Come on Over, Come on Over Blog Fans

It's been a while my friends, but I haven't stopped blogging, I've just been moving.

Please join me at my new and improved site, thedailybatch.com!  

I am very excited to share this with you and I think  you'll enjoy having easier navigation and more access to the find what you're looking for: new recipes, shopping tips, fashion trends, wedding inspiration boards and advice and a glimpse of my life beyond the blog.

I hope to see you there!  Thank you for supporting, reading (and loving) The Daily Batch!

It's Easy Being Green

Moving has really made me think about what we use, and how we use it.  We have always been  very conscientious about not overusing paper towels, recycling, bringing our own bags to the store and shopping at our local farmer's market so we have produce without packaging.  

But, now that we live in a bigger house there is even more to be aware of and I am thinking twice about what items we buy to equip our new kitchen.

We got the Bamboo Cutting Board with Colander as a shower gift and it has proven to be a great item.  It is a space saver by not having two have two separate pieces of equipment and the bamboo serves as a great cutting surface while also being a more readily renewable resource.

Moving to DC meant no more tap water, this is something I hope is resolved in time, but in the interim we are using the Brita Green Grand Water Filter and Pitcher.  This eliminates the use for bottled water which is a major save for the environment - plus the green is so cute!

If you're heading to the store in DC you'll be wise to bring your own bag and save the $0.05 tax, and of course by bringing your own you help the environment too.  This Envirosax "Planet Green Series Bag"  is a great green option, while also being compact and chic. 

Now this canvas tote I couldn't resist, since our new neighborhood is called Bloomingdale (not Bloomingdale's) I thought the "In Bloomie's We Trust" Recycled Cotton Canvas Tote would be a great bag to bring to Bloomingdale's Farmer's Market; I'll show some neighborhood pride and be acting green.

Something else to consider when planning a greener lifestyle is length of use.  I apply this thinking to my fashion choices as well.  I prefer to spend more on an item that will last me years and years that and won't soon end up in a landfill or worse the ocean, and won't contribute to our general collection of excess stuff.

These are great investment pieces that will pay dividends:

As you know I am an avid baker and every time I bake I put a piece of tin foil, wax paper or parchment paper down on the pan.  Those days are over!  As a housewarming gift (thank you!!!) I got a new Silpat mat, these French pastry mats are time tested and will last nearly forever, saving lots of foil and paper.

The Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Cookware might be the holy grail of cookware.  These pieces are built to last and therefore not need to be replaced for a very long time.  We also got a few of these pieces as a wedding gift and are happy to get cooking.

Each of these choices are based on what works for our lifestyle.  But for me, just like when I cook I want to use the best ingredients I have access to, I want to use the best equipment and tools too.

A belated 4th...

We moved on the weekend of July 4th.

No matter what anyone tells you, moving is exhausting.

The three day weekend proved to be a the perfect time to pack, haul and move across town.

So that Monday off was critical! And on Sunday we were able to finally sit back and enjoy our independence from moving trucks, packing tape, and boxes and celebrate our nation's independence too!
Our very good friends, and now new neighbors, invited us over for 4th of July BBQ. In full disclosure it is probably the first time I have ever gone to someone's house for a meal/party/celebration without bringing something, but with the exception of ice cubes, and some beerwe were saving for later, I had nothing to share. Not to worry - we were well fed and imbibed. Yum! Real coconut pina coladas. I'm not a fan of coconut, like at all, and these were pretty damn good!


BBQ'd sliders with a toppings bar? Uhm, hello Summer! I am officially in food heaven. These were delicious and we all enjoyed eating them, a lot!


That's me in the background - can you tell how happy I am over the bacon/swiss/sliders? Glee!


After dinner we managed to climb up, feeling very full, to our roof for the most spectacular fireworks show I can remember ever seeing. The neighborhood effort definitely rivaled the National show. It was like a welcome party just for us!

Our friends taking in the view!



We can't wait to celebrate more!

"Mule!" "Nag!"

Today my sister moves back to Washington, DC.

Like me, she went to college in the DC area (Maryland), and as far as college goes, that's where our similarities end. She participated in Greek Life, I did not. She has a huge group of girlfriends and is easily the life of the party, I enjoy planning the party. She is truly the youngest child, and I am the oldest child.

In growing up though I have always admired her, her sense of self, joy, the energy and enthusiasm she brings to her life and the way she encounters all people without an ounce of judgment.

As little girls we would plot our next business venture; we sold painting on the boardwalk, lemonade on the corner, hand beaded necklaces to anyone who was interested and started a local baby-sitters club. Watch movies, a favorite for many reasons was a League of Their Own, and if we were ever punished and sent to our adjoining rooms, we'd each sit in our closets and talk to each other through the shared wall.

During our overlapping college time, it's fair to say that for a period we did not hang out as often as our grandmothers would ask if we did, but somehow, magically, we became two fairly similar girls. We're both likely to roll our eyes a little too freely, cry a bit easily, smile widely, and cherish the same moments.

Personal photo

Somehow we've both grown up. She can call me out (and does), and usually I can do the same. She looks out for me, and I will always look out for her. She is selfless and so spirited as she proved in the last year by putting others before her (myself included) during the year of wedding planning and Maid of Honor-hood, as she was going through all the trials and travails of her senior year of college.

Image by Ashley Colhouer Photography

And, somewhere a long the way our sisterhood became a true friendship, still a little competitive, but always my best friend, and now housemate?!

Yes, she get's her own room in the new house while she begins to navigate post-college life in DC and we're so excited to have her here! I can't wait to share in this new stage of adult hood with her.

Leaving Virginia

As I have mentioned in previous posts, this previous weekend we moved from Virginia to DC. I think no matter the reason or the location, moving is always a triple punch: emotional, exhausting and exciting.

I am so excited to be back in DC, but will definitely miss Virginia - more on that in a very soon to be released post. I came to the DC metro area for the allure of big city DC and for college at American University. I met some of my closest friends. I found a major. I grew up. I found my husband and best friend in DC. We fell in love in Virginia.

As I was packing up and getting wistful Meet Virginia by Train kept looping through my brain. I loved this song when it came out. I think the line about "she wears high heels when she exercises," really resonated with me. It certainly wasn't the coffee or cigarettes.

Anyway, if you haven't yet, you really ought to meet Virginia.

Moving on Up to DC

In the process of starting a new blog, we (Mark and I - more on him soon!) are also moving. We will be leaving our happy little condo in Northern Virginia, with all of it's amenities and conveniences (our building is on top of the metro, connected to a movie theater, and within 100 yards of a CVS, 711 and 2 mini-markets) and moving back to DC... to a real house!

Our current place was where Mark lived before we met and is largely decorated in his style, with a few touches from me here and there. Our new house is a real house, with lots of real rooms and lots of potential for decorating. Exciting! Sartorial! Stylish! Overwhelming!!!

Meet my new best friend, www.sproost.com! Sproost allows you to take a simple, visual quiz and determine your decor style. I am a huge fan of these types of quizzes. I took the "What type of Bride are you?" quiz on Brides.com countless times - before, during and after being engaged.

After a series of rooms and a few simple clicks you're told what you're style is. I have taken the quiz maybe 10 (probably 20) times now and I still wonder wait in suspense to see what my style will be.

Prior to the moving process I never really thought about what my style would be, as I often think interior design is informed by where you live and the type home it is. But, either way, the results are always the same.

I am 50% French Eclectic, 33% Traditional Country, 17% Cottage Chic. Who knew!? This is my starting point. After we pack up, move in and shop enough so we have somewhere to sit, I'll keep you updated on the progress and what we pick. What is your design style?

P.S. I was a romantic bride.

all images from www.sproost.com