Sunday, August 1, 2010

observations from the fray

So, we've been here about three weeks now, and I've learned a few things about The East:

1) Some persons believe that parking spaces are worth risking one's life (*see below)
2) Don't shop on Saturday or Sunday unless you really want people to growl and scowl at you
3) A quick trip for an outing or just running errands will take, at a minimum, three hours, usually more
4) Don't leave home without the Garmin GPS, but don't always trust it

*So, we were at Whole Foods on Saturday morning. We had hoped to go out for a nice sit-down family breakfast, but time ran away from us (see observation #3). We were at a (surprise, surprise) really cool bike shop in the neighborhood where The Too Cool For You Peoples hang out (apparently) (see growling and scowling #2), and there was a really big and neat looking Whole Foods grocery store across the street, so across we went to grab something from their grab-and-go eating area. They had a great breakfast bar set up. On our way in, we saw two older gentlemen (in pretty swanky vehicles) actually hollering at each other in the parking lot. Mad Man #1 had swooped in his smallish and agile vehicle (wrongfully so...we saw it) and stole Mad Man #2's parking space, AS Mad Man #2 was backing his largish tank-type SUV into said spot. Door slamming. Wives screaming. Awful. (I kept thinking about Fried Green Tomatoes "To WANDA!") But wait, there's more. We went back (self-infliction of pain?) that afternoon to grab a high quality steak for the grill and AGAIN, we witnessed two men fighting over a parking space at the same exact store. Different men, though. Good grief.

Regarding observation #4, don't always trust your Garmin. We had located a Wal-Mart, and it took us into the heart of Downtown Washington DC. We drove past The Mall, through Georgetown, were sent around several roundabouts, and into a neighborhood with boutique hotels and fancy stores. Yeah, right, like there's a Wal-Mart on Massachusetts Avenue. This little excursion took us one hour -- and we travelled a sum total of about 10 driving miles.

Here are some happier topics. This gas oven ROCKS pizza. Look at this crust char! Awesome.


Here's Ingrid's Pink Palace of a room. The girl loves pink.

Our Mid-Century inspired furniture is great in this 60's mid-century vibe home. Note the homage to Costco in the bottom right corner.


You saw the before picture of Ilsa's room, well, here's the after.


The Big Pear has found a place, but still needs to go up on the wall.



3 comments:

matt n karisa said...

I'm drooling over your pizza right now! But I don't at all envy the social climate in your neck of the woods. :(

ohio12 said...

I love your furniture, especially the red chair and the credenza in the eating area. Have you decide about school for the fall?

stephanie j. said...

Hi Ohio12-

Well, we did decide to put our oldest in PS for first grade. It will allow me the opportunity to devote a whole year of dedicated teaching time to Ilsa. Sometimes she's a little bit dominated by her big sis. If it is a dismal failure, we can always pull her out, right? At least Ingrid is going to school reading at about 5th grade level (WOOT!) and with some good math skills. I'm happy about that. She also needs to make some friends in this neighborhood - with the move turning our lives upside down, she needs friends.

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