Top Ten Things about living in DC

10. Access to lots of free stuff - museums, tours, events, historical places, Christmas Carolers, etc. (one time we even got to have a private tour of the Pentagon - sorry no pics from that)

White House tour with my office

White House garden tour with E!

Library of Congress tour

9. Everywhere you run is beautiful - especially running down on the mall past the Capitol and the Washington Monument.

8. You get every possible holiday off because you're on a government schedule.

7. The old row houses have ever so much character and if you live in one you might just find a painting on the back of a door or the original molding from the early 1900s.

6. It only takes an hour to get home so if you feel like heading home for dinner you can (ok so this only applies to me).

5. You can have two totally different experiences in two different parts of town and both will be unique and fun in their own way.

 vs.

4. The food (although I still haven't found my all time favorite brunch spot - Argonaut is up there) is delicious.  There is lots to choose from and although I wouldn't say DC has the greatest food in the country (I mean I've gotten to eat at Chez Panisse in Berkeley...what can I say) there are a lot of wonderful spots to pop into and have a bite with friends.

3. You feel like you're part of history often (i.e. Obama being elected, inauguration, events all the time, etc.) and that the decisions are being made for our country right in your own backyard.

Inauguration 2009

2. There are so many great earth saving, do good, save the world type organizations that you constantly feel inspired and invigorated to do more and do it better.

1.  The people that I have met, known, encountered, worked with, hung out with, and everything in between make this place what it has been for me.  The time I've spent here has been about relationships with people and I feel very lucky to have made some wonderfully special relationships as I'm leaving this place.

Memories of the past 3 years...

So I kinda missed semi-wordless Wednesday yesterday but what the heck, I'm going to do a semi-wordless Thursday!  The beginning of my DC montage...year one in the District

First night living in the District...boy was I nervous

Roommates for 3 years, best friends since age 5...I'm going to miss her!
(not that I won't be visiting all the time)

First playground build with one of my favorite co-workers :)

Second year roommates

Best pod ever, miss these people!

Kickball on the mall!

Drag queen brunch at Perry's, quite an experience!

Just a trip down memory lane to my first year in the District...more to come, can't believe it's already Thursday - this time next week I'll be moving out!

New Adventures on the horizon

So I've been hinting at this in the past few posts but in the next week or so my life is going to be changing a bit and I am excited!  A week from tomorrow is my last day at my current job and then the next day I move out of DC.  I have very mixed emotions about this, while I'm ready to move on from my job I've also learned a lot and met some amazing people so I know I am going to miss it a lot.  Same thing with DC, while I'm ready for a new adventure for the most part I've enjoyed my time in DC and will miss it a lot.

...that said, I'm only moving an hour away to Baltimore so it won't be the end of the world!  Yup, you guessed it, I'm moving back home.  I hope I enjoy being back home, I think I will but after living on my own for three years it may be a little different.  That said, I'm moving back home because I'm going to graduate school to get a Master's in Child Life which I am EVER so excited about!  As I'm sure you've read in a few of my posts, I have so enjoyed volunteering with kids in the hospital so I think I am only going to love learning how to support kids and families in the hospital.  I've spent my fair share in the hospital, both as a patient or a support, and I feel confident that this is what I am supposed to be doing.

Soo all of this said the next week is going to be devoted to all the things I have loved about living/working/exploring DC!  I've been holding back on this realm in my blogs as I knew I wanted to do something special when I left the city.  So bear with me as I slowly say goodbye to the city that I've called home for the past three years...

...and I wanted to put a few pics in but blogger is not accepting any of the pics I try to put in :(

Cupcakes

If there's one type of food that makes me really happy, it's cupcakes!  They're the perfect size to just grab and go, they're always really yummy, and the stores that sell them tend to be super cute and colorful.  I'm not sure what it is about them, but cupcakes always bring out the best.

Right now there seems to be a huge fad for cupcake stores, I love it!  My favorite cupcake in the DC area so far is baked and wired as there cupcakes are a little different:

That said, I also enjoy hello cupcake often, it's a lot more convenient and the cupcakes are delish!  

This is most definitely my favorite kind!!

Finally, I did enjoy Curbside Cupcake when they came up to Van Ness...would love for them to come up again!

I've tried out Red Velvet and Georgetown Cupcake but was just not in love with those two as much.  The cupcakes at Red Velvet were a little dry and Georgetown Cupcake, while it's adorable, the cupcakes are pretty small and you have to wait in like FOREVER to get one!

The famous and original cupcake store Sprinkles has come to DC and I think someone is bringing them in today, I'm excited to try (although I gave up chocolate for lent which starts today so that should be interesting?)!  I mean check-out their cupcakes:

mmmmmm

While these are only DC stores, the cupcake fad is nationwide.  Actually one of the first cupcake stores I visited was in Berkeley, CA.  Love At First Bite has very simple but VERY delicious cupcakes (and I personally think they have the cutest name).  I first had them my junior year in college and I think that is truly where my cupcake love began.

SO presch!

Anyway, now you know a bit about my cupcake obsession...although I haven't gone into my all time dream of owning my own cupcake store/community gathering space (I'll have to write another post about that).  To end, here are a few AWESOME cupcakes that I think you'll enjoy:

These remind me of my friend Sara!

CHOCOLATE!!

so creative!

hippy cupcake!

Have a great day!