Last weekend you might have seen on twitter/tumblr that I got the chance to reserve time at DC’s first “cat cafe.” It’s located in Georgetown off of a really peaceful street. It’s by reservation-only which means you’re guaranteed a spot and there are enough feline friends to go around.

I’m too allergic to have a strictly indoor cat (which is the only kind allowed where I live) so this opening up is like a haven. Of course after spending an hour in the cafe my eyes were a bit itchy afterwards and I was a bit stuffy but it was expected.

We ordered some drinks and cookies which are provided by a neighboring cafe. Everything was easy. There’s a lot of light in the cafe. It’s clean and the cats are playful and friendly. And best of all you can follow their feeds to see the cats go to happy homes. So far it seems they are adopting out a cat per week. Really great kitties I remember seeing and playing with at the cafe.

So to compare this to the 2 I’ve visit in Japan? They’re different. I wouldn’t say one is better than the other (unlike some articles I’ve read.) I do like the aspect that these are rescues though. That these cats get to live in a nice home with loads of attention before finding a permanent place. The atmosphere is very “DC.” There’s no other way to put it. It’s posh and comfortable but with textures of metal and brick. So if you’re looking for a “Japanese cat cafe” in DC you’re mistaken. This is a “DC cat cafe” through and through and I’d hope you’d expect nothing less :).

Crumbs & Whiskers

website: crumbsandwhiskers.com
hours: tues-sun:10am-2pm, 4pm-8pm
for reservations book here

Previous Cat Cafe Blog Post – Cafe Calico Shinjuku
Previous Cat Cafe Blog Post – Cafe Calico Kichijoji

Early Saturday morning I got out to view the cherry blossom trees on the National Mall. I went early because it gets very crowded and I still fear people bumping into my fractured arm. Plus it guarantees the parking spaces we like will be open! I couldn’t manage my usual Olympus Pen camera so instead I used my iPhone and this nifty RE Camera Mike got me as a gift in February. It’s extremely tiny so lightweight! And takes beautiful wide angle photos.

If you plan on visiting the blossoms this week is a peak time. I also suggest a few spots aside from the usual talked about Tidal Basin. The Tidal Basin is beautiful but it’s also very very crowded and the walking space around the basin itself is very narrow. My favorite spot is near the Washington Monument. Much less crowded and it offers beautiful views. I also highly recommend the trees near the Memorial to Japanese-American Patriotism near Union Station and the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. It’s a wider open space with beautiful trees contrasting the memorials.

I just wanted to say hello at least once this December! I’m doing better health-wise these days. I’m able to get out again (some) and I’m going to Physical Therapy less and less. Next week I’ll be trying out my old routine with work (working at home less.) I know I’m not 100% yet but I’m reaching the end of my allotted PT visits (due to insurance) and I’ll need to keep healing on my own.

It’s already snowed a few times since my last update and I just ordered some new snow and rain boots during cyber monday. I’m also always wearing this baby blue v-neck sweater I got from ASOS on sale too. My winter coat this year is a blush shade. I have pretty much black everything else so I’m trying to keep some cheery colors mixed in to avoid those winter blues!

I honestly had to visit my site just to be sure it was still even up! That’s sad. I’ve been really sick since going out of town for a wedding weeks ago.

While in the area I visited a nearby cavern. When I was young my parents would take me on road trips and we’d stop and see caverns. It’s something Mike loves to do as well so we make time to visit no matter how small they seem. This one in particular was a bit different than the ones I usually see. Completely made of limestone, it lacks the usual stalactite formations. But due to a fault line it had some incredible sights. It was long, with both narrow and open passages and felt more of a hike than anything else. Tons and tons of uphill walking due to it being in a mountain which was a first for me. Also the entrance is lighted with a string of about 2 dozen chandeliers. It looks as though Urban Outfitters decorated it :P

The wedding was nice too with fruit shaped marzipan cookies.

Bought some Japanese greens seeds for early autumn planting.
Tried a new pancake recipe. Failed.
Cooked old pancake recipe with some modifications that made them thicker and fluffier.
Did a ton of laundry.
Made a wedge salad.
Made a banana split.
Painted a little.
…

Oh yeah and watched that insane Hannibal finale!

But I was going through some photos this weekend and saw some stuff I don’t think I ever posted about. So I’m going to post them here!

First up, last weekend I went to the National Arboretum. It was better than expected and I want to go back when Mike is more fully recovered from his spinal surgery and can walk with greater ease.

Last weekend I picked up this scarf from JCrew for 30% off. I wore it to work to dress up a chambray short sleeved shirt that I paired with black dress pants. I really like this chambray shirt from Madewell. Lately it’s all I want to wear. That and neckerchiefs and plain tees.

I also needed a new spring coat. I felt bummed about having to pack away my winter leather jacket then I remembered this Madewell cotton version of a biker jacket. I bought it (on sale too!) 2 sizes bigger for an oversized look and feel. I Then passed this short trench at Gap which was 60% off so I bought that one as well.

These two jackets might seem to be polar opposites but interesting enough they both fit into my wardrobe seamlessly. While I’ve been into minimalism french sorta gamine style these past few years I am just really channeling a more greaser feeling right now. And everything I own works with either of these without feeling like I have 2 separate wardrobes. Honestly it’s all in the trimmings.

And I’ve been into blazers for so long and was surprised to find my lack of enthusiasm over them this past year. While I still wear a few to work sometimes, I don’t care to wear them “out” right now. I became extremely attached to my biker jacket this winter. I still like the aesthetic of a blazer, yes! But I’m kinda bored with wearing them at the moment.

I’m tired of posting snow so I didn’t, ha! Actually it was nice to see the snow return since I knew it wouldn’t stay warm long. I think it was 9°F this morning

Last weekend it got up into the 60°’s so like any other sane person I ran out immediately and ate ice cream then complained about being cold for an hour afterwards.

I also took the Valentine’s roses and soaked some of the petals in essential rose oil for a bit then added them into the tub for a bath. Will be doing this a lot more often.

Last night I stopped by Madewell to check out a few of their new spring releases. I tried on this skirt and dress but they didn’t fit like I had hoped so I’ll wait for more of their releases to show up in store.

Snow from Thursday

Valentine’s Day

“Mermaid Mane” a sea salt spray for getting beach hair. Followed by a night out Saturday.

My shoulder’s still a bit sore from shoveling the driveway with Mike. But even with a heavy layer of snow on the ground I went ahead and did some spring cleaning today. It’s been a little bittersweet but I put my spring and summer clothes into 4 piles. Keep, sell, sister, and donate. The keep and donate piles were the smallest. While my pile for handing down to my sis was the biggest. And I have a few Madewell shirts I’ll put up for sale later this month :) I like to do this on days I’m feeling the least sentimental so I can purge the most stuff without regret!

Also watched 3 Olympic Women’s Hockey games and re-caulked a few spots around my shower and bathtub.

It was a bit of a random day off work.

This past week I ended up at Max Brenner again. I tried their “mexican spicy hot chocolate” and yeah, it’s spicy! Their hot chocolates are also served in urinal shaped mugs. It says this shape is for a “greater chocolate experience” but I just feel like I’m gravy-boating melted chocolate into my mouth. But maybe it’s just me. ;)

It’s gone from snowy blizzard to humid thunderstorm in less than a week. It was so warm last night (record high for December) that I ended up sitting outside a bar and drinking till midnight without even realizing. It’s like summer all of a sudden. But apparently Christmas Eve the high will be 35°F again and it might snow Tuesday too. The weather isn’t the only un-Christmas thing happening. It doesn’t really feel like Christmas to me this year. Not to say it’s disappointing or not a happy enjoyable one! I’ve actually been having a great holiday season! But just saying there’s a lot of changes (out of my control) that are happening right now and because of that I’m so turned around. I really can’t believe Christmas will be over in a matter of days!

I feel like I need to eat a ton of cookies and chocolates and hot cocoa and sing carols and run around frantic and crazy :D

Last Friday I saw Septime Webre’s The Nutcracker at Warner Theater. I bought tickets for early December because I wanted it to sorta launch that Christmas Cheer feeling for the season. It was excellent. There’s a colonial twist to the entire ballet and George Washington is The Nutcracker haha! I figured it would be the most DC THING I could ever see.

I also made these impromptu mini apple pies with leftovers. I felt bad throwing out an unused extra pie crust from Thanksgiving and had a single apple in the fruit bowl. I figured to hell with it and gave making mini pies a shot! They turned out GREAT! I am boasting because I suck at cooking. I can hardly follow recipes correctly so making something like this “on the fly” impresses me alright! :)

I ended up with enough dough and apple mix to make 4 of these things. There’s no recipe or anything to share. I just threw in spices and butter pretty much. I think I’m definitely going to be doing this again. It’s way easier than making a huge stupid pie.

Friday night we went out to see John Oliver live at Warner. Had pizza & beer and then stayed out too late and had to catch a Metro transfer bus home because the DC Metro is terrible and always closing for repairs and always catching on fire. I could write paragraph after paragraph of my grievances towards the metro system.

Saturday was shopping. I went on a mission to find a better hand cream than all the others I’ve have/had. I’m already getting chapped fingertips and it’s hardly winter. I ended up at L’Occitane. I went with their 20% shea butter hand cream and so far it’s done what my other creams couldn’t and without a greasy mess. I also got their extra-gentle lotion for winter mornings. I like unscented, fast absorbing, no residue lotion for my winter morning routine.

I got their holiday glam kit with my purchase and the lip gloss “Fleur d’Or & Acacia Lip Gloss” that’s included is amazing. It’s scented with a light perfume but not too much. It’s also slightly flavored and incredibly moisturizing and subtly sparkling and just holiday perfect.

Sunday I woke up and made a roll of cinnamon buns and then ate all 5 while watching Supernatural. I really couldn’t have planned the morning any better than that. Then I fell asleep for something like 3 hours. I didn’t even realize I was so exhausted. Or maybe I slipped into a sugar coma…

That night we headed out to ShopHouse to see what the creator of Chipotle was doing with curry and on the way I saw that Max Brenner’s chocolate cafe had opened so we stopped there for dessert. Ordered an Earl Grey tea infusion and the European fondue where the fondue pots are all heated by tea light candles and they give you a small grill to roast your marshmallows over open flame and hell yes I will be back.

Monday. Well Monday I had the day off work but mid-morning I started to feel sick and by the afternoon I felt worse and I just stayed in and then this morning I felt poorly as well but it comes and goes now.

We’ve visited this orchard for pumpkins and summer flowers before but I was really surprised by how enjoyable their berry picking was even late in the season. I’d really like to take better advantage of it next summer.

I’ll be back in a month for some pumpkins.

From the gift shop. Pantone, wooden utensils, & metro maps happen to be some of my favorite things.

I’ve also continued with last week’s free sample usage.

I was so disappointed by Burt’s Bees’ Radiance set. These two items worked amazingly. My skin looked so good with the radiance moisturizer! However the scent just really bothered me. :(

I’m really sensitive the scents in facial products. This one just smelled sort of like stale sweet tea… and it didn’t fade which was the real problem. I ended up having to wash it off. But aside from the scent the product was really good.

The Skin Food samples were nice. Skin Food items are always nice but not always noteworthy.