Virgo Season. My favorite. also this post is very food picture heavy. i'm sure you'll enjoy it :)

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Sunday


photo a day: something i do most weekends. you should already know, hitting the markets and stocking my fridge fills me with such weekend satisfaction. so does brunch, but i digress.


Monday


photo a day: black & white. my free cupcake this day was a luscious chocolate chip one. so good!


Tuesday


my prophyte shares my love of birds. she has four as pets, which she allows to zip around her house untethered. this picture was taken of a pretty bird we saw while feeding them some of her pet's extra bird seed in the park before work.


Wednesday

photo a day: together. this is my boyfriend. this day was his birthday. i wish him much happiness and success for the next year!


Thursday


photo a day: on the table. had sushi, drinks, and much needed catching-up with one of my sorority sisters.


Friday


photo a day: favorite. this is one of my favorite breakfast items. i was turned on to it in high school by one of my classmates. there's the little deli across the street that many of us would frequent. my HS is very progressive and didn't have a cafeteria, so we were allowed free time to roam around and enjoy long lunches, feeling very adult-like. anyway, she oredered this breakfast sandwich, an egg & cheese on toasted croissant with... grape jelly! i initially turned my nose up at it, but the burgeoning foodie in me gave it a try and has been hooked every since. the jelly cuts the richness of the egg and cheese and the buttery croissant, giving much needed balance. give it a try! it works with strawberry jam too, if you're above grape (u_u ).


Saturday


photo a day: first thing i see. i was marketing again. this time, i headed to the Amish Market with grand hopes for whoopie pies and good quality meat. the first thing i see when i walk in... pastry heaven!

it's 60°F this morning. that fills me with such glee! you know how i feel about autumn. i go from looking like a sweaty, glistening hog to a sophisticated Mrs. Piggy in the blink of an eye. so i was happy this morning to be out in the cool crisp air, even though i was still dressed like summer, with my skimmers, no socks, and summer cardigan. i was happily shivering on the train!

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Sunday


photo a day: my father. this is my father with my aunts at my aunt's birthday party (she's the silver fox in the middle wearing a tiara). this was a costume party of sorts, although only half the party attendees actually wore a costume.


Monday


photo a day: far away. there was a wedding at the very classy Belvedere near my apt. as much as i've always wanted to get married, that concept seems so far away right now... i just realized the actual work that two people have to do to get to that point, not to mention i'm almost 30 and have been with my boyfriend for less than a year. i still want it though.


Tuesday


photo a day: mailbox. the one thing i hate about moving into a new apartment is still receiving the former tenant's mail. it's so awkward! so i just leave it in there and hope that the mailman with get the picture. it's been a year and i don't think he will.


Wednesday

photo a day: bright. my commute this week was anything but. i had some time to make up in my work hours this week, so that meant i did three 12-hr shifts in a row! i was up and at work before sunrise and back home way after sunset. i hated it.


Thursday


i've discovered free cupcakes. it makes me so happy. Georgetown Cupcake has a secret password everyday and my coworkers and i have made it a point to take a break, for mental health reasons, to go for an invigorating walk in the mornings and the cupcake is like a free reward at the end of it. but only if the flavor is appetizing, otherwise we're "too busy" with work.


Friday


a bit of déjà vu for you... look back up to the picture from Wednesday... yeah. again, i was so through with my work schedule this week that i had not the wherewithal to take a picture on Friday. i had an interview, a luncheon, still worked late, had dinner with my mother and her boyfriend, and crashed too hard when i got home.


Saturday


photo a day: at night. i guess because i was so wrapped up in work this week, all i wanted to do on Saturday was get out and enjoy the air. i drove for a while, picked up some hair stuff, and relaxed for the rest of the night. 'twas heaven.

Happy September! my Sunday this week sort of mirrors last week. we, again, made plans to go to the State Fair. the weather, again, threatens to keep us in the house with promises of thunderstorms all afternoon and evening. the difference this week is that i'm in too fantastic a mood to really care (u_u )

follow me on Instagr.am @_sarah_smile, same as Twitter

Sunday


photo a day: dream. living here looks like an absolute dream... sigh.


Monday


the market near my place had a good deal on some great looking salmon and mangoes. you know what that means? pan roasted salmon tacos with mango and roasted red pepper salsa! duh.


Tuesday


photo a day: clock. i so need to get my mother this clock, although i don't think it would exactly improve her time management issues.


Wednesday

photo a day: down. i had an interview on Monday that made me miss a day from work. because of that, i've been getting up early to make up the time. this day, i was soooo ready for the work day to end.


Thursday


photo a day: the other half of the salmon. isn't it gorgeous?! this night, i pan roasted it again and serve it with wilted spinach, cumin rice, shredded soft boiled eggs and roasted red pepper coulis. i would be sharing a picture of that, but i wolfed it down so faaaaast...


Friday


look back up to the picture from Wednesday... the part where i said i was so ready for the end of the day? well, that is the reason why there's no picture from Friday. I was that tired. although, i did meet a really nice stranger on the train who was a stuntman at Six Flags America when it was Adventure World. i used to love that place and he was Batman! now, he's an IT tech. such is life.


Saturday


photo a day: me, now. walking through downtown Baltimore where the Grand Prix was taking place.

i'm sitting in my apartment while it storms outside. i was supposed to go to the Maryland state fair today, but those plans are canceled, obviously, as the sky gets grayer and the lightning becomes more active. this blows. it's also been a week since i've seen my boyfriend, which has caused a bit of friction between the two of us. for couples that spend ample time with each other, missing a day or two is no big deal. but, because we work opposite schedules, missing a chance to spend time together means that 10 days could go by without seeing one another. imagine the pent up emotions, good or bad, that could cause...

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Sunday


the week started off with the best intentions. hit the farmer's market with my boyfriend. had to drag him there practically, since he works on Sundays, but once he got there, he fell in love with the sights, the options, and we of course came back and cooked brunch. he definitely noticed a difference in the quality as opposed to what he gets from the regular grocery store.


Monday


photo a day: today. i practice Casual Mondays. isn't it enough that i can barely shift from Weekend Mode to Work Week Mode, but i simply cannot go so far as to set out office wear for the week. fortunately, my job has a very casual dress code, so this outfit works pretty well.


Tuesday


photo a day: cool. the weather has been cooler lately. that means i haven't had to really utilize my A/C since summer started, which the electric bill gawds are smiling about.


Wednesday

photo a day: home. another great shot of the block. i love it here. if only i could pick it up and move it 50 miles south to DC...


Thursday


photo a day: pair. handsome pair of desserts from my fave cupcakery! the one on the right was free. if you follow Georgetown Cupcake on Twitter, they announce a secret flavor right before they open and the first 100 folk to order will get it free! this has been a dangerous revelation amongst me and my coworkers.


Friday


photo a day: path. besides clouds, there are all sorts of amazing sights along the Marc train tracks, including a growing family of deer, foggy valleys, and hidden paths that i'm sure lead to beautiful houses.


Saturday


photo a day: fresh. these are all of the ingredients that go into my fresh pasta. it takes 5 minutes max and is full of great flavor!

the week before this one ended kind of rough. after not getting a job that i was really thirsting for, i had sort of a breakdown. a lot of questions were swirling about my head and i felt really unsteady. after a long talk and long hug, i entered this week on a more sure foot. not necessarily sure of my professional future, but at least my personal life is right where it should be.

follow me on Instagr.am @_sarah_smile, same as Twitter

Sunday


photo a day: spoon. i happen to love spoons almost as much as i love bowls and these spoons are particularly sexy. i got them from my housewarming giftcard party. well i should say, i used a Bed Bath & Beyond giftcard to purchase these myself back in 2007. i hate the forks in the set though.


Monday


photo a day: simple. these simple pleasure. just cause i felt like it... a Mexican coke and oatmeal creme pie for dinner. i'm an adult and i can live with my decisions. a little.


Tuesday


photo a day: arrows. a lot of Marc train emergency exits.


Wednesday

back at Bangkok Joe's! met a soRhor there for lunch and decided to try something new. subsequently, also decided to stick to what i know works.


Thursday


definitely the highlight of my week. date night with my handsome, loving, supportive, charming, witty, 15 awesome facial expressions, sometimes annoying, always sarcastic, ratchet music listening, sci-fi entertainment loving, intellectual glasses wearing, Mr. Nice Watch, stickler for grammar but not so much for punctuality boyfriend. the night was magical and he did everything in his power to put a smile on my face, including over-tipping the waitress. she deserved it.


Friday


photo a day: faces. these cute faces are my babies! well, not really. they are my cousin's eldest (my heart) and youngest. and since my cousin and i grew up practically like sisters, her kids are so special to me. they were at my mother's house this day and i got to spend time with them before my mother, her bf, my sister, and i went to the movies to see Sparkle, which was cute but i could've waited for the DVD.


Saturday

no picture this day. why? i was chillaxing cleaning my apartment. yeah.

right when i thought things were going to start looking up, i'm reminded that i am not completely in control. and i hate not being in control. it makes me feel insignificant. also annoying are the clichés... it'll happen soon... it just wasn't for you... just keep at it... with your qualifications... (-__-) they mean well and i appreciate them for it, but it's getting harder and harder to not feel hopeless.

follow me on Instagr.am @_sarah_smile, same as Twitter

Sunday


photo a day: logo. i've never had this drink before (it was sitting in my neighbor's recycling bin) but i remember it being very popular in undergrad with the ladies because it came in cute packaging and fruity flavors.


Monday


photo a day: writing. everyone loves my handwriting and i used to write and send letters all the time. now, i rarely pick up a pen... but i can type really fast. i miss blue ink.


Tuesday


this is a wedding dress. pretty dope and unique. i want a nontraditional wedding dress with some color. not to this extent, but i admire her style.


Wednesday


photo a day: glasses. in undergrad, my friends would always call me the girl from Signs. i never saw the movie, but apparently she had a habit of leaving bottles of half-consumed water all around the house, which ended up saving them in the end. i did the same thing in my dorm room and i still do the same thing. i just cannot finish a glass of water fully and will leave cups all over my nightstand.


Thursday


photo a day: messy. there was an ice cream social at my job this week with some premium flavors and topping going on. i thoroughly enjoyed some chocolate fudge brownie and cookies and cream with warm praline topping.


Friday


The Gathering in Baltimore is a big food truck rally where people can come out and get food, treats, and drinks from the city's finest all in one place. i went with my homegirl and had a decadent crabcake cone from Gypsy Queen Café that i've been craving for months! i'm definitely going back as i spied other trucks i want to sample.


Saturday


photo a day: purple. walking past my neighbor's house, i peeped some chili peppers and... an eggplant?! no way! right there on a city street in the window was fresh produce. pretty damn cool.

happy August! the summer is on its last leg, although i didn't really do much to enjoy it. while most of my friends spent it at festivals and concerts and traveling, i spent it making a meager wage at a temp job... that i'm very grateful to have, might i add. paying my bills is a joy, even though i have no money leftover to have any actual fun. speaking of last leg, the Olympics were somewhat amazing! i say "somewhat" because NBC sports absolutely sucks! look, i get it, the goal of a network is to keep people watching and garner ratings, but how dare you make me sit through four hours of uninteresting events just to catch thirty minutes of the main event! i was up wayyyy past my bedtime and avoided all types of media just to catch certain historical moments. Khaaaaan!

follow me on Instagr.am @_sarah_smile, same as Twitter

Sunday


i've been in the business of making agua frescas this summer. mostly because my eyes are bigger than my stomach when i see delectable fruits at the farmers market. then i get home and realize i have a real aversion to the texture of most fruits. they're too soft and squishy most times, which is why i gravitate towards apples and bananas. the solution to being seduced by the purple sweet plums? make juice. this concoction here is puréed plums strained and mixed with fresh water and honey. i still have to figure out what to do with all the peaches i bought...


Monday


photo a day: calm. faced with a very important interview the next day for a job i would do questionable acts for without question, i needed a big ole glass of this to calm my anxieties and put me to bed. pray for me? thanks.


Tuesday


this is the style i wish i could recreate in my apartment. soon...


Wednesday


photo a day: outside. hello August. this is the golden time of day. wish i could've captured the morning light, but there was none! for the first time this summer. it'll be sweater season before we know it.


Thursday


photo a day: one. on the other end of the summer spectrum, the opposite of agua fresca-ing is roasting just about everything. this onion was so effing glorious! just an onion, sliced in half, tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper transforms after sun bathing in the oven for 25 minutes. it's a sweeter, tanner version of its usual self.


Friday


Friday lunch with my coworkers. i introduced them to my fave, Bangkok Joe's. if you love Thai and live in DC, you must try it, if only for the sexy bowls. you know i love me a sexy bowl!


Saturday


photo a day: somewhere i sat. on my block, gazing at the large moon. it looks like one of the street lights, doesn't it?