Category Archives: Out & About in the Capital

May 16, 2013 · 7:00 am

{Weekend Snapshots}

More of a week snapshot since I was pretty busy last week. It was a week that kept me on the go and filled with good friends, good food and even a celebrity spotting! In an immensely stressful week with my blog’s limbo status, I’m extra happy I could look back through my iPhone camera to see all the happy moments the week held.

Blooms: While DC still isn’t quite up to its balmy reputation, the weather was gorgeous and I spent as much time outside as possible this weekend. On a stroll to Cleveland Park, I kept stopping to take pictures of the beautiful flower beds. In the city, flowers aren’t a rare sight per se but abundant flower beds remind me of home and with my trip so close, I was a teensy bit (read: perfect storm) home sick. I’ll be snapping pictures of my town in New York so stay tuned on that front.

Politics: I attended {POLITICO} Playbook Cocktails event with a couple Twitter friends specifically to see {Morning Joe} co-hosts Joe & Mika. I love their show and honestly wish I could streamline it live onto my iPhone because I am typically on the bus to work when they’re in the middle of the show. But I digress. The discussion covered a host of topics from Mika’s latest book, Obsessed, to the Republicans’ standing in 2016 and their branding. But the true highlight was when Governor Chris Christie called Mika and talked to the audience about his recent surgery. Too awesome for words! After the discussion, they weren’t allowing individual shots but paparazzi-like shots were fair game.

Inspiration: Even though I could not post on my blog, it was still at the forefront of my mind. I pored through my favorite books, cookbooks, etc. to get inspired for future posts. I certainly was and cannot wait to share my ideas with you!

Eats: If you find yourself on Capitol Hill and positively ravenous, {Ted’s Bulletin} is the only place to go. Homemade Pop Tarts, boozy milkshakes, a walk of shame burrito. You really cannot go wrong eating at Ted’s Bulletin. Unless you leave without a doggy bag containing a Pop Tart. Then you must return & rectify this situation. I tried their chicken taco salad this round and it was superb. In fact, I didn’t finish the salad and was full the rest of the day!

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Tagged as Cleveland Park, Cupcakes & Cashmere, Emily Schuman, Foolproof, Ina Garten, Morning Joe, POLITICO, Ted's Bulletin

April 23, 2013 · 7:00 am

{just wanna have fun}

I don’t usually discuss my personal life but there were several big changes in the last month. I made a decision and stuck to my guns but that little voice in the back of my head was still loud enough to drive me up a wall. I had to clear my head.

So I took myself out on a date.

Despite the 60 degree & slight chill reading on my iPhone app, I slipped on my Jacks, a bright striped shift and an azalea cardigan for good measure. Pearls, check. Ray-Bans, check.

{Essie Mob Square} | {Jack Rogers}

More on this shift in a later post, I promise!

I walked to Book Hill Park, a favorite Georgetown spot. I love sitting on a park bench and just reading, feeling for a moment as if I am not in a city and enjoying the trees and flower beds.

Of course, a little window shopping was in order

{Tote}

No date would be complete without a sweet, I paid a visit to {Baked & Wired}. Nibbling on a strawberry cupcake and reading a good book are better than therapy, in my humble opinion. {Lunch in Paris} is a wonderful read, I am halfway through and can’t wait to share my thoughts on Sunday’s post!! Have you read it? I feel like it should be mandatory to have a croissant while reading this book.

All in all, a perfect date.

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Tagged as Baked & Wired, Book Hill, cupcake, Essie Mob Square, Georgetown, J Crew, jack rogers, Kate Spade, Lunch in Paris, style

April 19, 2013 · 7:00 am

{Summer Intern Wardrobe Checklist}

I received a couple of requests for this post and I’m really glad you emailed me. Since I live in DC, I have the luxury of having my entire closet at my fingertips to piece together work outfits. I completely forgot how many who come to DC to spend the summer interning are here for only a couple of months and have limited space in their suitcase. I know, it seems obvious but trust me, thank you for pointing this important detail out!

DC summers are hot and muggy to say the least. Cotton will be your best friend. It’s hot and humid outside and freezing from the air conditioner inside your office. Layers are also key. But wait! You want to look professional 9-5 but still look cute for happy hours. So much to balance in a single outfit, let’s get down to basics.

1. {Colorful Pants}: If your office dress code is casual, these are great for Fridays to go from the office to drinks with friends. You can also pair them with pumps for Friday or Saturday night!

2. {Nude Heels}: These Jessica Simpson heels are my absolute favorite! They are reasonably priced and will last you awhile. Nude heels go with just about everything so you will get a lot of mileage out of this heels.

3. {Cardigans}: Remember the A/C conundrum? It’s 98 outside, 60 inside. Here is where you layer, layer, layer. Bring along cardigans and pair them with a cute ruffle top or simply button them up all the way (a la Emma from Glee) to wear by itself.

4. {Cotton Pencil Skirt}: While I do wear pants on weekends, I’m more of a dress/skirt girl Monday through Friday. While they aren’t a sexy miniskirt, the great thing about pencil skirts is that they are very flattering to your silhouette so I promise you, you will still look adorable sipping margaritas with your gal pals.

5. {Neutral Tote}: I play Tetris with my tote several times a day. Between a pair of heels, my lunch, snacks, iPad, agenda, book and all the other loose trinkets, it’s a challenge to fit everything just so in my tote. I’d recommend getting a neutral tote like the one above (or a Longchamp if that’s in your price range) because it looks professional and polished (and you can fit a ton in there). For going out purposes, I’d toss a small crossbody in your suitcase to bring out on the weekends.

6. {Sandals}: I’ll just say it now: Do not wear your heels on your commute. DC’s cobblestones are beautiful and historic…but are a death sentence for heels. You want to make those heels last so wear sandals on your commute. Sandals are great for post-work and weekends and you won’t trip as much when you get jostled around on the Metro.

7. {Sleeveless Top}: Have I stressed enough how hot DC summers are? You’re going to want to go with sleeveless as much as possible. If Michelle Obama can do it, so can you. Or, at least, that’s what I tell myself. Pair your top with a cardi from 9-5 and then toss the cardi into the tote after. On weekends, pair with wedges and shorts to hit the bars.

8. {Tank Top}: I love wearing my cardigans as a simple top just by buttoning them up all the way. To smooth any bra strap lines, wear a J.Crew Perfect Fit Tank underneath. Once Friday at 5 hits, you can take off the cardigan and hit Jazz in the Garden! On the weekends, tuck the tank top into shorts and accessorize with a fun belt and sandals. You’re ready to cruise the farmer’s markets!

If you have any questions about DC, interning, etc. please email me at dcgirlinpearls(at)gmail(dot)com or just click on the envelope icon at the top right. I hope this post was helpful

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Tagged as business casual, DC, internship, J Crew, Jessica Simpson, office attire, style, Target, work wear

April 17, 2013 · 7:00 am

{cakelove}

A week ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with the owner of {cakelove}, Warren and his co-baker extraordinaire, Kim. They generously invited me to their Silver Spring location for a taste testing. I know, I know, I’m supposed to be good and eating healthfully…but who can turn down a cupcake?? To be fair, I did Pilates for an hour before I went and only ate 1 cupcake…and a half.

Clockwise, starting at noon: Salty Caramel, Fuzzy Wuzzy, Vanilla on Vanilla, Chocolate Chip Cheesecake, Toffee Crunch, Strawberry on Vanilla and Red Velvet

I loved they had my monogram on a sugar cookie!! Cakelove even put a mini monogram sugar cookie on a vanilla cupcake with strawberry frosting (that included pureed strawberries into the frosting!).

Cakelove’s frosting was superb: it was light and airy and altogether unlike any other frosting I’ve ever had before this. When I asked about it, Warren told me they use Italian meringue buttercream. Italian meringue is made by pouring a hot sugar syrup over whipping egg whites and then letting it cool. Finally, you made room temperature butter. Voila! This frosting is perfect for a summer cake, it hits the spot without weighing you down. Now if only it would magically burn calories…

As I munched on my cupcake & was on cloud nine over the frosting, Warren started Cakelove 10 years ago and initially he baked cakes as a labor of love for friends and family. He’s a self taught expert and used to go into bookstores to pore over their baking books. Clearly, his methods worked because not only were the cupcakes moist and sublime but he could talk about how various ingredients affected the composition of the protein strands. At this point, I smiled and nodded because I am not a science person at all. But if science creates delicious cake, I am all for it! Plus, I love The Big Bang Theory.

My pleasant surprise was their Fuzzy Wuzzy: chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream, topped with dark chocolate shavings. In full disclosure, I’m not a chocolate cake person. I find it usually just sits in my stomach and I’d much rather have a vanilla or a red velvet cupcake. However, Kim and Warren told me how they had just updated their chocolate batter recipe so I thought “Alright, why not?”

Wow. This chocolate cake made me a believer. The cake was light and fluffy while the chocolate Italian meringue frosting was whipped to perfection. I was blown away by this cupcake and like I said, I usually opt out of any chocolate cake. However, this chocolate cupcake is in a league of its own.

I had a lovely afternoon at Cakelove! Before I left, I snapped a few pictures of treats I’d love to have at my next visit. Pound cake with fresh cream and strawberries, a red velvet cake and strawberry lemonade cupcake, oh my! I know where I’ll be going next time I’m near their U Street locale.

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Tagged as baking, Cakelove, cupcake, DC cupcakes, sweets, Washington DC

April 16, 2013 · 7:00 am

{Weekend Recap: Blossoms & Brunch}

This weekend was packed with cherry blossoms, military drills on the Mall and of course, a Sunday brunch. But why talk about it when I show you??

On a lark, I decided to pay the cherry blossoms a visit and my friend Caroline sportingly agreed to join me! As we walked towards the Lincoln Memorial, we spied several military branches’ drill teams performing. It was incredible how they threw the guns around with such ease and precision, I couldn’t take my eyes off the exhibition.

Caroline & I tried to take a picture but it was tricky with the wind and our long hair!

Not bad for the wind swept look, right?

Sunday in DC means brunch. We went to {The W’s POV} and I was really excited because of their A+ rating from {Bitches Who Brunch}. I’ll be honest, their French toast was tasty but their Bellinis were pretty standard and their Bloody uninspired. I watched the bartender prepare it and it was merely vodka with their House Bloody mix and one olive. Whomp whomp. However, we went to {The Hamilton} afterwards and their Bloody more than made up for the W’s (pictured above). It was spicy on its own and the waitress brought me a bottle of Tabasco to shake things up a bit.

What the W lacked in their Bloodys, they more than made up for in their incredible rooftop view. Sipping a Bellini while viewing the snipers on the White House roof and then a view of the Pentagon. It doesn’t get more DC than that, that’s for sure.

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Tagged as brunch, cherry blossoms, Sunday Funday, The Hamilton, The W POV, Washington DC

April 2, 2013 · 7:00 am

{Weekend Recap: From Eastern Market to Easter}

On Saturday, I woke up (somewhat) early and because it was a sunny, albeit crisp day, I decided to head to {Eastern Market} on the Hill. I first ventured to the Market when I was about to be a sophomore in college with my family. I discovered a favorite consignment shop, fresh veggies, beautiful art and so much more!

While I love Eastern Market, I do sometimes think it’s a bit of a trek across town but when I get there, it’s always completely worth it. By the way, the “trek” is actually just a 35 minute bus ride, I may be just a tad dramatic.

I walked around Eastern Market and soaked it all in: I love fresh vegetables and going to the farmers’ road side stands is a favorite activity when I go home in New York. Plus, there are free samples : )

As I walked around, I spied a man demoing so being naturally nosy, I decided to investigate. And discovered a new favorite food blog: {What I Haven’t Cooked Yet}. Jonathan Bardzik hosts cooking demos on Saturdays at the Eastern Market using all ingredients from the vendors. Basically, Jonathan takes the guesswork out of leaving a farmer’s market with the proper ingredients to cook a delicious meal. We sampled a watercress soup that was out of this world. (My mother is probably fainting as she reads this, I used to an extremely finicky eater). Check out his blog for more recipes!

For lunch, I was torn between Indian and a po’ boy but the po’ boy won (this round). From Puddin’, my “Shorty” cost $7 and was more than filling!

I actually had my dessert before the main event because as I walked by DC-Donuts, I was nearly knocked over by the heavenly aroma from their stand. I purchased a small order of sour cream mini doughnuts for $3 and sprinkled them with glaze and sugar. Calories don’t count on Easter weekend. It was a tough call between DC Donuts and the carrot cake cupcake but the aroma sold me!

The next day was Easter and I started off my day by going to Mass. Even though the day was overcast and in the 40s, I still wore a bright sundress and Jacks to Mass. If it’s Easter and you don’t resemble a Peep, you’re doing it wrong.

For Easter brunch, I had a French toast bar with toppings such as bananas, strawberries, cinnamon, and cocoa hazelnut spread. Hash browns and bacon were also on the menu. And what’s a brunch without a mimosa (or four)?

With my mimosas, I included a splash or two of Trader Joe’s Blood Orange Italian soda and it was refreshing. I love a little carbonation and it kicked up the regular mimosa a notch. Fresh flowers provided the centerpiece along with my traditional chocolate Scottie dog! Ever year, this little guy is in my Easter basket, thanks Mom & Dad!

I debated getting these adorable Easter egg cakes at Eastern Market but I’m glad I didn’t because we were all so full after brunch.

As the weather gets warmer, expect more posts on Eastern Market : )

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Filed under Entertaining, Out & About in the Capital, Style

Tagged as brunch, Capitol Hill, DC, Easter, Eastern Market, farmer's market, lilly pulitzer, Vera Bradley, Washington

March 26, 2013 · 7:00 am

{Scratch DC}

I love to cook and grocery shopping is, oddly enough, my Zen time. The opposite of Zen time? Getting stuck in such terrible traffic that I miss a happy hour with friends and it takes over an hour to get home. Yup, that happened the other week and I was not amused in the least.

A couple of days previously, {Scratch DC} emailed me to ask if I wanted to sample their service and I accepted their gracious offer. I chose the Eggplant Lamb Roll Up with Tzakiti Sauce because chicken souvlaki (and Greek cuisine in general) is my favorite meal of all time. Every year, souvlaki is my birthday dinner. But I’m getting off track…

Scratch DC is an awesome concept for a start up: each week they post a menu with a different meal for each day Monday through Thursday. You select which meal(s) you’d like and checkout on the sidebar. Simple, easy, no sweat.

Back to my day of awful bumper to bumper traffic. I get home and am happy to discover my Scratch DC bundle waiting for me at my apartment door. My mood slowly takes a shift.

Within 15 minutes, I am dancing around my tiny kitchen to the Beach Boys and preparing my meal. I loved their instructions and notes on how to prepare my meal. It’s obvious they took the time to showcase their wit and I loved the silly notes! Bonus: my meal came with 2 cookie dough balls. After the traffic, cookie dough was just what the doctor ordered. Although, in full blogger disclosure, I ate the cookie dough raw. It was that kind of a day. I regret nothing.

My meal came with a Greek side salad and the entree was the eggplant rollup.

All in all, I made about 4 meals out of this order. The lamb was delicious and I tossed the leftover lamb into a salad for the next day.

Scratch DC is perfect for the person who wants a home cooked, nutritious meal…but whose cupboards aren’t always fully stocked. I loved the freshness of each ingredients: farm-to-table is very big in the DC restaurant scene and I think Scratch DC brings that experience to your doorstep.

Ryan at Scratch DC is generously offering readers of DC Girl in Pearls a discount on their next order! Use “DCGirlinPearls” to receive 15% off your next order. Valid through April 9th.

Have you tried Scratch DC? What did you think? I’d love to see pics of your Scratch experience!

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Filed under Kitchen, Out & About in the Capital

Tagged as cuisine, DC, eggplant, Greek, Kitchen, lamb, recipe, Scratch DC, start up, Washington

March 12, 2013 · 7:00 am

{Charmed, I’m Sure: Weekend Recap}

DC finally had sunny, gorgeous weather this weekend. And I had a cold. The first part of the weekend was in bed and sniffling. However, at the risk of being a waste of a 23 year old, I went to {Southern Hospitality} in AdMo on Friday and loved it.

The strawberry vodka mojito was out of this world delicious and the bartenders were friendly and first class conversationalists. I know DC’s “Southern” bars get a bad rap for not being authentic but my partner in crime for the night is a Mississippi girl and she loved SoHo. If that’s not a ringing endorsement, I’m not sure what is. I’ve heard rave reviews about their brunch so a return visit is in the works!

Sunday was a perfect day and just what the doctor ordered.

{Charm DC}, an adorable Georgetown jewelry boutique, hosted a great blogger event and I thoroughly enjoyed poring over their jewelry and sipping blood orange mimosas.

I loved the loafers fit for a princess…and I spied with my little eye my favorite spring colors: {coral} and {pistachio}! I also met {DC Patisserie}, we’ve tweeted back and forth so it was lovely to put a face to the Twitter persona. Her macarons were chewy and flavorful, they were also light enough I did not feel the least bit guilty eating five.

After, I actually went into Virginia. I know it’s only a couple of Metro stops away but I never leave the District so this was a big deal. My friends and I went on a quick trip to the Pentagon City Mall and then we were back to DC proper. Throughout Sunday, the weather was sunny and beautiful. So naturally we had to get ice cream!

{Thomas Sweet in Georgetown} has deliciously smooth ice cream and following a bit of inner turmoil, I chose the tiramisu ice cream. I was perfectly content to enjoy my ice cream on an afternoon stroll.

All in all, a marvelous end to the weekend.

I’ll be attending {Social Media Club DC’s Fashion & Social Media event} on Wednesday, March 20th in Dupont Circle. If you are in the DC area and would love to attend, the Social Media Club has graciously offered me four extra (free!) tickets. Please email me if interested (and can absolutely attend).

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Tagged as Adams Morgan, Charm, DC, Georgetown, ice cream, jewelry, macaron, Southern Hospitality, spring, strawberry mojito, Thomas Sweet, weekend

March 5, 2013 · 8:00 am

{Weekend Snapshots}

At the end of last week, a large weight was lifted off my shoulders. Previously, I juggled my job, my blog and a part time job. Needless to say, I felt like I was being pulled in all directions and there honestly was not a lot of room for fun or down time. I feel like the automatic response to the question “How are you doing?” was “Tired.”

I gave my two weeks’ notice to my part time job and while I will miss my job and the wonderful people I work with, I feel relieved. I have my weekends and weeknights back! I still have this week working but after that, I am a (relatively) free woman. For you, my dear reader, this means more attention to DC Girl in Pearls. I am thinking maybe more outfit posts? Possibly with DC as a backdrop…

My weekend was the perfect celebration: my lovely friend {@KendallByl} came to DC for a last hurrah before she jet sets off to a fabulous new job in LA. Readers, if anyone is from LA/visited there, send me recommendations!

We {brunched at El Centro}, which is one of the best brunch deals in town in my humble opinion. They offer $35 bottomless eat-and-drink and boy, did we get our money’s worth. The only caveat: it’s all hands on deck. In other words, everyone at the table must participate in order to get the deal. But honestly, it’s rather silly not to take advantage of it.

For $35, we each had mini steak tacos, one enchilada a piece, 4 cocktails each and lots o’ fresh chips and knock-my-socks-off guac.

The strawberry-mango margarita was very fresh and I loved every sip. At first, I ordered the watermelon aqua fresca but soon joined Kendall on Team Pineapple. Holy moly, the pineapple aqua fresca was easily my favorite drink choice (I decided to opt out of a Bloody Maria since I had that last time). It tasted like spring. I am not even kidding. It was refreshing and the perfect complement to the guacamole and seafood enchilada.

We ate on their rooftop and at first, it was a bit chilly but the heat lamps soon kicked in and we were delightfully toasty. Kendall and I caught up on everything stopping only to chew and swallow. And occasionally to breathe. The background music selection was eclectic, ranging from “Wonderwall” to “Paper Planes.”

The crowning jewel of the brunch would definitely have to be the desserts. Our waiter was more of an enabler and brought us all three! In his defense, we were rather indecisive about which to try.

The tres leches cake was creamy and cool, a true palette cleanser. The chocolate waffle with cinnamon whipped cream was a delight for the taste buds. However, the winner would have to be the French toast. Topped with banana slices, the French toast was pure perfection. If you brunch at El Centro, be sure to save room for dessert! Or, eat dessert first. Life’s too short.

After El Centro, we moseyed about 14th Street’s boutique shops and made our way down to Dupont Circle, where we witnessed the most adorable engagement photoshoot. Of course, we were still gabbing away.

Sunday was a beautiful day filled with delicious food, lovely DC exteriors and fun surprises.

It was hard to say goodbye but all good things must come to an end…in the name of food comas and the overwhelming desire to nap. Although with true friends, it’s not so much a “goodbye” as in “see you later” or in this situation “until Monday on gchat” : )

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Tagged as 14th Street, brunch, DC, Dupont Circle, El Centro, margarita, Washington

January 30, 2013 · 7:00 am

{Fornash Earrings}

If you follow me on {Instagram}, you probably noticed a pattern in my accessory choices. Besides pearl studs, I have a pretty routine rotation of earrings in my jewelry arsenal. Most of my favorite earrings are from {Fornash} and it’s no surprise Fornash is a DC based brand! They were in Georgetown but are currently located in Ballston across the river in VA.

I love my {spades} because they are a sophisticated alternative to pearl studs. Typically, I wear these to the office but they are also perfectly suited to transition to a night out (and on a school night!).

You already know about my love of elephants but did you know an image of an elephant with the trunk turned up is good luck? With the {safari elephants}, you’ll be surrounded by good luck throughout your day.

In my junior year, I visited New Orleans and fell head over heels in love with the city. I cannot wait to go back again…the food, the architecture, the atmosphere were all so wonderful! I love my {fleur de lis} earrings because they remind me of the Crescent City.

Fun fact: I once accidentally, literally bumped into the Ragin’ Cajun himself James Carville while wearing my fleur de lis earrings. Too perfect, right?

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