BEST.SEATS.EVER!!!

So we got a special treat yesterday. In opening week of the baseball season, I was offered the BEST.SEATS.EVER at Nats Ballpark -- first row, right behind the dugout. I took Jimmy and my friends Christy and Bryan, who are also siblings. SIBLINGS night at the ballpark!! We were in conversation distance (or yelling distance in Bryan's case) of the ball players. Jimmy went early for batting practice and when we showed up, this is what he had aquired for himself. He is such a great brother. He not only gave me one, but he also gave a little kid one as well, only keeping one of the hard-earned balls for himself.

Bryan, who is the hugest Phillies fan ever, brought us all t-shirts to wear -- and even got a ball for himself that had been flipped over the dugout after beeing "touched by all of [his] favorite players".

A few more pics from the night.

"I LOVE THIS TOWN"

My friend Rachel and I went for a walk/run yesterday and these are just a few of the pics I took with my little camera phone. In the illustrious words of Winston Zeddemore, the 4th and last of the Ghostbusters, "I LOVE THIS TOWN".

The Cure for What Ails You!

I think I've just discovered baking therapy. Last night I got home from work, a little beaten down and worse for the wear. I pulled out my mixing bowl and pans and proceeded to make a huge batch of chocolate banana bread, peanut butter chocolate cupcakes and coconut chocolate cupcakes. And VOILA, I felt renewed and had dozens of baked goods to show for it. The best part is that I'm allergic to wheat so I can pawn them off on everyone else!!

So for any of you looking for a cure for the blues, here's a perfectly amazing recipe to try.

CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

1 cup margarine, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
6 bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup lite sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar and eggs. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking soda and cocoa; mix well. Blend in sour cream and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean.

A dining room I like . . . and other small victories.

So I PROMISE not all of my posts will be about my house projects, BUT I've been working hard on them and wanted to share.

After 2 years of looking for the right table, paint color, chairs, etc., I'm finally happy with the dining room AND even ended up saving money on the deal thanks to craigslist! I love Craig.

HERE ARE A FEW OTHER FAVORITE THINGS AROUND THE HOUSE.

This is a cardboard sign courtesy of my creative genius sister, Cubbie. It hangs prominently in my basement in honor of her brilliance.


Two favorite things -- art and books.


I searched for a huge map for my kitchen forever and finally found one at Ikea. It even matches the colors in my kitchen, although not really that table cloth.

Mysteriously WONDERFUL Wednesday

So I just got called down to the front desk to find this waiting for me . . .
And this was the mysterious card. I'm a HUGE Friday Night Lights fan so it must be someone who knows me well enough to know that. Hmmm.

Any guesses?

Nickle & Dime-ing!

I think it might be in my genes to love all things garage sale, antique shop, free-from-the-side-of-the-road, etc. So here are a few of my favorite “finds”.

One of my first purchases. A $25 chair from an estate sale, where I had to throw a few elbows to capture this gem.

I LOVE this lamp. $2 from my old roommate's garage sale.

A Luckett's Store find. It was being pulled off a truck and I snagged this baby for $10. I sanded down the trim and painted them, and voila!

This was free! I painted it and changed the knobs. They're cute little clocks now.
A craigslist purchase, changed from gray paint with black industrial knobs to cute yellow with flowers.

Garage sale post!

A pair of matching garage sale chairs for a total of $5 with homemade pillows.

A gift from my friend Jill from a garage sale in Amish Country, no less. Scandalous and AWESOME!

Now, who's excited for Garage Sale Season to start?!!!!

Get me on that Streetcar Named Desire

I am going to the Kennedy Center tonight to see Cate Blanchett in "A Streetcar Named Desire". I'm so excited!!! I love this play and I'm slightly obessessed with Cate Blanchett because she's perfect in everything she does.