is as fickle as North Carolina weather.  This morning, I was greeted by 50 mph wind gusts and below freezing temps. Not. Pleasant.  To keep warm, fur is huge this year.  It. Is. Everywhere. While, I do love my (faux) fur vest, I would love to expand my collection with a few (of course faux only!) pieces like these!

xoxo,


Katie 

Thursday Thoughts

Yesterday marked our first official week in DC. We have faced a shit ton  some hurdles along the way, but I continue to reassure myself that it will all be worth it in the end. As I continue getting adjusted to our new life, I have found that one of my favorite stress relievers is to wander the streets of historic residential Georgetown.  I absolutely could not love our new neighborhood anymore.  Losing myself in the alphabetized and numerical streets for hours on end with the pooch has been a favorite of mine each day. Bailey, however, seems half dead by the end of our walks.  Maybe she doesn't find the breath taking architecture as drool worthy (no pun intended) as I do.


Today, being a gorgeous 58 degrees was perfect for a stroll. I decided I would snap some photos with the trusty iPhone of some of my favorites.

Yes, that is one SINGLE residence. Maybe in another life.

Adore the sprawling English Ivy.

I loved this for many reasons. Particularly the gas burning flame on this fixture.  I love when homeowners keep homes in the era in which they were built.  According to the plaque, this house was built in the 1850's.

Most of the row houses on our street range from the early to mid 1800's.  Our house was built in 1850.  They just do not build houses like these anymore.  Sure, new houses have modern updates and features, but they do not boast gorgeous stained glass and knock your socks off moldings.  If I have it my way, I will forever live in a house filled with history. Maybe add a few Viking appliances here and there. Wouldn't hurt right?!


Seeing these old homes brings a sense of calm to me.  I think to myself, if a single house can remain standing for such a long period of time, then I sure as anything can get through a temporary adjustment phase.  Nothing good ever comes easy!


Happy Almost Friday!


xoxo,


Katie 

Sideboard Situation

As we continue to settle into our new home and I figure out how many nooks and crannies I can cram all of our junk, my mind is a whirlwind of decor ideas.  Having a postage stamp relatively small sized home, I want to keep things as simple and minimal as possible but still functional.


Upon the entryway, the first thing you see is an empty alcove to the right of the fireplace. It. Is. Awful. I cannot look in the living room without this blank wall staring me straight in the face. So, my dilemma starts whether to turn this little area into a miniature home office for internet browsing or to score an amazing sideboard that could double for storage. Regardless of what ends up happening, I would like a piece on the lighter end to not cramp the space.


So far, sideboard is winning in my mind. Here are some styles I adore.

The detail and hardware on this piece are fabulous. There is nothing I do not like about this situation.

A mirrored piece would keep the space feeling open and could possibly make the area feel larger. I love the glam feeling a mirrored piece exudes.

I loved the idea of this for many reasons. A) Boat loads of storage below. B) I could make it personal by displaying pictures I have taken around DC above. However, the piece itself seems a bit heavy for what I am trying to go for.

Here is a picture of a sideboard project my mom refinished for her beach cottage.  It was a vintage store steal that begged to be re-painted. I love the eclectic feel.

As I continue to scour Craigslist and local antique shops, I will keep you posted. I may even get super brave and drive myself to Maryland to check out HomeGoods and see what their lamp department has to offer. Sometimes you can find some great designer look alike pieces at a quarter of the cost. But, lets not get ahead of ourselves as I am plum terrified to get behind the wheel in this city.

Happy Wednesday!

xoxo,

Katie  

White Coat Love Affair

I have been lusting for a simple yet chic winter white coat.  However, having a white coat in a big city are where dreams go to die. I picture it plastered with exhaust or metro trash in .052 seconds after purchasing.  Unless, perhaps I opted for a plastic cover. Cute right?! Ha.


If I indeed did decide to bite the bullet, here are some that would definitely be at the top of my list. A girl can dream.

I adore Rosie and love how she paired the innocence of the jacket with edgy leather leggings. 

Love the layered jacket look.

Its been quite warm here in DC for January. Yesterday, we hit about 20 degrees above average in temps. I know Father Winter will show up when he is good and ready, but for now, I cannot complain with this weather.  When Winter does however, decide to show up, it would be preferable to greet him with an adorable white coat!

Time for a coffee refill.

xoxo,

Katie 

Settling In

We're here! We are officially Georgetown residents and I could not love our new neighborhood any more.  Its quaint, old charm is absolutely captivating with its mixture of updated shops and restaurants.

It was quite the challenge trying to fit all of our things into closets the size of postage stamps and having no room for storage makes the trunks of our cars impromptu closests as well :)   Bailey seems to be adjusting great which I am so thankful for. 26th St park is right around the corner from us and is full of lively well taken care of pups that I feel safe for her to play with. Crazy puppy mama here.

After all of our boxes were successfully put in the house, we were absolutely ravenous. We ventured down to Clyde's of Georgetown a couple blocks away and indulged in some much needed comfort food.

Yesterday, being the creature of habit that I am, I wanted to make my first Harris Teeter trip in Adam's Morgan. My GPS took me through Dupont Circle at rush hour (mistake #1) which was a complete nightmare. Lanes merged into one another without any line of demarcation at all. Yikes. Then, upon my arrival, there was a parking deck for the grocery store, complete with mulitple levels. I forgot which level I parked on when it came time to leave (mistake #2). Also, it has come to my attention that DC has a law where they charge 5 cents a bag at any sort of retail venue. Needing about 20 bags from Harris Teeter, I had to pay for each bag (mistake #3) So, clearly on my to-do list today is to invest in some cute reusable grocery bags.  City living I guess!

I am off to take Bailey on a stroll through the neighborhood and acquaint myself more.

Happy Friday!

xoxo,

Katie

New Year Resolutions

Happy 2012! As we continue packing up our entire lives into one tiny little U-Haul, I have tried to take some time to make a list of "resolutions" that I would like to try to stick to some what.  Have you made any?


1. An organized life is a happy life. As I have been packing, I have been purging items I don't need as well as trying to formulate a system to all of my madness. Here are some ideas that really caught my eye.

2. Become more interested in running. To be honest, unless I have a seriously good iPod playlist, it becomes a bore to me. Fast. Thanks to a couple of these Christmas goodies I received, maybe I will become a more interested. Maybe.

I am particularly excited to use this. How neat is the ponytail cutout?

Hopefully this will help me eliminate the excuse its "too cold"for running in DC. Maybe.

 3. Take more time to relax. I am a serious Type-A, and sometimes it really gets the best of me. In 2012, I have promised myself that I will take more time to relax and not get too high strung, especially over insignificant instances, such as Austin forgetting something off of the grocery list. :)

Happy 2012!

xoxo,

Katie