I Want a New Rug

I know I haven't kept you updated on much home stuff because honestly, we haven't been doing much home improvements as of late.  We have made one small change to our living room. Remember the carpet tiles we got from Kentucky that I was so excited about? Unfortunately, they haven't been working out too well in the space. 

Due to running around like this...

And rolling around like this...

I think due to all the running around, it started to get a little "gappy" between each tile, similar to the picture below. Maybe it was an installation error on our part combined with the high traffic from the dogs.  In the end, the carpet tiles just weren't working out...at least not in the living room. So, we moved the tiles out (we're hoping to put them in our bedroom) and started looking for a regular rug on Craigslist.

Justin found an 8x10 rug on Craigslist for $80. What a steal! He and our friend TB went that evening to pick it up. Here they are, moving the furniture around for the perfect placement of our new rug.

Ta-da! A good selection made by Justin, if I do say so myself. He followed our blue and brown color palette to a "T" and got us a great deal on a rug!

I obviously liked the new rug, but you can tell the boys were pretty happy with the rug as well.

Family Picture 2012: We are Family

I got all my sisters with me...and my parents...and Justin..and the dogs, we'll you get the idea.

Every other year my family and I get together to take our family picture. Two years ago instead of taking a family picture we decided to take a picture from our wedding and use that on our card. Simple and easy.

Because our last holiday card featured a picture from our wedding, this was the first family picture we have gotten together for in the last four years. I had almost forgotten how much planning goes into it until I was tasked with putting it together.

The first thing we needed was a photographer.  Because the Beltrano/Briones Family includes three dogs, it was quite challenging to find a place that photographs pets. Photo studios located in malls had strict time windows and rules, so that was out of the question. It was on to finding a freelance photographer who can shoot on-site.

I recently discovered that Jim, one of my co-workers, does photography.  When I checked out his website, I knew he was the right person for the job because of the quality and variety of his work. Plus, he was available that weekend, giving us enough time to get the photo holiday cards made for Christmas.

Because Jim shoots on-location, I had to find a site for us to shoot at. Jim's website features many of the D.C. monuments, so I figured he would know the best places to shoot around those particular areas. I decided that the U.S. Capitol building would be the perfect backdrop to our family photos because it probably wouldn't be as crowded with tourists and it offers some architectural detail, as opposed to the Washington Monument.

On a cold Sunday morning, after we waited a bit for my parents to find the location, we were ready to begin! Here are some shots from the our photo shoot!

Derby is squinting in this one, but it's a good shot right in front of the Capitol building...

We even took some individual shots. Here's Jill LOLing...

Judy giving us, "Who's hungry, who's hungry..."

 

Here's a picture of me giving you wind-blown hair realness. I just wish I had a flag in the background. 'Murrica.

The dogs got into the solo action as well...

What are my parents looking at? Probably JJ...

 Now they're looking and smiling, yay!

The "Tres Marias" cheesin' it up...

And a Brioni close-up! 

 Having a seat in front of the Capitol. Louie's not impressed...ha!

 And here's the Brioni family portrait. This is the pic we would send out if we did holiday cards... :)

We were able to get a lot of great shots that day which made it difficult to choose one for our Christmas card. If you want to see which one we decided on you'll have to check your mailbox. :)

All photos property of Jim Knapp Photography

Washington D.C.'s First Costco!

If you know me, you know that I am huge Costco fan. I love the quality, prices, and the overall value of all their products (even their very own Kirkland brand, it's awesome!). If you have ever wondered if it would be worth it for two person household to have a Costco membership, Justin and I would be the first people to tell you that it is so worth it!

Last week, the Nation's Capitol opened their very first Costco. You may have heard that even the Vice President visited! Since Justin and I have visited several Costcos in the DC metro area, we figured it was high time for us to visit the newest Costco right in our own backyard (or Northeast DC, to be exact ;)

Here's a picture of Justin in front of the spanking new Costco. We got there pretty early so the parking lot wasn't that crowded. There was ample parking and it was pretty easy to navigate the parking lanes (unlike the Pentagon City location which can be a cluster-you-know-what). 

The other picture is a shot of the squeaky clean aisles. Again, since this is a new location and we went early it was pretty easy to get around...just give it a few months ;)

We wasted no time filling our cart with fresh produce, cleaning products, and a whole lot of food. Since we had been traveling for the past month we put off doing some major grocery shopping so when we got to Costco we went all out. Check out me with Santa! They had a great selection of Christmas decorations, but we had no room in our cart. :(

The best part of our D.C. Costco shopping experience? The liquor! Woo hoo! Due to area liquor laws, Costcos in Northern Virgina and Maryland are not allowed to sell liquor so I was in awe when I saw amazing Patron boxed sets (perfect for gifting!), Costco-brand liquor and top-shelf brands. I purchased the huge bottle of American Kirkland brand vodka for a reasonable $13, while Justin bought the big daddy bottle of Makers Mark--something you can never have to much of!

Open Wide!!

What cracked me up was when the cashier looked at us and said, "Man, you got a lot of stuff!" I had to giggle because she had yet to realize that at Costco, "You big or go home!" LOL! With our two carts in tow, I think we pissed off the person behind us who only purchased a shrimp cocktail. #noob. In the end I would say it was successful trip and an overall good experience! As with all Costcos, they carried different items than the other Costco we go to (i.e.: they didn't have Almond Breeze milk, Kirkland brand flea and tick medicine, and a few other items), but it's location and the fact they carry liquor might put it over  the edge. :)

Brooklyn for the Day for the Barclay's Classic - MD vs. KY

Due to Hurricane Sandy, Justin and I were really worried about going to New York City for the Barclay's Classic. We were originally going to make it a fun Veteran's Day weekend in Brooklyn and Manhattan since Justin has never been. Instead, we opted to make it an overnight trip, to spare us from the gas shortages and additional expenses, especially since we had just returned from Europe last weekend (I promise my Europe trips posts will be up soon enough!). 

So we left on Friday morning to head up to our hotel in Park Slope, Brooklyn and while we were waiting for our hotel room to be ready, the concierge suggested we walk a couple blocks to 5th Avenue and explore the shops and restaurants on that street. As soon as we got there I saw the Chip Shop of Travel Channel's Deep Fried Paradise fame! That made our decision for lunch easy! Although we were just in London just a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist the opportunity for some deep fried goodness! Below is a picture of the fish and chips that I had. For dessert, we had the deep friend Snickers, which was delicious. 

With our hotel room ready, we barely had a few hours to get ready for the dinner reservation that lay ahead--Peter Luger Steak House! Yes, we would be eating again, which would be a common theme of this trip. Now this place needs no introduction, as it has been featured on several TV shows and is a Top Zagat's pick for several years running.

We started off with the thick-cut bacon slices, which were perfectly crisp, providing the right balance of meat and fat! Yum!

Our steak came out a perfect medium (as requested) and it was like "buddah"! The steak literally melted in your mouth, no joke! I don't know how they do it, but it was incredible! The pic below is the "Steak for Two" (with some pieces missing since I forgot to take the picture at first).

Although we were stuffed from the Chip Shop (a few hours earlier) and the huge steak, as I always say, "There's always room for dessert!" At the suggestion of our wonderful waiter, we indulged in their creamy cheesecake, complete with Peter Luger gold coins!

After our hefty meal at Peter Luger's, we caught a cab to the new Barclay's Center for the UK-Maryland Basketball game.  Because we had some time before tip-off, we decided to head over to the bar within the arena for a couple of pregame beers.  Low and behold, we run into Papa John himself, decked out in UK blue.  Justin immediately called for my camera to grab the photo op.  Papa John was happy to oblige, even though I was decked out in my Maryland red.

The game was closer than either me or Justin had predicted.  In the end, the Wildcats edged out my beloved Terps in the last minute, but the effort they put forth made for some optimism for this year's basketball season.  Justin spent most of the game "not so happy" with his team's rebounding; however, he was happy to take the win.  Here are a few shots of the game, including a shot of Digger Phelps and company during the halftime show:

 

At the suggestion of many who knew we were rolling up to Brooklyn/NY for the game, we found a nearby pizza joint to pick up some pizza slices.  After walking over 2 miles from the arena, these slices of pizza were a great idea.  We were just surprised that we were hungry, especially with all the food we ate earlier in the day, and the number of beers we drank during the game.  Starting clockwise, there is a white pizza slice, a "barbecue chicken" slice, a "lasagna" slice, and a pepperoni slice.  The "barbecue chicken" slice was more of a "General Tso's Chicken" slice; however, the slice was still pretty tasty.  The "lasagna" slice actually tasted like lasagna, but my favorites were the more traditional pizza slices we picked (i.e. the white pizza slice, and the pepperoni pizza slice.)

Unfortunately, our trip to Brooklyn/NY was only for the night.  Before we drove back to DC, we decided to indulge in one more notable food item of the area.  After searching Yelp for a nearby deli, we stumbled upon David's Brisket House.  What trip to the area would not be complete without a NY-style pastrami sandwich?  I opted for the "regular" pastrami sandwich, which was a beast of a sandwich.  The meat was great, being tender, moist, and full of flavor.  Justin got a brisket and pastrami sandwich, which towered over my own.  I don't know why Justin is squinting, but it may be the fact that he's overjoyed to finally have a real NY-style deli sandwich.  

Although our trip was for only one night, the two of us had a blast.  Even Justin enjoyed his first exposure to Brooklyn/NYC, and can't wait to visit again in the near future.  He still needs to see Times Square, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty.  In addition, there are a number of restaurants we both want to try out in Manhattan.  Anyone have any suggestions for our next trip to NYC?

Race Review: 2012 Army 10 Miler

Let me start off by saying slow and steady does not win the race...training does (or at least it gets you to finish line at a decent time)!

Let me rewind. This past weekend Justin and I ran the Army 10 Miler. I started the race weekend off by picking up our race packets at the DC Armory, which seems to be a common place for bib pick-ups it seems these days. I went on Friday afternoon and Sargent Vincent Hancock, gold medal winner in skeet shooting at the 2012 London Olympic games was there! I got to take a picture with him. He was the nicest guy and even let me hold his medal! It's heavy!

The expo was pretty typical, except for the addition of military and defense-themed booths. Now for my race review. Personally, I didn't train as well as I should have. This race was kind of afterthought since Justin and I registered for it such a long time ago. But there we were bright and early, ready to do the darn thing.

Here's a pic of the start of my wave:

The race started off at the Pentagon and I don't know why I didn't learn my lesson from the Navy 5-Miler last year, but I should have guessed it would be super hilly since that area is surrounded by on and off ramps. The race was somewhat scenic as we did run by the Washington Monument, however, we also ran by a bunch of federal buildings (e.g.: Justin's work) which didn't contribute much to the running landscape. I started off the race running my usual pace, but as we neared the finish (with about three miles to go) I started to slow down due to the hills. Hills I didn't train for since I didn't train much a all! :( Man, I must have really slowed down because compared to my last 10 miler time (the 2011 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler) I was over 40 minutes slower! Wah wah. Far from a personal record.

Correction! My dear friend N. just informed me that the result times were incorrect for some people, including myself! Instead, of being forty minutes slower than my personal best, I was only 3 minutes slower than my PB! What a huge difference! Now back to your regularly scheduled blog post ;)

The things that I liked about the race:

• Water/Gatorade every two miles
• The Army ROTC swag (with jumbo size grocery bag, water bottles, mini flash drive and t-shirt)
• The course was quasi-scenic, but it was no Cherry Blossom...
• The cause :) -- Another military race coin to add the collection but I don't think I'll be getting the Marine Corp. Marathon coin anytime soon...

The things that I didn't like about the race:

• The hills :(
• The finish line was anti-climactic
• Post-race munchies were sparse (yes, I know I was slow, but can a girl just get a banana?!)

This race pretty much concluded our running season for the year. Although it ended with more of a fizzle, than a bang I'm looking forward to registering for some races next year. I definitely want to do the Inaugural Nike Women's Half Marathon in DC, and maybe another mud/color/zombie run with some friends. Since I'm training challenged, perhaps I might want to focus on my speed work and do a bunch of 5K's? With house stuff, travel, and a full wedding calendar planned for 2013 I'll just have to wait and see!

Weekend Review: Lighting the Night!

Hi Everyone! I hope you had a good weekend! Mine was jam packed with activity so let's start with the bad news. On Friday, my beloved Nats were one pitch away for moving on to the next round of playoffs, but lost game 5 to the St. Louis Cardinals. I had not attended any of first round playoff games, but had reserved tickets to the NLCS in the event that they won, but alas it was not meant to be... #Saditude
 
In brighter sports news, the Redskins had their first home win since last season! Now that's something to celebrate! Yipee!
 
Although, it was a busy sports weekend, Justin and I had a lot on our social plate! Friday night we attended the surprise birthday party of the parents of our good friend, Joos. They flew in from Florida and were completely surprised. The look on her mom's face was priceless!
 
The next day as members of Team Pimp Joos, we participated in the Washington, DC Light the Night Walk.
 

Photo Courtesy of LTN National Capitol Area

Since we raised so much money, we were able to get our tent and in true Pimp Joos fashion, we had to "win" the walk in come in first, LOL. Here's a picture of some of the team with our fearless leader:
 

 

Afterwards, we all ate dinner together which was nice since we all hadn't been together in a very long time.

 

Sunday was filled with errand running and football watching, but in the midst of our lazy Sunday, we managed to join the rest of the neighborhood lookie-loos and checked out the open house across the street. They had been renovating it for a few months now and it had just been put on the market.

 

Here's a shot of Justin in the master suite of the home. I was trying to console him of the fact that we do not have an en suite bathroom, nor dual sinks in our house...wah wah...

 

 

This is what I was lusting after. A garage door, a parking pad, with a bit of green space is all we really need!

 

 



Of course this could all be yours for the simple price of $879,500. Okay, I hope you didn't spit your drink all over the computer screen at that price, as even for DC that price is a little steep (especially for our little Hill East neighborhood), but if it does end up selling for that much (after all inventory is low in the city) it does nothing but bolster the value of our home as well. :) 

 

This weekend will probably be a bit low key since we have a race on Sunday. Until next time!

September in Review

Wow, can you believe that it's October already? The year is almost over. Justin and I haven't been working too much on the house lately but we've still have been pretty busy! Here's a a bit of what we've been up to!

We had some friends over for a Labor Day cookout...

Jill and I saw Volta Bureau at the Black Cat. If you've never heard of them before I suggest you look up their tracks, especially "Alley Cat." Their style is kind of disco/house-y...Their music is awesome for dancing and they're local too!



We got invited by our friends to join them for their company's Kings Dominion Day! Thanks J and V!

You already know about the 5k I did with the family...

One of the highlights of the month was seeing Avicii at the Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore

The crowd going nuts!

Justin and Mike enjoying the music...and the people watching!

I won tickets via We Love DC to see an Independent Filipino Film called, "Busong (Palawan Fate)" a the National Geographic All Roads Film Festival.

Here is a picture of the director introducing the film:

And to cap off the end of a great baseball season, I got to see the Nationals clinch the National League East title! It would've been a bit better if they had beaten the Phillies that night, but seeing them pop champagne in the locker rooms and then come out to great the fans was amazing!

Pleased to meet you Mr. Lincoln...

A packed stadium!

Yay!

September was a whirlwind of events and the fall is just picking up for the Brionii clan...stay tuned!