Capitol by day

Chocolate chip heaven

During my time in Little Rock, I discovered baking. Now I love it and I even have a couple staples -- chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal cherry cookies. I found both recipes in former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier's Dessert University, which I bought after falling in love with (the beautiful photos of) his desserts he showcased at a speech and tasting during the Arkansas Literary Festival one year. Good thing I went to that speech. Those cookies have pretty much become my sure way of becoming popular :)

Since moving back to D.C., I hadn't baked yet for my family. Last night was the night. As the cookies were in the oven, my stepfather said, "There's nothing like walking inside on a cold winter night to a warm kitchen filled with the scent of chocolate chip cookies in the oven." I mean seriously, is there anything better?

Happiness in process

Happiness complete

One of these days, I swear I'll learn something more difficult than cookies...

The Washington Monument...

...at almost dusk on a Saturday in November

Chronicling the Monument through the seasons

Because it's only Wednesday...

and I feel like it should be Friday already...

Watch this hilarious and fabulously uplifting video:
Jessica's Daily Affirmation

You'll be laughing the rest of the day.

Lion cubs go for a dip

Frequent readers know I'm obsessed with baby animals, especially pandas.

The Washington Post and DCist posted amazing photos of the National Zoo's new baby lion cubs. The babies had to take a swim test to make sure they could stay afloat when not under the watchfulness of their keepers. As DCist pointed out, these are the zoo's first lion cubs in 20 years, so they're getting quite the hype. I'm thinking I'm going to have to take a lunchtime walk one day soon to see these little guys for myself:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/10/26/GA2010102605577.html?wpisrc=nl_most

http://dcist.com/2010/10/lion_cubs_swimming_lion_cubs_swimmi.php?gallery0Pic=1#gallery

Oh deer Arkansas

My friends are always doing their best to ensure that Arkansas remains at the front of my mind. Thinking I might be missing Arkansas, one such friend directed me to the following link, the story of a deer breaking and entering through a window of a house in Stuttgart, Ark.
http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/features/x102608838/Deer-leaps-into-Stuttgart-home

Amusing, yes, but also rather disturbing. I'm most worried about the shards of glass that hurt the deer!

I think the best part of the story is the use of the word "leap" to describe the deer's behavior -- almost like he very deliberately and gracefully decided to make an appearance at the bedroom on E. Third.

So it wasn't a meth lab...

But it was still a drug lab. In a freshman dorm room. In MY freshman dorm. So, I can't help but reference this hilarious story of crime and punishment in the hallowed halls of my esteemed alma mater.

I know I'm a little late on the story, but give me a break. I was gallivanting through the streets of NYC this weekend in honor of ringing in the 2-7.

So here it is, as covered by TBD:
http://www.tbd.com/blogs/tbd-latest/2010/10/alleged-meth-lab-found-on-georgetown-university-campus-3596.html

Good old Harbin. I believe when I lived on Harbin 2, we won some kind of award for being written up more than any other freshman floor. For the record, I was not one of the more illustrious rule breakers in that crowd. Guilt by association.

I can just picture those poor little freshman being jarred awake at 6 a.m., forced to stumble downstairs before half of them even have time to contemplate the horrendous walk of shame they're about to partake in front of hordes of D.C.'s finest.

DC Spy covers it better than I ever could, so check out her commentary here:
http://ispythingsdc.com/2010/10/25/georgetown-students-tire-of-binge-drinking-build-meth-lab/comment-page-1/#comment-4178