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!

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.

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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.

another summer week in the books! i spent it being very jealous of one of my homegirls. y'all know how i am about my birthday and her's was this past week. i guess i'm not the only person with birthday anxieties because she said "screw that!", hopped on a plane with her boyfriend, and spend 3 days in Cabo San Lucas. they spent most of it bickering like an old married couple, but the pictures she posted showed nothing but tranquil days lounging on the beach, eating brunch on a boat, and horseback riding. i'm jealous. and totally stealing the idea.

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

Sunday


as i mentioned last week, it was Artscape Weekend in Baltimore. probably the coolest thing about the city. it's a total weird fest with tons of art, jewelry, and clothes for sale, exhibits, free plays and dances, tons of food and music concerts. i just went for the food this year, but that's just me.


Monday


this is a regular size bag of potato chips. had they been Utz, they'd probably be 75¢. i paid $2 for this bag from a fru fru sandwich shop in Union Station. i regret nothing.


Tuesday


photo a day: mirror. i love my apartment. it's filled with all sorts of cute details and tons of character. case in point, the mirrors in my bathroom are screwed in and capped with these lovely glass flowers.


Wednesday


i don't like to broadcast my healthy eating habits because then people would be like "oh! you're trying to lose weight?" and i'd have to explain to them that i'm perfectly healthy, just not skinny. shits awkward. but, i was on a fruit and veggie kick last week, trying to undo the week of latte/croissant breakfasting from the week before. but Wednesday night, hump day found me with no inspiration for dinner. then this happened. then gravy fries happen. and that's all i can say about that.


Thursday


photo a day: sunshine. another skygram from my view on the Marc train. it's a daily inspiration and solidifies my love of train-riding.


Friday


Friday lunch with my coworkers. i look forward to this day on Tuesday when i'm eating reheated leftovers from Sunday. it gets me through to know i'll be rewarded with meals like this Seafood Fra Diavolo. and cupcakes. those happened again too.


Saturday


Saturday was spent with my boyfriend, doing what Brits do... yelling chants at a soccer game. this is a Tottenham-Liverpool exhibition in Baltimore. i find it wild that two England teams came all the way to M&T Bank stadium to play soccer, but there were over 40K people there. my bf let me know that if we were in England, it would be twice and many people, twice as loud, and twice as much pandemonium.

it's Artscape weekend here in Baltimore. it's also rainy and unseasonably cool here in Baltimore. quel dommage. it actually was really cloudy and dreary for most of the week and that made me SAD. but, anywho, on to the pictures. i didn't take many this week and i was feeling particularly uninspired with my stagnant eating, sleeping, and working schedule. i must snap out of it!

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

Sunday


photo a day: finger - my sorority sign. did i tell you i was in a sorority? oh, well, yeah... i am in a sorority. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Iiiiiincorporated! to be exact. furthermore, my chapter sorors were down in New Orleans for Boule and that mad me extra SAD to have missed it and the food and fun... man!


Monday


photo a day: sign. i'm a Capricorn. i'm not too much into astrology, but i do find some coincidences to be intriguing.


Tuesday


photo a day: my addiction. you already know. but, to be more specific, my NEW addiction is a toasted croissant dipped into my whole milk mocha for breakfast. my waistline hates me for it so i'll be on a fresh fruit only kick for breakfast until further notice.


Wednesday


photo a day: plate. i show what's on my plate all the time, so here is just a close-up of the "rustic" detailing. BTW, this pasta is made with pancetta and... egg yolk. zOMG carbonara heaven!


Thursday


photo a day: animal/insect/pet. the DC pigeon. a rare brown one. they're thugs, just like the squirrels. they stand right next to you in the food truck line at lunch.


Friday


photo a day: eyes. this is my sleepy time look, but for authenticity, imagine my eyebrows looking like caterpillars, as they do 62% of the time.


Saturday


photo a day: 9 o'clock - you already know! cleaning off my DVR and only moving from the bed to forage for food. BTW, have you seen Take Me Out? when i first saw the premise for it, my feminist Spidey senses went off... 30 gorgeous women vying for the attention of one scruffy man?! but, it's actually good. the women are beautiful, funny, smart, and in total control. many a douchebag has left without a date. check it out! i'm glad i did.

totally missed a week. and what had happened was... i was just tuckered out. and lazy. what else is new? i actually had a fun-filled week and weekend and kept putting off later and later on Sunday. next thing i knew, it was Tuesday. triflin'.

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

Sunday


#NaturalMoment - my boyfriend has a secret crush on my grooming habits and it manifests itself in surprise divots in my hair butters and body creams. it's his way of complimenting me... stealing my beauty butters.


Monday


i didn't post any pictures on this day. i have no idea why... must have something to do with me being called a "nigger" by a homeless looking Santa Claus in Starbucks...


Tuesday


riding on the Marc train to and from work, i see some amazing sights. the mist in the mornings, the graffiti under bridges, and the clouds during the evening... just stunning. i don't know if it has anything to do with being so close to the airport, but the clouds sit so low, i swear the sky is falling.


Wednesday


here is some of the graffiti wall art.


Thursday


photo a day: texture - as i've gotten older, i've fallen in love with the texture of runny egg yolks. something we were always warned against as children, i was previously squeamish about yolks and would only eat eggs scrambled. one day, out to eat with my old roommate, who always loved a rare steak and sunny side up eggs for brunch, i was tempted to try it and have been hooked ever since. now, i put a fried egg atop anything... warm salads, pasta, grilled meat, and it's a great excuse to make hash!


Friday


i have to say that i think Friday the 13th typically brings me good luck. i had a great day and was in the best of moods. not to mention, Fridays i have lunch dates with my coworkers. this is a simple and unassuming miso soup from a hole-in-the-wall sushi carry-out. followed by...


a trip to Starbucks for a free sampling of their new beverages, Refreshers. i got the Very Berry Hibiscus flavor, all while watching my back for Racist Santa. the day was topped off with...


cupcakes! we weren't even supposed to get cupcakes because we only had fifteen minutes and the line at Georgetown Cupcake is notoriously long. so what?! i waited nearly 45 minutes for this delectable beauty and i regret nothing.


Saturday


since my boyfriend stole half of my stash, i took the opportunity to re-up on some of my staples. the best news?? my mommy treated me to these hair goodies! take that, Racist Santa!

another week down and what a rough one it was. i mean, my spirits are high right now but i'm sooooo tired! this was my first full week at my new job and i'm just getting used to the commute, which is a lot rougher than it should be. it should take 1.5hrs, but DC traffic is terrible! i don't remember it being this bad and the scary thing is, i don't think there is anything the city can do about it; it's just overcrowded. it takes 2 hours for me to get home, if i'm lucky, and by the time i do, i have three hours to maybe cook, maybe shower, and catch my breath with a bit of TV. then i pass out before 11p and wake up at 6a to do it all over again. i'll get used to it tho. i am grateful for the job and that i'm not in the house on my ass all day.
follow me on Instagr.am @_sarah_smile, same as Twitter

Sunday


in celebration of Father's Day, here is a picture of me and my daddy at my master's graduation this year. my father and i are kindred spirits... i get my extroverted, pensive nature from him and as such i've always been a daddy's girl.


Monday


photo a day: something you didn't know about me - i used to play tennis with a passion. you wouldn't know it these days because i haven't picked up my racket since my junior year of college. i played my last game a week after my ex and i broke up in 2005 and even didn't play my last year in undergrad. i've been wanting to get back on the court for the past three years, but grad school, lack of time and money... one day.


Tuesday


photo a day: imperfect. my pinky fingers are a bit imperfect. they both bend inward instead of being straight, like my other fingers.


Wednesday


photo a day: fave photo i've ever taken - Tiffany would kill me if she knew i posted this picture, LOL! this is from senior year of undergrad. for Tiff's 21st birthday, we decided to do 21 shots. chaos ensued and i snapped this picture. crazy night. drink responsibly.


Thursday


i was really feeling this lady's style... her turban with a side bow, her pageboy haircut underneath. it made me frown at my own frumpy style. moreover, working in DC a block away from a mall and tons of shops, i feel so shabby, not chic. a couple of weeks ago, i was sobbing on my bf's bed about how unpretty i felt. he was there for me though, telling me all the reasons why he was there by my side. i still wanna go on a shopping spree though. i could only afford to buy one pair of shoes this day. so i did.


Friday


after a kinda rough Thursday, this gif i found made my Friday really breezy. it had me giggling well into the evening.


Saturday

because i'm just getting used to my new job and my commuting schedule, i didn't even make it out of bed Saturday, so i have no picture to post for this day ( ._.) sorry! good news is, i feel really well rested today and am ready for the work week!

i cannot believe that it is June! wow! time certainly flies and sometimes it really freaks me out. this has been a pretty chill week. the weather has been on it's very best behavior and that seems to put everyone in a very good disposition. i'll take it!

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

Sunday


photo a day: something sweet. one of my favorite brunch spots in Baltimore, City Cafe, has amazing weekly specials. the chef really pushes the menu to new heights and almost every special is a hit. but, that being said, nothing compares to the complimentary sticky cinnamon rolls that come to each and every table before you even order!


Monday


graduation was awesome. even awesomer? graduation cards with money in them! i got in some serious retail therapy. it was much needed.


Tuesday


two things: don't tell me this isn't just the cutest gif ever! and, ladies, don't tell me you've never had a moment like this with your man.


Wednesday


photo a day: my personality. i may be a very emotional person, but it takes a WHOLE LOT to get me angry. furthermore, the fact that i don't get angry sometimes makes other people angry. it's a gift and a curse. not really a curse though. oh, and Tommy Pickles has allll the swag!


Thursday


after the wine festival, i was so happy to have some wine in the house that i made some cookies. i was a little lazy after making the dough so i put it straight in the oven instead of chilling it down first. my laziness was serendipitous, as my cookies came out better than ever! even my bf, who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies, gave them a good compliment ;)


Friday


photo a day: morning. i'm a cereal whore. i keep a rotation of 4-6 boxes of cloying, kid-friendly cereal on deck at all times. i have yet to perfect keeping a full box/full milk carton ration though. i eat one hot breakfast a week, maybe... if i'm not in a cereal mood. my top faves are Frosted Flakes, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, and Cocoa Krispies. Honey Nut Cheerios, Captain Crunch, and Golden Grahams gets honorable mention, but don't ever serve me cereal with raisins or marshmallows in it. i'll cut you.


Saturday


photo a day: empty. my sorority sister had a birthday potluck and we put in some work! i made my mac & cheese, since she liked it so much from my bday potluck, and i bought a bottle of Voület. It's a staple at our functions! try it out. it's a not too sweet Italian red wine with a bit of sparkle to it. great for parties and summer get togethers.