that's a wrap

The Kitchen at Birch & Barley

>> Wednesday, December 15, 2010 – DC, Out on the Town

I know it's been awhile since I've posted photos - things have been very busy, as they always are around the holidays. I went to Birch & Barley here in DC (http://www.birchandbarley.com/) last week for dinner with a few of my girls and sat right at the table at the Kitchen Bar. I snapped a few photos of then kitchen staff at work with my DroidX:

October in Photos

>> Sunday, November 7, 2010 – DC, Michigan

Halloween in Michigan

>> Tuesday, November 2, 2010 – Michigan

I haven't spent Halloween with my parents in years, so I flew home for a visit this past weekend. What would fall be without a 36 degree Halloween day in Michigan? I even carved a pumpkin with a little tribute to the Mitten State. I'll upload a few more later from my camera.

Engaged!

>> Sunday, October 3, 2010 – DC, Villanova

On Friday 10-1-10, Ryan asked me to attend a work event with him in Old Town Alexandria. I was of course, running late as I jumped on the Trolley from the Metro. When I met Ryan at the corner of Royal St. - fully thinking we were going to a Hartford event - he walked me through a park behind The Carlyle House and proposed! Here are a few photos from what are surely some of the most memorable moments of our lives... the engagement evening, topped off with an amazing dinner at Restaurant Eve.

Blackberries are in season... and other things

>> Thursday, September 16, 2010 – DC

This summer Ryan, Reeny, Dan and I went up to Butler's Orchard in Germantown Maryland to do some "U-Pick"-ing. Fun, cheap, and you get to go home with a week's worth of berries. It reminded me of being young and picking strawberries/eating as many as I picked. It started out with Blackberries, but things quickly escalated from there.

Dan snapped this fantastic shot:

Here's an example of Reeny/Dan/My Buckets:

Ryan was a bit more "selective":

we moved onto blueberries... end of season but still enough to make some killer muffins:

we even picked potatoes:

ryan and his pitchfork were all in:

cleaning the catch:

the reward of a day's work:

detroit from the sky

>> Monday, September 13, 2010 – Michigan

Flying into DTW a few weeks ago i caught a great view of the city on the descent. I realized that it's usually dark when i fly in. If you look closely, you can see the Ambassador Bridge (to Canada) on the right side, and the Michigan Central Station (arguably the ultimate symbol of the city's decline) about a mile south of downtown. To me, the city even seemed quiet from the sky.

Mile High…

I recently joined some of my oldest friends, Wendell and Simony, and headed out to Colorado to visit Kath at her newish home in Denver. Here are a few favorites from the long weekend.

kath and june… our hostesses. with a fondness for chewing, kath was by far a better hostess than june.

Red Rocks

hiking near red rocks

wendell poppin’ bubbly

b-don lovin’ the scene in Denver

living it up under the Denver lights

Tom's Tomatoes

>> Monday, August 2, 2010 – Family, Michigan

It's that time of year again, when I am missing the summers in Michigan. Growing up my Dad always used to grow cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes in his garden. The garden is smaller than it used to be, but here's a photo my Dad snapped yesterday so we would know the tomatoes have arrived. Simba seems to enjoy being involved as well.

Sixth & I

>> Friday, July 30, 2010 – DC, Out on the Town

A friend from work recently invited me to a Mat Kearney concert at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. I'd never seen him before (he's talented! was fantastic live); or been to that venue. It was such a unique place for a show. Here's a view from the balcony. We were almost behind the speakers, but I found the view was kind of like seeing the kitchen of a restaurant. You got a cool sense of how they were easing into the show, could see the instruments closely, etc. I'd love to go back there again sometime.