Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Eat-and-Run in Washington D.C.

Aestivation is a terrible fate: -5 degrees C never felt so cold.
Yet, good food waits for no creature.
And so we walk.

Our first stop was Dupont Circle, a traffic circle located in the historic district of Washington D.C. The neighborhood feels a lot like an old movie, with its residents walking up and down the sidewalk dressed in trench and pea coats.

Quite by accident, we found Tangysweet, the D.C. version of Pinkberry. Though slightly expensive, it was worth a taste. The three flavors of the day were Green Tea, Pumpkin Pie, and Pink Guava. As expected from the name, the froyo was extremely flavorful and...tangy, but with a pleasantly clean aftertaste. The portions were also JUST right: enough to satisfy. The Green Tea is supposedly made from organic tea, but was much too fruity for my tastes. The Pumpkin Pie was sweet and spicy, and was probably my favorite out of the 3. Pink Guava was delightfully sour and definitely worth a try, especially since I never had Guava before.

Our next destination was Georgetown Cupcakes, THE gourmet cupcake place for cupcake lovers in the D.C. area. However, getting there was much more painful than we expected, partially because there is no conveniant way to get to Georgetown, but mostly because I barely knew the area. The cold did not help and I was jealous of the little dogs in santa suits and kittens tucked in carriages.

Georgetown Cupcakes recently moved to a new location on the corner of 33rd and M street. As expected, there was a long line inside, but it moved quite quickly. Within 20 minutes (enough time for us to deliberate), we decided to get a dozen cupcakes. The flavors I tried were Red Velvet, Lava Fudge, Mocha, Lemon Blossom, and White Chocolate Peppermint. My favorites were Lemon Blossom and Mocha. Both were delightfully rich in flavor and texture. As an icing hater, it was my first time eating all the icing from a cupcake.

Because there was no room in the cupcake store, Teaism was our final rest stop. Hot tea, cupcakes, warmth, and good company are the perfect way to end an adventure. While the tea was quite expensive, it was also very fragrant and delicious. I had a pot of Anxi Oolong tea, which was surprisingly strong and smelled vaguely like a mix of green tea and incense perfume. Kat had Jasmine Silver Ball tea, which smelled beautiful, but tasted rather fruity.
I enjoyed the presentation of the food and the coziness of the dining room and hope to actually eat something the next time I come here.

The winter evening fell heavily upon us.
Red streaks of planes and the last of Christmas lights were our last bits of amusement.
Goodbye, said the moon, rounder and fuller than the day before, Goodbye.
Till Next Time We Meet.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Between December and February We Fly


Aestivation (n.) Also known as "summer sleep", is a state of dormancy somewhat similar to hibernation.
Even when it is 3 degrees outside, the world calls to me in a symphony of trills. I don't care. As long as there are friends to laugh with and cardinals to chase through the woods: I am free like a heron on the wing.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!
<3

Monday, December 21, 2009

Deer Friends

A few days before Christmas Eve and already I am getting somewhat impatient. However, my grades have come back so my burden has been considerably lightened. Cold skin and runny noses and dust allergies have hounded me all evening as I curled into the couch to watch Disney movies with a bag of popcorn. Look before you eat, you never know WHO is hiding amongst the kernals.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Snow Falling Softly On My Head

Finally done with exams and so I am home (it was a terrible flight and baggage claim was a nightmare). I am glad I made it before the snowstorm hit. A lot of my friends are still stuck elsewhere.
I hope the snow will last me until Christmas.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Winter Lights

Christmas means nights stuffed warm and cozy - frantically flipping through textbook pages for tomorrows exam & Hot chocolate, chicken noodle soup, and dancing in the snow.

Fairy light, fairy bright
First lights I see tonight
I wish I may, I wish I might
Taste the breeze on this moonlit night.