German Chocolate Cupcakes

The topping turned out much better this time around.



These are amazing, if I do say so myself! I love ya, Martha!

Another Excuse to Bake

Is it ironic that I’m writing about baking less than 24 hours after a healthy eating post? Maybe if I gave up baking, those extra two pounds I’d like to shed would fall off. Oh well.

It seems at least once a week or every other, I get the urge to bake. You’ve seen this in past posts of cupcakes and cupcakes and occasional cookies. I fight the urge quite often, but for “special occasions”, I give in. And by special occasion, I mean last week’s kickball game. The coach mentioned how much he loved my baking, and there were a few ranger cookies waiting for him at our next game. (Ranger cookies involve Wheaties, coconut, and oats, and the last time I’d made this recipe from the Betty Crocker cookbook was with my favorite babysitter in the fifth or sixth grade. I never forgot how good they were.)

This week it’s german chocolate cupcakes I’m baking, and the excuse is my boss. Out of town for his birthday last month, he never received a cake or office celebration, but he did mention german chocolate was his favorite kind of dessert. Last night, I picked up the ingredients and got to work at 8:45pm. By the time 10:30 rolled around, I didn’t think I’d ever get to bed. And that’s when the frosting gave me problems.

Stir the mixture over medium heat for ten minutes, Martha Stewart said. So I stirred and stirred and stirred. Twenty minutes later, and it still was not thick! I yelled for my kitchen mentor, Lyn, and she advised me to turn up the heat a bit - the bubbles weren’t bad, because it meant the air was escaping and hence, making the sauce thicker.

“Wow, baking is kinda scientific,” I said. Me and my bright observations. Duh!

I guess this is why I may never be amazing in the kitchen. I’m much, much better with words. Look! I can spell evaporate!

Yet, even with the much-needed advice, the sauce still didn’t turn out correctly. Instead, I heated it too long! The goop barely made it through the sieve, and I refused to take such a frosting to work. I’ll be re-buying the ingredients tonight and trying the mixture again. Meanwhile, my perfectly-moist cupcakes are stored and awaiting their topping. Wish me luck!

Back at the Shore

Our annual girls' trip to the Jersey Shore never happened last year, but we made up for it this past weekend. My friend C is a wonderful hostess, and always makes our time at her family's shore house memorable.



Actually, the word "memorable" always seems to be quite the understatement for our trips.

Food-wise, there were things like coffee cake from Mueller's . .



Eaten with cold milk, of course



And there were manis and pedis all around . .



An evening at our favorite spot just .6 miles up the road. We know because we walk it every time, and we like knowing how long of a walk it is.



See? I am a big fan!



Also a big fan of $5 for 13 songs of your choice on the digital jukebox. I picked some winners this time. Although, I was sad our favorite 80s band wasn't in town.

Nevertheless, I was dancing up a storm! hehe. You know I love to dance.



And then there was the beach. Which was perfect in every way. Can you see why I dislike public beaches now? I've been spoiled.

The Jersey Shore from LP on Vimeo.

With Mom and Sis in D.C.

*Sigh* We made it back to D.C.
Mom was so glad. “It’s nice to be back in your little town,” she said. Yes, New York does make it feel little.

On Saturday morning, I took them to Eastern Market, a favorite spot of mine. We waited in line at the crepe cart, ordering savory crepes for our meal . . and sweet ones for dessert.



We walked along the rows of vendors, admiring the jewelry, art, and delicious fruits and veggies. Mom walked away with a pretty necklace, and I took home a painting and my first bouquet of peonies, my absolute favorite flower!





Of course, no visit would be complete without a stop by Georgetown Cupcake, and as usual, I couldn’t order just one. One of my new favorites is peanut butter fudge! . . and mint oreo!



We spent the evening making pizzas at KC’s place with a group of my friends, playing a little Rock Band, and finishing the night at one of the Waterfront’s outdoor bars. The weather was perfect!

On Sunday, we managed to fill the day visiting family that live in the area.

I’m so happy they were able to visit (only their 2nd time in four years), and I hope it’s not quite as long before they come again! Next time Dad and Brother and Bro-in-Law need to come, too!

Healthy Eating

How do you eat healthy? What are your go-to healthy (or at least healthy-ish) snacks?

I feel as though I eat the same things over and over and while I’m not necessarily sick of them, I think it’s good for our bodies to mix it up . . kind of like muscle confusion in a workout – food confusion in your diet?

Here are some examples of what my diet looks like on any given day:

Breakfast
Almost always: healthy whole grain cereal with skim or 1% milk (I hear 1% has more nutrients even if it is a bit fattier)
Occasionally: Dannon Light & Fit yogurt in strawberry banana (I also heard this is healthier, lower-cal, less sugar than the Yoplait I’ve always eaten)
Quaker Oat Maple and Brown Sugar instant oatmeal
Toast with peanut butter and strawberry jam

Lunch
Homemade Salads with either tuna, hard-boiled eggs and chicken for protein and lots of veggies, nuts, fruit, and a little cheese and light dressing
This week: lettuce, chicken, cucumbers, corn, roasted red peppers, thyme, parsley, green beans, goat cheese, crispy onions
It’s either this salad or a sandwich from Subway, which always leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe a skinny Potbelly sandwich instead.

Snacks
Carrots and hummus (so filling and yummy)
Stacy’s pita chips (I don’t care if these aren’t healthy, I am obsessed with eating them plain.)
Apples
Strawberries or raspberries or a banana
Fiber Plus bars (less sugary and lower cal than Fiber One, plus tastier!)
Laughing cow cheese wedges

Dinner
Scrambled egg sandwich with a little miracle whip and cheese
Tuna sandwich
PB&J sandwich
Shredded chicken with tomato, hummus, lettuce and Italian dressing on a tortilla
Sliced apples, pb, and honey open-faced sandwich
Scrambled egg burrito with salsa and shredded cheese
Sides of frozen veggies like broccoli, corn, or peas
Maybe a side of couscous with corn

What discourages me is that, although I feel that the above is a pretty healthy, low calorie diet, I’m still a little less than happy with my progress in the weight loss department. I have shed probably five pounds in the past couple of months, which brings me back to where I was pre-Christmas and L.A. pig-outs, but I want ALL the jiggle gone. All my clothes fit, and I’m not exactly in a bad place, so maybe I’m shooting for something that would be impossible to maintain anyway. That thought has crossed my mind. I mean, how many people really have zero insulation? Sometimes in gym class, I think “If I had a kid at home, it would be really hard to be here running these sprints or doing these push-ups.” And that scares me. I need to be maintaining a workout routine that won’t be completely unrealistic in the future. Otherwise, I might have a meltdown when my body never fully bounces back. Me at twenty years old, best shape of my life? I’m never gonna be there again . . and that’s ok.

Either way, what do you eat that is easy and healthy? I love options. (By the way, that sliced apple open-faced sandwich I mentioned above? So good!)

More NYC

Day Two in NYC began with a long, long line in Battery Park as we waited to board the ferry.



It's amazing to pull away from the city and see the incredible skyline.



We docked at Liberty Island, but decided to save some time and stay on board.



There was more to explore in the Financial District before heading further uptown.

Such as the New York Stock Exchange . .



The charging bull



The Federal Hall at which George Washington was sworn in as President. I love history!



The Trinity Church cemetery, in which many famous tombstones could be found, some dating all the way back to the 1700s!



We had worked up an appetite yet again, so we made our way to The Stand near the University.



Everything we ordered was mouth-wateringly delicious! The Stand is most famous for its toasted marshmallow shakes, though. I can see why everyone raves about them! The maple almond was delicious, as well.





It took a crazy amount of willpower to not finish my crabbie melt, but the coleslaw, sweet potato fries and frickles were vying for my attention, as well. Frickles = fried pickles = mmmmm.



And despite the fact that we'd just stuffed ourselves to the brim, we stopped at Levain Bakery in Upper West for "the best chocolate chip cookies in the world". We bought three and saved them for later when milk was readily available.



They were the best we'd ever had.



Oh, and we barely had time to sit down and take a pic in Central Park before we were back on the bus to D.C.

Wait and See

There's this Brandon Heath song that's been around for a bit.

I've sang the song a million times, but the words struck a new chord tonight on my four year anniversary in D.C.

Still wondering why I’m here
Still wrestling with my fear
But oh, He’s up to something
And the farther on I go
I’ve seen enough to know
That I’m not here for nothing
He’s up to something

There is hope for me yet
Because God won’t forget
All the plans he’s made for me
I have to wait and see
He’s not finished with me yet

NYC with Mom and Sister

Our bus to New York was late that Thursday, and by the time we reached Penn Station, we were left with only 25 hours to explore the city. As if NYC wasn’t crazy enough!

The first order of business was dropping our bags at the hotel and grabbing a bite to eat. But not just any bite. Some friend-recommended and Yelp-approved brick oven pizza.

First things first, our hotel in the Financial District gave us a peek at the Hudson and a view of the World Trade Center site. Isn’t that building just gorgeous?! It looked to be full of condos – not that I spotted anyone at home on their laptop in bed or anything.



The WTC site is truly sobering, but it’s exciting to see the new construction there. On my last trip, I took the time to walk through a small museum, and I wish we’d had time to do the same. It’s well worth the $10 they charge.







The Subway took us up to Tribeca where Saluggi’s pizza did not disappoint. I was mildly frustrated upon being reminded that I don’t come from a family of adventurous eaters. I myself used to be extremely particular, and the list of foods I once hated would fill pages. But I gently coaxed Mom and Sister into ordering not only the Mediterranean pizza (no olives), but the customer favorite brussel sprout pizza. If it’s a customer favorite, I don’t care how weird it sounds – it’s gotta be good. And it was. Brussel sprouts, bacon, and caramelized onions. Who would’ve thought, right?







So get yourself to Church Street for some pizza! Apparently “Church Street Wants You”.



The main event that night was a Broadway show, and we’d purchased tickets to the The Lion King. Having seen only one other show (The Wedding Singer, which was very good) I was fascinated by the gracefulness of each actor, the costume design and props, the music . . basically everything. I’m glad we chose a show very unlike most others in that it’s attempted to recreate an animated film, and done an amazing job of it!



Of course Times Square was awaiting just outside the theater doors.

And that was our first seven hours in New York!

Completely MIA

“You’ve been completely MIA . . and as badly as I want to take you out on Friday, I need to know if this is a bad move.” Maybe this crazy guy I nearly went out with would feel a little better if he knew I’d been ignoring more than just his text messages. I’ve been neglecting the blog! . . primarily due to my dog-sitting responsibilities this past week, in addition to just not feelin’ like it. I hope you’re not thinking “as badly as I want to keep reading your blog . . “ Haha.

I still want to recap the wonderful times I had with my visitors, starting with Mom and Sister.

First of all, when Mom says she likes something, actually really likes something, and it makes her maybe even a little excited, you must make that something happen! Mom and I are not alike in the easily excitable category.

Mom’s one request?: guacamole from Rosa Mexicano. And I was happy to oblige.



I was also happy to buy Sister and I a little white sangria to go with our guac and delicious steak tacos.



It was the perfect beginning to our time together.

And it was followed by my new favorite treat stop, FroZenYo – the self-serve place I recently discovered.



I tried at least eight flavors.

Missing my Visitors

I'm wishing I could hit the rewind button to last week and hang out with these people again:

Happy Monday!

Bits and Pieces

My guests have gone, and it's back to reality for me. It was a great week in New York City and D.C. with Mom and Sister and then Best Friend. Would only have been better if it was free. :)

Of course I took loads of pictures, none of which are postable yet. But soon . . I think.

Tomorrow is my first kickball game of the season - whoop whoop - and hopefully I'll make it to first base. My last kickball memory is from the 3rd grade, so this should be interesting.

Happy Cinco de Mayo to you all! Instead of hitting the gym like I so desperately need to do, I suggested the roommates and I go for Mexican tonight. Lyn's recommendation did not disappoint. It was some real authentic and delicious grub, including yummy pupusas.

I am eeexhausted right now and headed straight to bed, but thought I'd say hello to the blogosphere. My goodness, being away from Google Reader for a few days can really overwhelm a person. I have well over 200 posts to read!

Last Weekend

Despite all the extra hours I’ve spent awake this week (read: 1am bedtime every night, ugh), I’ve been seriously neglecting the blog!

My mom and sister fly in this evening for a long weekend in New York City and D.C. It’s been about three years since either of them have visited, so needless to say, I’m a little (or maybe a lot) excited. I’ve been spending several hours the past few days cleaning and organizing my room, as well as scoping out some fun NYC activities. Don’t tell my mom, but although this will be my sixth time in the city and I do feel comfortable navigating, it always makes me a teeny bit nervous to visit. It’s just so . . HUGE. And as much as I love exploring its vastness, I can’t help but feel slightly overwhelmed by the buildings, the people, the sights and the smells. That is to say, I like the city, but I don’t loooove it. Two days is always plenty of time for me. It will be fun to see what Mom and Sister think.

Last weekend was perfectly low-key since the priority was organizing, laundry, and all that other fun stuff. I spent both weekend evenings on the couch in sweat pants. As much as I love make-up, heels, and fun outfits, there is something to be said for just chilling at home. On Sunday, I rose as early as 8am for my second p90x workout with KC. {I am loving it so far!} Several friends visited church with me that day, and we had a nice lunch at Chop’t after the service. The forecasted rain stayed away all day, as Lauren and I shopped in the sun along 14 Street, popping into various home décor and thrift shops before heading south of town to Ikea. We drooled over some lovely pieces at Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams, vowed to never set foot in Rough and Ready again, and picked up some delicious macarons at ACKC. It was like a little piece of Paris in my mouth. {I’ve been dying to try them for months, after seeing them pop up in all sorts of design magazines and especially after reading about their popularity here, though I hope they don't become trendy.}
Throughout the day, I purchased a few more items that have brought my bedroom to very near completion. How long have I been saying that? But no, really – other than curtain trim, a pillow DIY, and a few more accessories, I’m finished! Pictures should come soon.

I'm off for some family fun . .

Cheap Tees

Get yourself to Target and snatch up the boyfriend tees in every color . . like I may have just done. They just restocked. Only problem is that I can't decide if I want mine a little slouchy, one size up. Decisions, decisions. But either way, comfy, cute and well-made, in my opinion. And only $8 a pop!

I don't like sharing secrets, but I like you all. :)

Let the Games Begin!

As of last weekend, I think I’ve managed to attend every professional sporting event in the D.C. area at least once.

Hockey (Capitals), football (Redskins and Ravens), soccer (United), baseball (Nats and Orioles), basketball (Wizards). . I’ve even been to the Legg Mason Tennis Classic.

Sporting events might be my favorite pastime ever! Or eating. Sporting events usually involve eating though, so . . perfect!

I’m beyond thrilled that baseball season has started again, and despite the rain, my friends and I stuck out the Nationals game last Friday under the cover of an overhang with beer and chili cheese dogs in hand.



One of many things I love about the new stadium is all the fantastic food offerings from local spots like Ben’s Chili Bowl, Five Guys, and Gifford’s, my favorite homemade ice cream shop. I spent my $10 Nats Bucks coupon wisely.



Sundae in a ballcap, don’t mind if I do. Oreo, strawberry cheesecake, and swiss chocolate with fudge and whipped cream on top. I shared the indulgence with Lauren.

On a side note, there’s something I love about that little red t-shirt, and I really wish I could call it my own. The fact of the matter is that I had fully intended on watching that game in a cable-knit top, skirt and heels – exactly what I’d worn to work that day. My last second packing before flying out the door that morning resulted in a combo that just wasn’t gonna work. Thanks to a friend I met up with pre-game, I was able to not only wear an acceptable and weather-appropriate shirt with my jeans, but I also borrowed her nail polish right there at the bar, making my toes flip-flop-ready. A much more comfortable outfit for a ballgame.



Despite a cold front that came in the next day, a group of us were dumb enough to wear not enough layers to our first Major League Soccer game at RFK stadium. Cold and windy is not enjoyable! I’m smiling here, but I wasn’t so happy when we “tailgated” food-less before the game.





Once inside, we escaped the wind, and I did enjoy the game. The soccer fans are passionate here, even though D.C. United isn’t often a winning team.



I was also reminded how cute soccer players can be. No wonder I always had crushes on them growing up.