you are invited to brunch.

As I said, 

I'ma changin' the blog title.

>> Yes. I know it is not April.

Brunch because....

Brunch is my most favorite meal. It is nonjudgmental; it allows for a productive morning or a restful doze.

Brunch makes room for everyone, no matter your preference.

Brunch is easily potlock-ified. And I love potlucks.

Not to mention mimosas, kids. Come on.

in April because...

This past April, I sat at a table with two (1 + 2) beautiful, courageous women and laughed.

And laughed.

And cried a little, too.

I knew that, although I had just been severed from what I thought was the Be-All-End-All relationship,

I was better off. And could be happy. WAS happy, even.

This is not to say our journey to brunch together was stunningly perfect. We tramped through puddles and cold air in search of our food haven. We sat our pretty outfits on gritty Starbucks seats and shyly asked what looked to be locals where to get brunch. Our umbrellas turned outside in and inside out. Over and over again. Our wait to be seated was long.

I remember saying "You know...I'm kind of glad we went through a little hell to get here. It makes it all the more lovely."

And...there you have it.

My friends, that is what I want to be reminded of every time I come here. A little cliche hidden in the seemingly abstractness yet weirdly specific new title.  You've got to go through a little (or a lot of) bad to get to the good. To appreciate the good.

the things we say.

Funny things tumble out of our mouths when we're deliriously happy.

Though mildly embarrassing, here are a few good quotes from our visit to Em a few weeks ago.

[Nicole + Me out dancin']

(looking down at the ground from the plane) 

A: What city is that?

N: Hmm. Rhode Island? Oh, that's kind of a state.

A: Are there even any cities between Boston and DC?

...

A: Did I just ask if there were any? That was silly.

N: Well, I can't think of any.

["Didja get a look at this big, white house?!"]

(in the restroom after getting off the plane)

N: I feel like such a greasy gross person.

A: I thought that sign said 'Fight creeps by washing hands!' Hah, I wish that worked!

(walking around DC)

A: You know you have a problem when you look at a bus and immediately think: Junior Mints.

N + E: Whaat?! Hahaha

A: The colors! That bus has the same colors as Junior Mints! Right!? Come on!

[Sangria Love.]

(talking about hangovers)

A: I have never had one. I don't think I can, because I most definitely should have in select cases.

N, in the tune of '12 Days of Christmas': There's a first time for everything, my true love sang to me!

(in which N gets Shrek confused with real life.)

N: Is this Lord Farquaad stop?

E: Um. The what?

N: Lord Farquaad.

E: It's uh...it's Farragut North?

[I have no idea what is going on here.]

(Saturday morning)

N: Where're we going for brunch again? 

E: The Farming Fathers? The Father Founders?

A: The Founding Farmers!

E: Ohhh, that makes more sense.

(Spelling Stutter)

N: H, double E toothpicks.

A: ...What the heel?

[Nicole is hungry. Em couldn't care less]

(sleepy on the metro)

N: I wish pictures had sound, that would be so cool, you know? Ohhh, movies!

(taking the train back to my apartment in Boston)

N: Which direction?

A: Um...well. I live at the end of the Orange Line.

N: Okay, which end?

A: Well, I used to live at one end, and then I moved to the other, so both names sound familiar. I, uh....can't remember where I live.

N: ...... 
A: I'll text Mary Beth and Andrew.

Eastern Market

 The weather was exponentially better on Sunday, which worked out so well because Em took Nicole + me to Eastern Market!

Glorious doesn't even begin to cover it.

I am still overwhelmed with happiness from the weekend.

I wake up thinking about how much my soul has benefited from the visit + wonder how I ever lived without these sunbeams filling me up. It's just wonderful.

{listen while you look}

bubbles, kites, tulips + ducks...oh my!

bubbles outside the Eastern Market \\ flying a kite is hard when you're little {Washington Memorial} \\ blending with the tulips {M. of Natural History} \\ those silly ducks love to be chased {Washington Memorial}

"Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

Sisterhood of the Traveling Cousins. 
So, about our trip...

Half of my photos are of someone else taking a photo. Needless to say, we took a ton of pictures. I'm not really one to resist an excessive amount of loveliness, so I think I'll share almost all of them with you!
I know picture heavy posts can be overwhelming and even boring sometimes, so I'm making playlists to accompany the stories and snapshots in future posts

[N +E. Excited to finally be together!]

I think introductions are in order. 

Nicole, if you haven't been following along, is my cousin. I've admired this woman for ages. I am so thankful for the closeness this trip fostered and I'm truly honored to be related to her.

Emily was introduced to me through Nicole; we've been friends for awhile now through our blogs. I was so excited to finally meet her in person! She is one of the most beautiful souls in the universe. I am awkward (we know this), but around her I just feel calmer and happier. 

I realized sometime Saturday afternoon that I have glorious soulmates.

"Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with." Candace Bushnell 

These women are most definitely some of my mine. 

The Saturday rain and wind didn't stop us from exploring. We were on a hunt for a good place for brunch, and boy did we hunt. The first place was packed to the brim, the second was closed, and tons of roads were blocked off. Oh, and did I mention it was raining? We hid in Starbucks to recharge and ask some local students what they recommended.

We finally ended up at Tonic. Bottomless mimosas & just in time to still get brunch...sign me up!

Em + I had French toast (challah bread, berries and, the best part: sweet maple cream butter)

Nicole and I kept saying "It's so green here! It looks like spring here!" I took so many pictures of flowers; maybe they will get their own post altogether.