In Care Of

Do you watch Mad Men? This is one of the best shows on television and if you're not watching it, you're missing out. A not-so-great episode of Mad Men is generally still better than a pretty good episode of most other shows.

The season 6 finale was last night, and after a somewhat slow but significant season, it didn't disappoint. Don sank, Peggy won [then lost then won again], Ted fled, Stan ate a sandwich, Pete crashed, Joan relented, Roger tried, Bob carved, Megan stood her ground, Don came clean, Sally realized, and now, we wait.

The one-liners were particularly sharp, while there are many memorable moments (Ken dancing, Don wah-ing), nothing beats Pete's elevator mini-tantrum.

via Vulture

Bonus: the 36 most GIF-able moments of Mad Men season 6.

Bonus II: Matt Weiner Explains the Hershey Bar

Man of Steel

Have you heard the buzz about Man of Steel, the new Superman franchise by Christopher Nolan? If you're a movie buff (and possibly even if you're not) then you already are well are of this--Nolan directed the excellent The Dark Knight trilogy, and he's now revamped Clark Kent's super alter-ego. 

I was always a Superman kind of gal growing up; I'd watch the old Christopher Reeve movies with my dad and always wanted my super power to be the ability to fly. I vividly remember Superman: The Movie, with Lois Lane hanging onto a helicopter by the strap of her seat belt and the adorably-nerdy Clark Kent changing into Superman in the nick of time to save her. (I've also never been able to see Gene Hackman as a nice guy after his turn as Lex Luthor.)

I haven't seen the new iteration yet, but I plan to. Reviews I've seen are mixed, but mostly positive. After seeing Henry Cavill in his Superman outfit, I think women around the world are hoping that he survives the supposed Superman curse.

Vineyards and a Bachlorette

My friends Shannon and Doyle are getting married later this month in Santa Barbara, and  our girlfriends celebrated Shannon by hosting a bachelorette party in her honor. I have quite a few friends who are recently engaged, and it's a great to excuse to plan a party or host a trip to the nearby Virginia vineyards. 

We spent the day tasting lots of wine (some good, some not so good!) and just generally having a great time. We were blessed with sunshine and warm weather, although we did encounter a downpour on our way to dinner. 

Augusta Wedding Weekend

Last month, my dear friends were married in Augusta, Georgia. I love a good excuse to head south to God's country, and I'd never been to Augusta, home of the Masters.

Owing to direct flights and close-ish proximity, a good number of our D.C. area friends were able to attend the wedding. 

via Tim Will Photography

It was a great weekend for catching up with friends and taking a break from the city. We stayed at the historic Partridge Inn, wandered around downtown and the River Walk, and ate some delicious Southern-inspired seafood (if you're ever in Augusta, you must head to Sheehan's Irish Pub).

Spring and Picnics

D.C. has its fair share of weird weather patterns--the derecho of 2012, snow on Halloween, random flooding, a tornado here, a hurricane there--and this spring has been no exception. In February we had days with highs of 70, and in April we were still bundling up with highs of 40 and 50. However, spring is finally here, and with it come baseball games, rooftop parties and picnics. 


Per usual, Kate Spade has all the inspiration you need to start planning your own picnic!

via

Kate Spade champagne box

Kate Spade picnic blanket

Kate Spade picnic basket

Southern women

As a displaced Southern belle, I find it interesting to hear and see how my non-Southern friends, co-workers and colleagues view people from my neck of the woods. It stretches from one end of the spectrum to the other--thinking Southerners are dumb as bricks to sweet as pie. In short, everyone has a different opinion, though most do have an opinion (that they want to share). This is most pronounced in the obvious settings--when I'm meeting someone for the first, and/or when that person doesn't know many Southerners.

Shocking though it may be, we don't all like sweet tea, we don't all aspire to be housewives, we don't all know how to fry chicken, and we don't all believe that the higher the hair, the closer to Heaven. However, I do think that what sets us apart is that Southern women make the effort. I think that trait, more than how we talk or what we eat or how many bless-your-hearts we utter, is what makes a belle stand out. In fact, that's pretty much what this Garden & Gun article about redefining the Southern belle says:

To be born a Southern woman is to be made aware of your distinctiveness. And with it, the rules. The expectations. These vary some, but all follow the same basic template, which is, fundamentally, no matter what the circumstance, Southern women make the effort. Which is why even the girls in the trailer parks paint their nails. And why overstressed working moms still bake three dozen homemade cookies for the school fund-raiser. And why you will never see Reese Witherspoon wearing sweatpants. Or Oprah take a nap.

It's true--I never wear sweatpants in public (yoga pants are an altogether different subject), and I neverrarely take naps [anymore]. I don't leave the house with wet hair, and I wear makeup to the gym. 

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Remember me?

Hey guys, long time, no see. I haven't blogged in a while, but I was kind of shocked that I haven't blogged since November!

Since you asked, I'll tell you where I've been. The short is answer is work.

About halfway through December, my dear co-worker adopted a baby boy. Harris was born on Saturday, my co-worker received a phone call the following Tuesday to say that she and her husband had been chosen as a match, she flew across the country to California on Wednesday, and on Thursday she officially became Harris's mom! I was absolutely thrilled for my co-worker and her husband, and it took a day or two for me to realize that she wouldn't be coming back for three months. Since the adoption occurred so quickly, we didn't have the usual nine months to prepare for her to go on her maternity leave--instead, she was there one day and gone the next! 

Most of her day-to-day responsibilities fell to me, which meant that I was doing two jobs during our busiest time of the year--we were in the midst of major projects and preparing for our annual meeting. It was a bit of a whirlwind, but everything turned out for the best and life is back to semi-normal.

Now I'm going to take an 8-hour nap and go back to work. I leave you with some words of wisdom from one of my favorite authors, Anonymous.