Week 47: Sloppy Joes and the Skins!

I know it seems like I've had a number of football-related SPs recently. Well, it's due in part to the fact that that's how I spend my Sundays in the fall. That, and I've been doing a horrible job of remembering to take SPs during other, more exciting activities that take place off the couch.

This was a rare NFL week in which we got full coverage of a Colts daytime game on Sunday. Since they were up against the Ravens, they were on CBS at 1, while the Redskins took on the Cowboys on FOX at 1. We seriously considered bringing the bedroom TV out into the living room to watch the games side by side, but realized we didn't have cables long enough or with the right attachments to make it work. In the end, it was Colts on the living room TV, Redskins on the bedroom TV (Tivo'd), and switching back and forth between drives to catch as much live overlap action as possible.

Ultimately, the injury-riddled Skins lost in a low-scoring heartbreaker, while the Colts barely edged out the Ravens in a rather close and dramatic game! We enjoyed the game while eating some homemade crockpot sloppy joes, which were hearty and delicious!

Week 46: Fun with Meg!

I went out with Meg and a few other folks on Saturday night where we attempted some bar self-portraits. Yes, this was the best of the bunch after at least 5 attempts that I won't post here (SPs late on a Saturday evening are decidedly not the best idea). On Sunday night, I watched the amazing Colts game with both Canganys who are true Indy natives. Due to a text message miscommunication over dinner plans, Meg and I ended up having a macaroni & cheese-off dinner in which we each prepared a huge pan of homemade mac 'n cheese. The final verdict is that Martha Stewart's got nothin' on either of our versions (except that she might have provided the recipe I used - big deal). Needless to say, I'll be eating mac 'n cheese for lunch and dinner for the rest of the week. Let's just call it practice for Thanksgiving!

Week 45: More Football!

On Sunday, I went out to Skelbs & Erik's new adorable and homey home in Reston, VA for an afternoon of football, chili, delicious snacks (like Heather's Chex Muddy Buddies!) and good company. You'll note in this photo I opted to wear my new Colts tee instead of my Cooley jersey just to change things up. We still did watch and root for the Redskins, and after another disappointing (but not surprising) loss, we decided to head to a nearby field to see if we could practice to be on next year's squad. It was a nice fall day, and despite the dismal state of our DC's football team, we all had a great time!

Pictured here with me is Riley, Skelbs & Erik's lovable black lab, who is enjoying a rubbery UVA football in her mouth.

Week 44: Happy Halloween!

As of about 3 days before Halloween, neither John nor I knew what we were going to do for Halloween. John came up with the last minute idea to go as the Squirrel Crasher couple, popular among nerds who follow Internet memes, but after some focus group testing/surveying, it occurred to us that not everyone would "get it" and it would also be difficult to pull off with a photo of a squirrel on a stick as our only real prop.

While watching this week's episode of "The Office," I found myself laughing hysterically at Andy Bernard, then immediately looked over at John and realized they had some similarities - not just in wardrobe but in goofy behavior and mannerisms. We decided to abandon Squirrel Crashing and go with John as Andy Bernard, and me as my recycled Alvin costume from Halloween '07 (which turned out well because it was an entirely new group of people).

After heading out in public, it basically appeared like John was coming straight from work and escorting me during trick-or-treating. But the Nard-dog came through with some choice quotes and a few bars of acapella to truly put himself into character. As for me, I got some love from some kids in the street, in addition to having to refresh some 20-something memories as to everyone's favorite childhood chipmunk. Happy Halloween!

Week 43: Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday, so this past weekend -- with Huan & Molly in town for the night -- we had a small family dinner to celebrate. We enjoyed a delicious homecooked Vietnamese meal and I brought home a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins (clearly a kids' choice!) for dessert. As evidenced by this photo, we all have a pretty great time when we're together. It's nice to know that some things never change (ahem, Huan). Here's wishing a happy birthday to my wonderfully stylish, hip, tech-savvy, top chef, super Mom! We love you!

Week 42: Slow Cookin' Sundays!

About a month ago, John and I bought a crockpot to see what fun things we could cook up. It's mostly become a Sunday/football meal activity, and so far we've had some decent success. Our first recipe was Paula Deen's "Taco Soup," aka chili, which was delicious. We've also made a mac & cheese, which was tasty but perhaps not exactly a recipe that shines or is enhanced by slow cooking. This week's recipe, however, was perhaps our best yet: Pulled Pork. I googled a few recipes until I found a really simple one that only involved meat, root beer and BBQ sauce. I was intrigued by the simplicity (plus, I'm easily intimidated by complicated recipes) and the reviews were glowing, so we went for it and were very pleased with the results. I'd highly recommend it to anyone! Stay tuned for future episodes of Crockpot Cooking with Pouy & John (sous chef).

Week 41: Annapolis getaway!

This past weekend, I made the short drive from DC to Annapolis, where John and I strolled around and enjoyed lunch before we headed to nearby Crownsville to relax at the Nguyen Family river house. The Nguyens are very close family friends who have a beautiful house on the water and are always terrific hosts to their guests! I always forget that Annapolis/Crownsville is one of my favorite getaways because you feel like you're on vacation, but really only 30 miles or so outside the city! It was a relaxing friends & family weekend, culminating in a big dinner to celebrate my dad's birthday in addition to my cousin Steph's recent engagement to her boyfriend Ron. Saturday's weather wasn't great, but all was redeemed by a beautiful Sunday sunrise, followed by perfect conditions for a boat ride to Annapolis! It was a great weekend of fantastic food and company. Can't wait to do it again!

Week 40: Congrats to Skelbs & Erik!

Last weekend my good friend Sarah (aka Skelbs) got married in a lovely ceremony at the Thomas Birkby House in Leesburg, VA. It was a perfect day for a wedding... sunny & pleasant for the outdoor ceremony, and cool and crisp for the evening reception. They had a bluegrass band which was great; it made for a dance floor with tons of energy and lots of fun, once we could figure out how to dance to a bluegrass band (lots of bouncing, kind of like running in place). It was a wonderful celebration and I couldn't be happier for Skelbs & Erik. All the best to this awesome couple!



P.S. Happy Birthday Skelbs!!

Week 39: I am Tiger Woods.

Okay not really, but when I play Tiger Woods PGA Tour '10 on Wii, I feel like I could be him. Just picked this game up over the weekend and have been having a blast so far. Despite the detailed physical feature character creation, my character doesn't look a thing like me, except that she's wearing cowboy boots on the course. That flaw aside, the game is great - as easy or challenging as you want it to be, which makes it great for entertaining groups or playing on your own. Yes, my form here is terrible, but at least my left arm is straight, right? Hoping to master this one soon. So far, I'm at least slightly better than I am in real life... which unfortunately doesn't say too much.

Week 38: Go Skins!

Though I was bummed about the end of summer, fall really is one of my favorite seasons if only for the return of NFL football. I've always been a loyal Redskins fan despite the disappointment, frustration, and heartbreak involved, at least in recent years. Last Christmas Auddie got me this Chris Cooley ("Cooooooooley!") jersey, so I'm looking forward to sporting it this season. The good news is, I'm a big fan of the sport in general so I love watching any good match up. Today I also found out that we get the NFL Red Zone channel as part of our cable package, so that keeps things pretty exciting! Sundays are much more bearable when you have football to watch. It's also a great excuse for game-time food, like pizza, wings, and beer. Typs, right? Go Skins!*

*This was first posted to Flickr on September 20, but as of the posting of this blog (Sept. 27), the Redskins have just lost to the abysmal Detroit Lions in an embarrasingly pathetic performance. I know this doesn't sound very loyal, but I may be close to finding a new team, at least for this season. I pick the Colts. I still love you, Redskins, but you really, really suck.

Week 37: Bachelorette Pub Golfing

I went out on Saturday night for my friend Sarah's bachelorette party. Sarah, aka Skelbs, is a good friend of mine from high school who is getting married in three weeks! The theme of the night was pub golfing. Basically it was a pub crawl but at each bar, you tally points based on what drink you get, whether you complete it, and a host of other rules revolved around the game of golf. It was a pretty fun experience, and with a big group decked out in silly golf gear, we definitely caught some attention at every bar we walked into. Pictured here is me with the bride-to-be, along with Caroline, another good friend from high school, and Dunkey McMule, the evening's mascot. Had a great time and wish Skelbs the best!

Week 36: Happy Birthday John and bye bye summer!

On Saturday, we took a quick trip down 95 south to Mineral, VA, to spend the day at my friend Heather's family lake house on Lake Anna. It was a perfect day to be outside and on the water. We played some bocce, drank some beer, ate grilled food, went for a boat ride, went tubing and swimming, and basically enjoyed a wonderful day outdoors! Sunday was John's birthday so the celebrating and fun continued. All in all it was a very lovely labor day weekend and a nice way to officially end the summer. I'm bummed about the end of summer but fall is still a great season and gives us much to look forward to: leaves changing color, crisp weather, and of course football!

Week 35: Cookie Time USA!

Everyone knows I don't exactly have a sweet tooth, but I still enjoy baking every now and then. On Sunday I went over Meg's place to help her bake a bunch of cookies for the office. We made two big batches -- Oatmeal Raisin and Chocolate Chip. Who knew how much butter went into baking homemade cookies, not to mention the shortening, too (what IS shortening, really??)! Anyway, it was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The cookies we made were delicious, and the mimosas were a nice touch, too!

Week 34: Happy Birthday, MaiTai!

I went out on Friday night to celebrate my cousin Tuti/Mai/Kam's birthday. We started the night at Guajillo, a mexican restaurant where we had delicious margs and tasty food (perhaps too much for the boys, who attempted to eat the giant burrito which ended up being more than two times as large/long as a chipotle burrito!). Afterwards, we headed to Ri Ra to sing and dance along to a cover band playing the usual favorites. It was a great night, despite the fact that I was in my glasses and looked and felt like I had just woken up (I've had bad allergies/itchy eyes all week). Also, pardon the shine in this photo - obviously a little greasy and sweaty from all the bar fun! Happy Birthday and best wishes to Mai!

Week 33: Just a little gelato...

Nothing too eventful here, so I present a gelato pitch with a grainy iPhone photo, featuring Auddie:

Even though Pitango opened back in May, I didn't get a chance to try it until this past weekend. As we all know, I'm not a huge dessert/sweets person, but I was pleasantly surprised with their gelato. They pride themselves on fresh and local ingredients, and they don't use any artificial colors or flavors. Out of all of combinations, I think John took the prize for best selection with his cup of bourbon vanilla and caffe espresso. It was truly delicious! The store is right across from Whole Foods on P Street, so I'll definitely be heading back. I still have to try their sorbet, too!

Week 32: Poolside with Kenzie & Co.!

I spent all day Sunday at my friend Kelly's parent's house in Great Falls. They have a beautiful home with a big pool, and going there always feels like a nice and peaceful (albeit brief) vacation. Kelly was my first year college roommate at UVa. Also pictured here are Lo, one of my best college friends, and the little one is Kenzie, Kelly's adorable almost-2-year-old girl and the cutest baby I know! We had a great time splashing around on a ridiculously hot day. I could barely keep up with Kenzie and I think I needed a nap well before she did. It's always a great time catching up with the girls, and I finally got a little much-needed sun!

Week 31: Happy Birthday to me!

Last week I celebrated my 27th birthday. I took the day off to hang out with my sister Auddie, and when I arrived in Springfield, she and my cousins Mira & Max had surprised me with this wonderful homemade Super Mario Kart-themed birthday cake! It was truly amazing. Mario's face was made out of peanut butter, and his moustache was magic shell. The inside was funfetti. We all know I'm not crazy about sweets, but this cake was delicious and one of the best birthday gifts I could have asked for. Guess this proves that you're only as old as you feel (or act), so I'm obviously not a day over 12! Hahahaha.

Week 30: Cape Cod

This past weekend I took a mini-vacay to Boston/Cape Cod with my family and some of our close family friends who have a house in Mashpee. On Saturday, we took a ferry to Nantucket and spent the day on the island. We biked somewhere around 25 miles over the entire weekend, the majority around the trails and roads of Nantucket. It was quite the workout but a great way to explore the island! Weekend highlights included: a delicious lobster roll lunch in Boston, a home-cooked surf & turf dinner on Friday, celebrating my birthday early with the fam, introducing Auddie to Settlers of Catan (she loves it! woo!), repeatedly losing to Auddie in foosball (who knew this girl was such a gamer??), and of course some quality time on the beach. All in all, it was a great bonding weekend with my fam and I'm bummed it went by so quickly! Pictured here are Auddie, Molly, and me on the ferry to Nantucket. As evidenced by my wacky hair, we were riding the high-speed ferry, which gets us from Hyannis to Nantucket in only an hour.

Week 29: Orchard Lake

I spent a few days this past week in Orchard Lake, Michigan, where John's family owns a lovely house on the water. It was a great trip that involved rowboats, regular boats, lots of scrabble & checkers, fireworks, plenty of dogs, delicious food and drink, and generally a very relaxing time with John and some of his family. Pictured with us here is Murphy, who is Uncle Dick's standard poodle and a very sweet pup. Not pictured here are Anna & Kasey, the Cangany German Shephards, as well as Jack the dog and Grace and Charlotte the cats. Also - please don't mind my bangs in this photo - blame the windy boat ride!

All in all, I had a great time exploring another new midwestern state. Can't wait for a return trip!

Week 28: The Wire

This week I'll take a break form the usual excitement and plug a TV show I've been watching while sitting on my butt. In case you haven't heard of it, The Wire is a police crime drama set in Baltimore, Maryland. It originally aired on HBO for five seasons and has been widely acclaimed as the best TV show ever (or substitute any other similar hyperbolic statement). As one who usually gives in to this type of media hype, I thought I should check it out. A friend of mine was kind enough to lend me the entire series on DVD, so for the past few weeks John and I have been tuning in. The past few days have been particularly productive (or unproductive, depending on how you look at it!). From Thursday night through Sunday, we got through all of season 2 (twelve episodes) and the first three episodes of season 3.

While parts of the show are pretty violent and graphic, and though sometimes I don't understand all of the plot intricacies, the show is pretty addicting, mostly for the well-developed characters. It's definitely interesting and eye-opening to see all the crazy stuff that happens on a day-to-day basis in city that's so close to here. Also, the complexities of the "war on drugs" have always intrigued me, so this is just further education. Anyway, shouldn't be long before we finish all five seasons! Stay tuned for the verdict.