Catch-up Post: Birthday Dinner!

I turned 23 on September 19th... er... over a month ago. Whoops! Anyway, I got together with a group of my girl friends for dinner and drinks and cupcakessss. Mmm.

My mom sent a dozen cupcakes to my office which pretty much made my day. In the evening I met my friends at the fantastic Rabbit Grill which is conveniently attached to the truly amazing Red Velvet Cupcakery. All my birthday dreams come true.

Frank, sadly, couldn't join us because he was in class until 10 pm, but we met up for Mass and breakfast in the morning, which I adored. He treated me to the most fantastic crepes.

I really miss our morning Mass dates - lately Frank has been too overwhelmed with school and work to go as often as we used to. But I know we'll get our Mass game back on once his schedule calms down next semester.

Now it's just one month until Frank's birthday, when he catches up with me and we're the same age again. In the mean time I get to hold my superior age (and superior knowledge, wisdom, maturity, etc.) over him. His favorite. ;)

p.s. Frank and I went to Notre Dame over the weekend - his very first visit to campus! I can't wait to show you the pictures. Stay tuned.

Birthday at Red Velvet

Last night we went to my favorite cupcakery and restaurant in all of DC, Red Velvet, to celebrate my sister Caroline's 16th birthday. 

Frank, me, Angela, Caroline, Joseph, my mom

Frank and I got the same thing we always get - one Cuban sandwich and one Croque Monsieur, split between us. Yum! I didn't take a photo of the Croque but here's the Cuban. It was divine.

I love how their plates always come piled high with leafy greens. Such a great alternative to the french fries most places serve!

I gave up cheese for Lent so it was a real treat to eat such cheesy delicious sandwiches. I've been a little cheese-crazy this week. Yesterday Frank and I stopped by a wine-and-cheese reception for this book and he laughed at how I practically hovered over the cheese tray. But isn't that a great part of Lent being over? It's so fun to indulge a little in the things we've missed for 40 days!

I attempted to catch some candid shots of my family eating dinner. Joseph and my mom were suitably oblivious but Caroline was on to my scheme.

Look at that sweet face. My little Carebear, 16 years old. I can't believe it. 16 is a big age. I was 16 when I started dating my first boyfriend. As it turns out, I think that was a little too young. So I keep cautioning Caroline over and over, "Don't date in high school! Seriously, just don't do it!" Hopefully she'll be smarter than I was.

I turned my attention to the other side of the table for more candids. Dad was happily engaged in setting up the tripod for a group photo but Frank got all feisty with me. No pretending to ignore the camera for this man.

Red Velvet didn't have a birthday procedure but they did have candles. So we bought a plateful of cupcakes and sang to the birthday girl. Here we are mid-tune.

What a pretty girl... and a sassy little boy... not to mention delicious cupcakes. Oh man, were those good. I had the Southern Belle, my favorite, which Red Velvet is known for. It did not disappoint.

Joseph enjoying his red velvet cupcake

I gave Caroline a signed copy of The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After and Frank bought her a collection of Jane Austen's novels.

The whole gang after dinner

Today for Maria's birthday, I ordered her a nice bouquet of flowers on my mom's instruction. I added a birthday balloon and a box of chocolates - and I owe that birthday girl a phone call!

I'm pretty excited. Tonight I get to leave work "early" at 8 pm. I know that doesn't sound early, but usually I'm at work until really late on Fridays, often until 10 or 11 pm. This means I'll have a little more time to spend with my family on their last night here. Looking forward to it!

Feminine Fun in Philadelphia

My weekend in Philly was so much fun... and I have to say, it was even more outrageously feminine than I could have anticipated.

Joey and I drove to Kelly's house, getting only slightly lost about four times on the way. I convinced him to stop for lunch at IKEA and he was very impressed with the quality and price of the food. And he loved the Swedish meatballs. Hurray, another Ikea convert!

After he dropped me off at Kelly's, she and I got ready for going out that night. She had planned a formal dress-up dinner at a cute BYOB in Philly. 

The whole time we were getting ready, her little sister Mary Grace peppered us with hilarious advice. It seems that Kelly's 15-year-old brother has started advising his six sisters on how to act around girls. Mary Grace has been the #1 beneficiary of his "wisdom." She told us, for example, that apparently guys like "dangling jewelry" and that we shouldn't wear strapless dresses. We laughed, but also took most of the advice.

Kelly and I rode the Septa train into downtown Philly. Kelly rides Septa for an hour and a half every morning, and then an hour and a half home every night, so she can live at home with her family while she's in med school. Can you imagine? She declared herself "the goddess of Septa" and clung firmly to the title all weekend. I laughed at her, but really, I think she's earned it!

Me and Kelly being goofballs on the Septa

We stopped to buy wine and then walked to Christine's house, a charming three-story townhouse in Center City. It took a while to get a reservation, but we eventually went to dinner at this amazing restaurant, where I had the most divine lamb pizza of my life. I'd never even heard of lamb pizza before. Life-changing is the only word to describe it.

Frank grew up near Philly, and he's promised to travel there with me some time. I texted him at dinner, "We are at an awesome restaurant called audrey claire. You should come here sometime." He wrote back in shock, "What the heck? That was where I wanted to take you..." Whoops! What a funny coincidence. I felt a little bad at first but now I'm secretly quite pleased about it... this means I will get to go back to my new favorite restaurant!

We all stayed up late on Saturday night, which led to a lazy Sunday morning. Christine and I rolled out of bed and down the street to buy (the world's most amazing) bagel sandwiches and a little box of fresh cupcakes for Kelly. Then we went back to Christine's and piled into her vast, squashy, fluffy, sunshine-y dream of a bed, where we feasted on bagel sandwiches to our heart's content. After a decent interval, we went to noon Mass at St. Patrick's, and then climbed back into bed for cupcakes.

Kelly, me, and Christine, post-cupcakes, and still in our Mass clothes

Yes, there were crumbs everywhere. But it was the breakfast in bed of my dreams. I don't think there could be a girlier post-Mass treat.

Kelly and I walked through Rittenhouse Square and stopped at a cute little coffee shop called La Colombe for a latte. Then we hopped on the Septa and back to Kelly's house.

Her house was filled with activity as everyone prepared to host a family party that evening. I felt a little out of place with so many cousins, aunts, and uncles running around, but I soon joined in a raucous family singalong and fit in just fine. I don't think there's any entertainment I love more than live music, especially if I can quietly sing along in my happy little tone-deaf way, and Kelly's family sure delivered on that.

On Monday morning, Kelly and I got up at the unearthly hour of 6 am (I know, the horror!) so she could make it to class on time. We rode the train to the med school together, and I hung out in the sunny lobby while she was in class from 10 to noon. I started reading a book she lent me that is absolutely fantastic - The Reluctant Heiress by Eva Ibbotson - and the main character is a princess named Theresa Maria (my full name) who goes by Tessa for short! I was thrilled, and declared to Kelly that I would like to be known as Tessa henceforth (although I don't think I'm going to actually stick to it).

Joey picked me up from the med school and we drove back to DC. The car ride was most notable for a conversation about the role of grace vs. free will in conversion stories, and a lengthy discussion about the effect that a person's name has on their personality. My name means "Reaper" and his means "Increasing faithfulness." We also talked about what we're giving up for Lent (I think I'm going to give up cheese.) After a while I drifted asleep and woke up with surprise. "Joey!" I gasped. "Did you notice I was sleeping?" "Tess, you've been asleep for half an hour," he said, laughing at me. He told me I was lucky I slept, because I missed the traffic!

At home, I took another nap, unpacked, showered, and settled down to continue my new book. Frank showed up around 8 with Chinese take-out for the two of us. We feasted happily and then watched Toy Story 3. I cried a little bit. It was awesome. Tonight we are going out for cupcakes in honor of Mardi Gras, and perhaps also going to a restaurant with our friends.

Hurray for long weekends, and have a happy Mardi Gras!

My London

Last week my friend emailed me: "Tell me about London!" Part of me wanted to respond "You could just read my blog!" But I knew he wanted a personal response. Words meant just for him, that would explain my life here.

I took a few days to answer. My London is different from any other person's, and how could I put it into words? I won't say what I wrote back (it was meant just for him, remember?) but here are a few ways this mad, bright, glorious city is becoming home for me:

Every Catholic church between Hyde Park to the West and Borough Market to the East has received a visit from me. If you are in London and need to go to Mass, I am your girl. I have my favorites: good old St. Etheldreda's and Farm Street Church, which (already!) has so many happy memories.

I have two favorite cupcake shops already: Candy Cakes and the Hummingbird Bakery. When I grow up, can I open a cupcake shop? Really, can I?

My London is the Notre Dame program. Teatime on Tuesdays, brilliant professors, and scores of wonderful friends. The ND flag waving high above Trafalgar Square. My London (and everyone's London) is cold, drizzly, windy for days... and then along comes a day of glowing sunshine that shocks me and warms me and makes me fall in love with this city. Again.

My London is going to pray at the Opus Dei center 15 min from my flat, and then going to the Cheshire Cheese pub (15 min in the other direction) for a pint with my friends. My London is all the things I love from home, with a new twist: armloads of books... from Charing Cross library. A snack after school... with a hot cup of Twinings tea. Nutella instead of peanut butter, Digestive cookies instead of Pillsbury.

My London is magical. We didn't get along so great at first. But I don't get lost anymore. My feet don't hurt anymore from walking everywhere. Just like Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, our initial distrust has become true love.

I love you London, The Book Girl

A girl can dream

My darling friend Laura and I are both studying journalism. Hopefully someday we will both be famous reporters at the Wall Street Journal (me) and ESPN (her). But right now, the journalism field is kinda going downhill and it's getting really hard to find jobs. But that's alright because we have a back-up plan. If the whole journalism thing doesn't work out, we're going to open a bakery.

It's foolproof, really. I will make cupcakes and she will bake biscuits. We'll operate in Atlanta because it is warm and pretty, plus I've always wanted to live in the South.

The amazing Hummingbird Bakery on Portobello Road is our inspiration, but our bakery will be called Sugar Pie, because that's what I call everyone plus it sounds cute. Our color scheme is pink, brown, white and green.

Now sugar pie, promise y'all will come by and buy a cupcake, y'hear?

Love, The Book Girl

Cupcakes for Laura

Hello little beauties!

Saturday is my dear friend Laura's 21st birthday. In honor of the occasion, I brought cupcakes from Bea's of Bloomsbury to class. Aren't they cute?

Happy Birthday Laura!