Monthly Digest: March 2021 in Updates and Photos

Y’all, March was weird. We were a year into the pandemic and staying home, so it felt like this strange twilight zone, where we were reliving everything again — except without the glued-to-the-TV anxiety and with a lot less baking. And, to be honest, the month kind of feels like a blur because it was also the first time we’ve been able to dip our toes into the real world again. Slowly, but surely, things are starting to feel more normal.

Monthly Digest: March

I think the format I used last month, for the first monthly digest, worked pretty well, so, given that I’m short on time, let’s stick with it.

What I’ve been whipping up in the kitchen…

We made a recipe with chicken thighs and farro, which was okay, but it reinvigorated my love of farro. It’s now become my lunchtime base for a quick mix of veggies and meat. We also did chorizo bowls a few times, a recipe that’s a favorite in our home — I’ll have to work on sharing that recipe on here ASAP.

Things I failed at in the kitchen: making latte art. I’m great at coffee drinks, not so much at hearts swirls of espresso.

Places I’m loving in DC…

Anywhere with cherry blossoms, right?! There’s seriously nothing better than strolling around DC in the spring, when all the flowers are blooming. I’m not sure there’s a city out there that does spring better.

On the get out of town front…

We’ve booked travel!! We have two short trips coming up in May that both involve flights and I AM SO FREAKING THRILLED. We’re headed to Martha’s Vineyard (hello, cheap JetBlue flight and using up credits) and New Orleans, this is in addition to trips back home to Richmond and to the river.

While I love being in DC on the weekends, one of me and Adam’s favorite things to do together is travel so we’ve been itching for this for far too long.

Now, let’s check in on those goals I set back in January, shall we?

• I’ve actually started getting up earlier! I’m not quite at the morning productivity level I’d like to be, but most morning I’m getting out of bed a little before 7. I do wish we didn’t have blackout curtains and I think this could be a bit easier…
• The cleaning out has continued and I’ve placed so many items out on the curb, free for the taking. I have some major moves I’d like to make in our living room and that requires freeing up a fair amount of space in our pantry/coat/hall storage closet. So, the process has just begun (this big change also hinges on feeling like we can spend $3,000ish on home improvements…namely, home improvements that probably don’t do much for our property value but will increase our enjoyment on a daily basis).
• In regard to my side hustles, I’ve had several exciting pieces go live for MyDomaine and I have three more websites that I’m psyched to write for in the works. I can’t tell you how many pitches I’ve sent over the past year or two (thousands?!), so this has been huge to finally see all my effort pay off.
• With Adam and I both vaccinated, it seems like the world has finally started to open up. We’ve seen friends, gone to (a lot of) showers, and I’m just pumped to be able to hang out with friends and family again.
• Lastly, my barre studio opens up next month, thank god. I finally cancelled my membership because I just wasn’t using it at all (I’m not great with tuning into a specific Zoom class), but I plan on re-upping the minute I can go in person.

March in Snapshots of Chronological-ish Order

(1) A relaxing morning spent reading at the Farmhouse at Veritas.

(2) One more from the Farmhouse because I was so delighted that they set us up for dinner in the garden house, where we were married! Other diners were inside so we had the entire place to ourselves.

(3) A must-stop anytime we’re in the Charlottesville area.

(4) We also stopped by Moo-Thru on the way back up 29. Can’t recommend enough.

(5) I love an arched doorway more than anything. Plus, they photograph beautifully!

(6) This yard gives me major Austin, TX vibes and I’m here for it (not to mention it’s low maintenance).

(7) The roof over Eastern Market is one of my favorite angles to capture.

(8) Donuts from the Fractured Prune in Rehoboth Beach, DE, where we had my sister’s bachelorette (at the beach, not the donut shop).

(9) I absolutely love this UVA print from Painted Palettes, a watercolor artist here in DC.

(10) We went up to New Jersey to celebrate Passover with Adam’s brother’s family.

(11) If you follow me on Instagram, you know the urban gardening is in full swing and I’m hoping my haphazard sprinkling of seeds yields something.

(12) The most beautiful cheeseboard for a wonderful spring evening spent with my friends (and fellow DC creatives) Chesley and Sarah.

(13) West Third Brand’s Super Musk perfume is my favorite transition perfume from winter to spring or summer to fall. I picked it up at Shelter, one of my favorite shops here in DC.

(14) Fun fact: Adam thought these tulip magnolia trees were cherry blossoms until this year. But apparently that’s a common mistake.

(15) Spring cleaning has yielded the best sidewalk finds, including this awesome vintage decor books. Shoutout to my friend Maggie for texting me as soon as she spotted a stack outside a house around the corner.

(16) And, here, we have actually cherry blossoms in Stanton Park.