#CityWeekly: Ice Cream Shops!

PostCityPrints

If you know me, you know I have a huge sweet tooth. I am always on the look out for places to get my sugar fix. Ice cream has always been one of my favorite treats! This week Emily & I are talking about our fav places to grab a scoop (or two!)

Head over to the Vivre Blog to see Ems #CityWeekly picks on the West Coast.

So picture this you’re visiting DC & you are dying for a great ice cream shop. Well, I’ve got you covered, here are my top picks:

1. Nicecream Factory
This gem recently opened in Clarendon which is actually in Virginia but hey it's the DMV! Luckily for me it's right down the street from where I live. I have to say I am quite impressed! All their ice cream is made to order which makes it taste fresh & special. They use liquid nitrogen to make the ice cream right in front of you.

Via

2. Pitango Gelato 
Alright I know we are supposed to be talking ice cream but I can't resist the gelato (it's too good!) I discovered this shop when I was in DC for my internship. I am so happy I did because it's amazing! They have great flavors + this gelato will literally melt in your mouth. I imagine this would be very close to what you would get in Italy ;).

3. Larry's Ice Cream
Craving some delicious homemade ice cream? Look no further! They have plenty of amazing flavors to choose from like Cinnamon Cookie Dough, HELLO. If you're in the mood for something other than ice cream they also have cupcakes! I mean, does it really get much better?

4. Dolcezza 
I am a sucker for gelato + good coffee. If you are too then you should really head to Dolcezza. The gelato is made fresh daily & they use local farms to get their ingredients. The flavors change frequently which keeps me coming back for more (oops!)

Via

5. Georgetown Scoops
I love the feel of this cute little shop! You feel like you have been transplanted into a European town. They offer a variety of ice cream flavors + sorbet. The ice cream is made from fresh ingredients that you can taste in the ice cream. Grab a scoop & sit outside to take in the Georgetown streets + great people watching. 

Next time your sweet tooth kicks in head to the places above & I guarantee you will be satisfied. 

What are your favorite ice cream shops in your area? 

Xo,

Emily

#CityWeekly: Brunch!

I am excited to bring you the #CityWeekly series I have been working on with Emily from the Vivre Blog! I met Em in college & since then we have been able to keep in touch. We both love to travel & explore the places we live. Why not talk about what we've discovered? Well, that’s exactly what we are doing!

Each week we will have new places for you to try from the West Cost (Silicon Valley, CA where Em lives) to the East Coast (DC where I live.) We will pick out our favorites each week. We've got you covered coast to coast!

If you're wondering where we got the cute city prints above, check out PostCityPrints. I love Sarah's illustrations & I am planning to buy one for each city I’ve lived in! 

Now for the good stuff! This week let's talk about brunch, shall we? 

Head over to Ems blog to hear more about her #CityWeekly brunch picks! 

DC is home to brunch (or so people here like to think.) Long story short everyone LOVES brunch! It’s pretty hard to choose just five but I tried to mix it up a bit. Let’s dive right in:

1. Le Diplomate

I’ve heard so many great things about this restaurant & I am not sure how I hadn’t gone, until this past weekend. First of all lets talk about the location, this cute French restaurant is nestled in one of my favorite neighborhoods Logan Circle. The inside is bright, the outside feels exactly like your in France & is set up for relaxing + people watching. The food is nothing short of amazing! They offer different brunch options that you really can’t get anywhere else. 

2. Cava Mezze

DC offers a plenty of "bottomless" brunches & I have tried many. Not all of them impress me but Cava Mezze offers a really good one. Being a Mediterranean restaurant they offer some different options like the Gyro frittata. They also have more traditional plates for the picky eaters! This brunch combines great flavors at a great price. If you're on the lookout for an unlimited brunch- might I suggest here?

3. District Commons

Love an all American brunch? Then this is your spot! This gem is near Foggy Bottom & serves up all your favorite breakfast dishes. They also offer an unlimited drink option for an extra $15.00 if you're into that. 

4. Ted's Bulletin

Homemade Pop Tarts, need I say anything more? But seriously their pastry selection is amazing. They also have great milkshakes which I am a huge fan of. This brunch is perfect for friends after a night out. Serving up hearty dishes to cure any of your problems.

5. 2 Amy's

Want something different? Head to 2 Amy's & order a pizza (of course!) + whichever breakfast item strikes your fancy. This is by far the best pizza I've had in DC & it's authentic Neapolitan pizza with a certification to prove it! 

What are your favorite brunch spots? Share them with us by tagging your pictures #CityWeekly! Don't forget to come back next week to see what we choose next.

Xo,

Emily

Visitor Prep

I love when people come to town. I especially LOVE it when my sister, Amy comes to visit! This will be my fist time seeing Amy since I moved to DC from Boston. I can't wait to have her here! Of course I have been planning what to do while she is here like crazy.

If you're planning a trip to DC or the area here is a QUICK round up of some of my favorite places. I will be taking Amy to some of these (stay tuned!)

Sites

The American History Museum- check out the Star Spangled Banner, the First Lady exhibit & of course Julia Childs Kitchen.

Julia Childs Kitchen

National Gallery of Art- Love art? This is your place! All the greats + more. Afterward stop off at the Sculpture Garden & sit by the fountain.

National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden

Portrait Gallery- A perfect afternoon is spent here. You can pop in & out of the rooms + see great architecture.

Grab a Bike & Check Out the Monuments- I can't ever decide which monument is my favorite. They are all pretty amazing! I think the best way to see them is to bike to them or go at night. If you choose to bike you can do Capital Bikeshare for a day. It's super easy!

Emily & I on our bike tour of DC!

The Capital- You must check it out! If you can't get a tour, walk along the grounds & take in the great views.

Library of Congress- One of my favorites! I could spend a whole afternoon here. The architecture is not to be missed! 

Botanic Garden- After checking out the Capital + the Library of Congress take in the blooms at the gardens.

Areas to Explore

- Eastern Market

- Georgetown

- Dupont Circle

- Logan Circle

- Adams Morgan

- Old Town Alexandria 

I can't wait for Amy to come & to show you where we go. I hope you all have a great weekend + get to explore wherever you may be. After all that's what the weekend is all about!

Xo,

Emily

P.S. There is so much to more to do in DC that I can't cover it all in one post! 

NYC: Three of My Favorite Things

Whenever I visit New York City three things must happen:

1. Take a stroll through Central Park
2. Check out the new exhibit at the Met
3. Go to the West Village

It was a lovely Saturday afternoon so we headed straight for Central Park after getting coffee, of course!

I could stay in Central Park all day. It's such a gem right in the middle of the city! I think it's the best way to get to the Met...

Our first stop was the Charles James Beyond Fashion exhibit. Which was absolutely stunning! The technology integration showed how the dresses were built. If you are in NY I highly recommend it!

After oohing & awing over the gorgeous gowns we stopped off at the Temple of Dendur. I can't believe this was my first time seeing it. The natural light against the old brick is a site to see!

Then it was time to visit one of my favorite parts of the Met... The roof! The city views are incredible & how can you not soak it in on a gorgeous day? Please promise you'll go if you are in NYC.

After a lovely afternoon at the Met it was time for the West Village.

The West Village is one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city. If I ever lived in NYC I would live here (in my dream world, right? ha!) 

Dress: Piperlime

I usually opt for the Red Velvet cupcake at Magnolia Bakery but when Theresa told me about Big Gay Ice Cream, I knew I had to try. So happy I did! Um.. this ice cream is amazing you guys. I got the American Globs, which has vanilla ice cream, pretzels, sea salt & chocolate dip. I don't think you can order anything less than delicious. Another place you must try!

We headed home with full bellies. I ate my way through NYC, saw all my favorite things & got to spend time with great friends. Back to DC I went where life turned back to normal. 

Until next time NYC!

Xo,

Emily

The Big Apple 4th of July

This Fourth of July I headed to the Big Apple (NYC) to visit a close friend. Long weekends are the perfect excuse for a mini vacay! So I packed my bags & headed to the big city.

I arrived Thursday night after a terrifying bus ride (rain + lighting.) I happily made my way to Theresa's apartment after arriving. Luckily she had made pasta with her famous sauce (yum!) The night was spent gossiping & catching up over drinks.

On Friday, we wanted to get BBQ for the Fourth of July so we headed to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Harlem for some good eatin!

^^ I didn't even feel like I was in New York here. It was so homey & cute inside. 

^^ Happy I got to see SaeHee this trip too! 

^^ I ordered the "petite sampler" that was delicious but much larger than expected! It came with 1/2 a chicken breast, ribs, brisket, beans & macaroni + cheese. After this I was so full I could barely move. It was time to rest up before the fireworks!

Theresa's friend was having a get together on her rooftop to view the fireworks. Much better than dealing with the massive crowds! Plus, check out the view...

^^ I mean, that view of the city, does it get any better? I always forget how HUGE Manhattan is until I see it from the top. 

The fireworks peaked over the buildings & it was sheer beauty! Unfortunately I only got one good photo but you can imagine how gorgeous of a site it was!

Thank you NYC for a spectacular Independence Day! Stay tuned for the next Big Apple adventure...

How did you spend the holiday weekend?

Xo,

Emily

Being Alone

You know those days when things just aren't going your way? That was my day. It started off with me tossing & turning in bed. I eventually looked at my phone only to see it was 3am & I had gotten zero sleep. Then the alarm goes off, time to go to work (great!) It wasn't starting off good & it's only Tuesday.

After staying at work late to finish watching the World Cup- I had big plans to put together the new coffee table I ordered. Well, I am the worst at putting things together & I have no patience. Long story short the day ended with me calling my Mom on Skype bawling. I was feeling bad for myself, dwelling in the fact that I had nobody here to help me & I was alone.

Being alone is good for you & I do appreciate the time I get to myself. I even went to a movie on Sunday by myself but there are times when I do feel really alone. How do you shake this?

Step Back
Look at what is causing you to feel upset. For me it was that I had nobody to help me. But I had to remind myself that just because I didn't have anyone here to put together the table doesn't mean I am alone. Once I get it done I will feel accomplished (stay tuned.)

Write it Down
When I am upset or need to get something off my chest, I will write it down. I read an acting book once that said "write everything down in the morning that upsets you & face them." When you write something down you are forced to look at it & then you can move on...

Remind Yourself
I am a huge people person & tend to fill my time with friends, family etc. Sometimes this can make being alone difficult. It can cause me to be anxious about the time I have to myself. I've gotten better about it but sometimes I still get freaked out. When I get the feeling that I am alone I remind myself that I am not. Call a friend, tell them how you feel & I am sure they will cheer you up!

We all have days where different things bother us or certain situations trigger emotions. Yesterday was that day, today I am better & tomorrow I will be heading into a three day-weekend (what is there not to love about that?)

How do you deal with days like this?

Xo,

Emily

P.S. Happy (almost) Fourth of July!