I spent the weekend in DC for my birthday and had the best time going to some of my old haunts. Dinner was at the new Public Trust in Brookland and then of course American Ice for picklebacks. The next morning friends and I headed to Union Market for post-celebration brunch. Driving through the city reminded me how much I love a busy place and having friends come in from all over made the weekend so great. Til' next time, DC.
I spent a good two weeks taking in as much of the Colorado mountains as I possibly could and it was just as awe-inspiring as I imagined. For my birthday, we drove the winding and no-safety-rail byway all the way up to the top of Mt. Evans. The views are insanely awesome and it was also insanely cold (duh, on the top of 14,200 ft mountain will do that) but it was so, so worth it.
A huge trip highlight for me was going to see Red Rocks. I've dreamed about this venue, the drive up, the atmosphere. And it was...everything. It's incredible to see something natural preserved and enhanced for people to appreciate and enjoy. Now all I have left are the Gorge and Hollywood Bowl. But I have a sneaky feeling Red Rocks will always win.
On one of the last days I begged to go on the Estes Park Tram and when we got there I almost completely chickened out. The IDEA of seeing the sights from way up is great in theory, but getting into this old tram with wobbly cables was nerve-wracking. Once I was in though, it was amazing. We could see the mountains for miles and miles and even spotted a bald eagle in a nearby tree.
I'm lucky to have a few friends who have made Denver their home and just going to all their spots, experiencing their routine, and seeing them all settling into this scenic city made me so happy. I love that all my friends aren't afraid of taking risks, moving to new cities and just making it work. After seeing the art museums, delicious restaurants, and just the heart that folks have there, Denver will always be a place I want to go back and visit again and again.
It may be April showering as I type this but last week it was THE best weather for my mom, little sis & brother's visit! They chose to spend their Spring Break with me (I really think it's the access to delicious tacos and Loveless Cafe biscuits but that's a-okay with me) and I'm so happy I got to spend some time cooking, picking their brains and playing cards with them. My little home already misses the screaming and their cat running around like crazy and I'm so thankful I was able to take in a week of family and visiting the Parthenon, which is quite the sight to be seen in the midst of downtown Nash.
