Kentucky Derby 2012: "I'll Have Another" Edition

This past weekend was the Kentucky Derby so Justin and I (along with four of our friends) make the nine hour drive to watch the "greatest two minutes in sports." We left Thursday afternoon and as soon as we got to Louisville we headed straight for Mr. G's. Mr. G's is a hole-in-wall bar near Justin's parents' house, complete with cheap beers (a 32 oz beer for under $4? say whaat?) and darts. This will be a lovely picture filled blog for those who like that sort of thing. :) 

I'm not one for darts, but I surely enjoyed the buzz I was getting from my huge blue moon!

Meter & KG raiding the jukebox. We must have heard Gotye's "Somebody I Used to Know" like four times followed by silence. It was time to take matters into our own hands, lol...

After, leaving the bar we got some White Castle (of course!). None of our friends had ever had it before and Justin is always one to share the indigestion joys of White Castle with those who have never had it before. Here is a pic of us punishing a crave case.

Friday morning we made a stop to Lynn's Paradise Cafe. I think it's a must-see for anyone from out-of-town. The food is great and the decor is eclectic.  How could you not support anyone that's beaten Bobby Flay on his show Throwdown? hehehe...

After that, we headed to Buffalo Trace to check out the distillery. First, we went to the tasting room where Freddie gave us the 411 on the Buffalo Trace products. We got to try out their " moonshine" called White Dog Mash, Eagle Rare, and Buffalo Trace.  My favorite was the Bourbon Cream. I bought myself a bottle and can't wait to use it in my next coffee beverage! Since we got there a little late and they were no longer giving tours, we were lucky to have one of the site managers offer to give us our own private tour. How cool was that? He showed us where they bottled the bourbon, stored the bourbon and where you could pick your own barrel and create your own batch!

That evening we went to the Kroger to pick up provisions for the next day, and we actually saw them making the rose garland for the winner of the Derby!

On the day of the Kentucky Derby we woke up bright and early for the long day ahead. The girls prepared some tasty beverages (a fresca drink and pink pantydroppers derbys) and we loaded up the coolers full of beer.


Although we had a valet parking pass that came with our box seats, we opted to go tailgating in this cute elderly couple's lawn. Virgil and Augusta (aka: Gussy) were the cutest and they were kind enough to let use use their bathroom quite frequently.

After a few hours it was time for us to go in, but not without a group shot in our Derby Day finest.

As we were waiting to enter Churchill Downs, I saw a bunch of B-list quasi-celebrities enter through security. I saw David Birkhead (Anna Nicole Smith's baby daddy), David Arquette, Christian Siriano (from Project Runway), and Joker Philips (the coach of the University of Kentucky basketball team. And of course when I got in, I spotted wee man so I had to take a picture with him!

Wee(man) and me!

The Star Spangled Banner was sung by none other than the Queen of of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige. In addition, one of the judges from the Voice, Blake Shelton was there too! Haha, it's my friend, TB, but if you look at the pictures, he kind of looks like him, right? At the end of Derby, Justin spotted Doron Lamb (UK Basketball player) and shook his hand.

Doron tried to "holla" at my girl Meter...it's actually a funny story, you should ask her about it ;)


Unfortunately, our friend TB mistook him for Reggie Bush.

There was a chance of rain/thunderstorms, but we couldn't have asked for a better day. The sun was shining and boy was it hot! Justin and I spent most of our day in the box while our friends got to experience all the sights and sounds of Derby--including the infield!

Here are the ladies in red:

Justin trying to beat the heat:

TB trying to figure out his bets:

Because you know you have to come correct!

His research proved successful as he and two of my other friends were big winners in selecting "I'll Have Another" to win the Kentucky Derby!

An amazing shot that Joos took of the actual race!

Overall, I would have to say that this was one of my favorite Derby trips. The weather was perfect, the people I was with were great, and how can you beat having box seats with a great view?


How about you? Did you watch the Derby on TV or were you at the Virginia Gold Cup? Don't get Justin started on the Gold Cup to which he refers to it as the "Poor Man's Derby," LOL! Personally, I don't have any vendettas against it, I just think it shouldn't be the same day as the Kentucky Derby (which makes it seem kind of artificial), but that's a whole other blog post altogether. ;)


Is going to the Kentucky Derby on your bucket list? If so, we're taking applications for next year :)

Welcome to the Family, Derby Briones!

Last weekend, Justin and I got another dog. Another french bulldog to be exact. We came to this decision over several weeks thinking about how much fun we have Louie and how much more fun it would be if he had a playmate. There have been many a time when Justin we have come home after a long days work and all Louie wants to do is play a never ending game of tug-of-war/fetch. We would always be like, "Why can't you play by yourself?" or "Wouldn't it be neat to have another dog for him to play with?" So we went on the internet searching for a rescue frenchie or an older frenchie (so we wouldn't have to deal with potty training) and we came across this little guy. His original name is Cutting Edge's Magic Man (AKA: Nick).
 

photo courtesy of Japacas

I called the owner and told him that we were interested in Nick and he gave me some background on him. Basically, he comes from a championship bloodline (his dad is an AKC grand champion and his mom is an AKC champion) and they were thinking about showing him, but his brother from the same litter turned out to be better in shows. Since they didn't want them competing against one another, they decided to find a Nick a forever home where he could be a pet.



We took a day to think it over, but we couldn't say no to that face! A few days later, we drove to the North Carolina/Virginia border to pick up the little guy. He's seriously is little! About half the size of Louie, but then again Louie's large size is an anomaly...

We thought long and hard about what to name our new member of the family and we finally decided on Derby. 1) It kept our Kentucky theme (Louie=Louisville, Derby=Kentucky Derby) and 2) He was born on our anniversary, July 3rd, and since our wedding was Kentucky Derby themed it was truly fitting that he be given that name.

When Louie met Derby for the first time, he was a bit unsure, but of course they started to roughhouse like frenchies do right away! Sometimes we have to break it up (because Louie can straight up bully little Derby--pun intended!) but for the most part they kiss and make up as if to say, "No hard feelings!"

What my sister likes to call "frenching"

For me it has been a rough few days with the two of them; breaking up their "fights," learning how to walk two dogs on leash by myself, sleepless nights due to Derby's incredibly loud snoring, but despite all that it has been incredibly fun. Sometimes the two of them can really stress me out and try my patience, but when they get along it's the best! They kind of remind me of kids in that sense. Or at least what I imagine parenthood to be (but a lot harder with humans!). Yes, I know dogs aren't the same as kids but you know what I mean! And, no we aren't planning on having kids anytime soon in case you're wondering, or as Justin always says, "Ask us next year." har, har, har...



Derby curling his tounge. One of the only tricks he knows at the moment, LOL.

So are you a dog owner considering another dog? Did you end up getting another dog and if so what assisted you in making that decision? I've never owned two dogs in my life before so it definitely has been a learning experience! It's been so rewarding having two dogs with two silly, but different personalities; it sometimes leaves me feeling like this:

Derby kind of looks like Louie in this picture

Weekend Review - April Edition

Weekend Review - April Edition (aka: the month of basketball, brunch, birthdays and baseball!)

Since my individual reviews of each weekend haven't been making the blog (insert tired excuse here), I decided to wrap all the weekends in April into one giant picture-filled post. Yes, I know that April isn't over yet, but don't stop me while I am on a roll here :)

In case you've been living under a rock, you should already know that my husband's beloved 'Cats won the NCAA National Basketball Championship. During the Elite Eight and Final Four we opted to watch the games at the closest true University of Kentucky bar in the DC area, Grevey's.

Here I am posing with the UK folding chair I won during the raffle. Too bad we would later find out it was defective :( But who knows? Maybe we'll try to fix it?

Here is a shot of the owner, Kevin Grevey. He is a former UK and Washington Bullets basketball player. He's KY in DC to a "T"!



Amidst all the game watching, we managed to grab merienda (aka: afternoon snack) at Pound. They are known for their coffee (the nutella latte seen below was to die for!) but they just introduced a dinner menu. Justin and I will be having dinner there soon enough. I bought a Bloomspot coupon for a dinner and wine pairing so we could check it out!

On Easter Sunday we took part in at the famous, Georgia Browns brunch--complete with buffet, dessert bar (with a chocolate fountain!), and take home meal. Here's Justin about to dig in (sorry for the sucky lighting).

And me ready with fork in hand!

By the way, we found out that our House Hunters episode had aired the night before so while we were waiting to be seated we got recognized. :)

Justin and I also managed to catch a Nationals game while they are on their best start yet!

We have been wanting to catch the Nats play the Reds (the team Justin followed during his college years in Cincinnati) for quite sometime so we got the opportunity to see them last Friday. 

The game went into extra innings and despite all the heat we've been experiencing, the night got to be really chilly--as evidenced by our hoodies. Luckily, we were able to pull off a win! :)

Lastly, we attended my uncle's 65th Birthday Party and it was truly an event not to be missed! Justin and I didn't really know what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised with each event as the night progressed.

The night started off with Mass (right in the hotel, how cool is that?) in honor of the birthday celebrant. Justin and I were didn't know that there was going to be a Mass, but it was a neat surprise because it was a wonderful and meaningful service. We were also glad because "it counted." You Catholics know what I mean. :)

Next, the evening continued with food and lots of fun entertainment!

First, there was the guitarist and the flamenco dancer....

Then, various people sang some tunes. Here's a picture of my cousin and the birthday boy himself singing the BeeGee's "How Deep is Your Love."

They even got a Julliard-trained violist to perform!

It was a fun night from beginning to end!

As evidenced by my April recap, we haven't been working on too much house stuff as of late. In April, we let our social calendars take over, but hopefully by next month we'll be getting some work around the house done! Stay tuned!

Space Shuttle Discovery Fly Over

Today at work my morning routine was disrupted by a fire drill. It ended up being a real fire (albeit a small one). Yikes!. We were outside of my office building for over an hour waiting for the fire department to stop the fire and then for the smoke to subside.  Luckily while we were outside I (along with a few hundred of my building mates) got to see the space shuttle Discovery fly over! :D

I didn't plan on seeing it and assumed that I would miss it since it was making its low flying rounds in Washington, DC. However, since McLean is right in the pathway to Dulles Airport (it's final destination before being housed in the Air and Space Museum), it was a fortuitous surprise!

Here is a video from one of my co-workers...aren't the cheers great? Can you see the fighter jet (I think that's what it was?) flying alongside of it?

Did you get to see the space shuttle today? If so, did you plan to see it or were you surprised like I was?

The Summer To Do List

A summer scene - The rolling hills of Linganore Winecellars, Mt. Airy, MD

Even though it's only April, I'm already daydreaming about summer. Maybe it's because I'm a navy brat and have mostly lived in warmer locales (e.g.: California, Hawaii, Guam, etc.), but I can't wait to spend my summer on the Hill! Last year, we spent most of our summer doing house stuff so this summer I'm looking forward to relaxing and exploring (but still managing to do house stuff in between :) Here's a list of some of the things that I want to do that are nearby or in our neighborhood.
1) Jazz in the Garden - As the title states, it involves enjoying jazz at the Smithsonian Sculpture Garden in a picnic-like setting. This mainstay of the Washington, DC summer happy hour is something that I've never been able to take part of since I work all the way out in Virginia. This year, however, I am determined to get my jazz on!

2) Evening Parade at the Marine Corp. Barracks - Growing up in a military household, I have nothing but the utmost respect for the men and women who serve our country. I am lucky enough to live less than a mile away from the the Marine Barracks which serves the ceremonial and security missions of the Washington, DC area. Every Friday, they have a parade that highlights the Marine Corps' precision marching and starts off with a concert by the USMC band . And of course, if could catch a glimpse of Chesty (the Marines' bulldog mascot) that would be a major plus!


3) Margarita Patio Bar Crawl - On St. Patrick's Day my friends Joos and Meter, avoided the craziness of the Irish pubs and opted to visit the various Latin restaurants on the Hill to partake in margaritas on the patio. What a genius idea! Outdoor seating + margaritas! Does it get any better than that? There are plenty of places near my house to have margarita outdoors like here and here. Although we won't be around for Cinco de Mayo, hopefully a Margarita Patio Bar Crawl can be planned for the later summer months!

 4) Capitol Skyline Hotel Pool Party - Yet another summertime DC staple that I have yet to participate in. On the weekends, the pool turns into a club/party type setting with DJs, food trucks, cocktails and lots of people. I've been to pool parties in Vegas, so I wonder how this compares?


5) Truckeroo - The is a monthly meet-up of the DC area food trucks near Nationals Ballpark. Again, since I work out in the suburbs I typically don't get to partake in the food truck fun that my friends that work in DC do, but this would be the perfect opportunity to get in my food truck fix! If it's anything like, Off the Grid in San Francisco, I'm in for a treat!


Is there anything else I should add to my list? Let me know if you'd like to do any of these activities with me. I'd really love the company!

Happy Birthday Louie!

Today is Louie's first birthday!


Can you believe that one year ago this little dude was born (along with his three brothers and two sisters) in Crystal City, VA?

They grow up so fast!


Here a glimpse of what he's been doing on his special day...

Have a good weekend and a Happy Easter!

Happy Birthday Justin! The big 3-0!

Last month Justin celebrated his 30th Birthday. When planning what we should do for his birthday, many ideas ran through our minds. It seemed like we had pretty much done everything in DC from dinners to H St. Bar Crawls. We wanted to do something different so I came up with the idea of a party bus to Baltimore! I haven't been up to Baltimore since my promo model days doing liquor promotions and it was definitely nice to have a change of scenery! So on the weekend after Justin's birthday, we boarded the Dirty Thirty Bus to Baltimore (Fells Point to be exact) along with 19 of our friends. 

Here are some pics captured that evening. Of course these are the ones taken earlier in the night, that I can actually share! As the night progressed things got a little crazy...and that's all I'll say about that :)

Me and the ladies starting off the night at Max's Taphouse:

Saunders, Ricky & the Birthday Boy himself

The old roomies (minus me!)

My friend Brandi and her husband came up for the event, too! She's my birthday twin!! Here we are with my sister, Jill.

 Watching the UK game (of course!) at the Fells Point Green Turtle:

 Why so serious? ;)

Raiding the Jukebox at Bad Decisions before some bad decisions were made and we had to bolt...

How have you enjoyed your birthday milestones? Have you turned thirty yet and if so, did you do it with a bang?