December 15, 2011 (Updated March 22, 2023)

Home again, Home again

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

29 comments

Good morning from DC! It’s nice to be home. 🙂 If you’re just tuning in — I just finished up my 3rd semester of grad school on Tuesday and am now on winter break in the DC area for the next couple weeks. Hooray!

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My parent’s house is all nice and decorated for the holidays and I’m currently enjoying a bowl of cereal on our Christmas mats. Life is good. 🙂

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Man, I miss having a dining room table that gets natural light! The photos just come out a million times better.

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Our dining room (and kitchen) in NC are in a windowless area — major photography fail. Will not make that mistake when looking for an apartment next time!

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Anyway, sorry for the disappearing act yesterday! I got up early to pack and make the 5 hour drive to DC in time to meet my college BFF (and one of my bridesmaids in our wedding next fall) Turner for afternoon coffee! She was randomly in town from Philadelphia for the day for some school-related meetings for her Ph.D. program and had a bus back up to Philly at 6:45, so I wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to catch up.

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We hit up a place in Clarendon called Northside Social. I like this place — cool vibe. It’s always packed, though.

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We spent about 2 hours chatting away. It was great to catch up. 🙂 I miss her!

My dad had a work dinner thing last night, so my mom and I were on our own for the night — we hit up our favorite Lebanese place (Aladdin’s Eatery) and then drove around and looked at Christmas lights. Does anyone else do this?! I love it. 🙂 Christmas lights make me so happy!

This house won out for most awesomely over the top:

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We were impressed. 😉

I’m off to get in a workout and then it’s all hands on deck (aka… just me) for MISSION: CHRISTMAS SHOPPING EXTRAVAGANZA!!! I was so busy finishing up finals that I haven’t had a chance to do any shopping yet — here’s hoping the malls aren’t crazy crowded today. Tonight I’m going to my mom’s work holiday party with her as her “date” since my dad left this morning to go out of town. Should be fun!

Ta-ta for now, friends!

Breakfast + Brunch
- anne

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29 comments
    • Anne P
      I just emailed you back! :)
      Reply
  • Lindsay
    Aladdin's in Shirlington!? I LOVE that place! My fiance lives near there and we go all the time...love their lentil soup!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Yes! I'm obsessed. They have the best hummus in the universe.
      Reply
    • Anne P
      Haha I know, right?!
      Reply
  • Sana
    Enjoy your time in D.C! Let me know if you make it over to Columbia ;)
    Reply
  • Megan
    You should have driven by our house. Our lights are awesome :)
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Haha I will now that I know ;)
      Reply
  • Renie
    I am jealous of your Mom and Dad dates. I sure wish mine were still here. Oh well, we will be reunited one day. Have a wonderful Christmas break, Anne. Your parents home looks warm and cozy. When do you all take your tree down? We take ours down after New Year's.
    Reply
    • Anne P
      I don't remember, actually! I think after New Years?
      Reply
  • Michelle
    I been to Northside Social twice for work - it is SO adorable and their coffee is fabulous. Good luck shopping. I'm secretly hoping that little elves will do mine because I have so much to do :)
    Reply
  • Heidi
    Yay Northside Social!
    Reply
  • Amanda @ Running On Waffles
    Where are all of the houses decorated with lights in DC?? That's the thing I miss the most around here during the holidays! I'm really looking forward to heading home to Idaho next week so i can drive around and check out Christmas lights, as well. And light you, the end of the semester has completely impaired my holiday shopping...thanks for the reminder I need to get working on that!!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      We were actually out in VA since that's where we had dinner!
      Reply
  • Lindsay @ Running the Windy City
    I love driving around and looking at lights. There's a house by my parent's place that is notorious for putting up crazy lights. They're often in the local newspaper for them! One of my favorite things to do is walk over with my family on Christmas eve and see all of the moving displays. Its so cool!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      I love houses like that :)
      Reply
  • Casey @ Pocket Full of Sunshine
    My grandparents used to take us driving around the country to look at Christmas lights every year---definitely one of my favorite traditions :)
    Reply
  • Erin @ Girl Gone Veggie
    I love looking at holiday lights! Congrats on being done with finals!! And for getting to catch up with old friends. I love that.
    Reply
  • Kris S
    Hi Turner! :)
    Reply
  • Renie
    We love to take the kids around looking at Christmas lights also. It has gotten so PC down here it isn't even funny, but we don't let that stop us from enjoying Christmas. They are so beautiful. We have a family in the next county that we like to see because they go all out in a big way as a loving memory of their son who died in Iraq five years ago.
    Reply
  • KaraHadley
    My kitchen at home (where I will be on Saturday!!!) has the most ah-maze-ing natural light. I can't wait to go home and cook up a storm so I can take pretty pictures. Enjoy the party.
    Reply
  • Renie
    Your tree is absolutely beautiful, is it real? It looks real to me. I love a colorful tree.
    Reply
  • Katie @ Peace Love & Oats
    Tomorrow I'm going to be doing the same things, and I'm so excited! I just finished my 3rd semester of law school yesterday and I'm flying home tomorrow morning!
    Reply