I Do Declare

pack your summer travel bags - a shabby apple give-away

2013-05-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

For years, my best friend Cassie and I have called packing for a vacation Paper Dolling (that's what I named my fashion board on Pinterest, too!). Half the fun of anticipating a trip for me is deciding who I want to be when I'm escaping my reality of daily commutes, deadlines and what's-for-dinnering. Clothes can set the tone for a glamorous getaway.

Just in time for summer travel, Shabby Apple is offering one I Do Declare reader a $50 gift card to shop its online vintage boutique. Let's get to packing....

A Long Weekend with Girlfriends:
Right now, I'm on a long weekend with a mix of friends from high school, college and D.C. We'll be seeing a concert, touring a winery, relaxing at a day spa and dining at our resort. I will regret not putting this Lemon Drop skirt in my suitcase. With flats by day it's perfect for shopping or lunch. At night, it's easily glammed up with jewelry, heels and a clutch.

Fourth of July at the Beach:
I spend most Independence Days in Virginia Beach. No matter where you are on the 4th of July you'll be the star in this striped Catalina one-piece. It's made in the U.S.A, so Lee Greenwood approves!

Destination Wedding:
How nice of you to plan your vacation around your friend's special day. The fact that cake comes with sand and sun can hardly be beat! One of my all-time favorite destination weddings was to Maine to see our friends Megan + Eric say I Do. In this pretty Tie the Knot frock you'll stop just short of upstaging the bride.

You can buy one of these dresses, the swimsuit or choose from so many more styles (Shabby Apple offers maternity and children's clothing, too) with the $50 gift card you can win by:

1. Giving Shabby Apple a thumbs-up on Facebook if you don't already "Like" them
2. Leaving a comment below telling me what Shabby Apple dress is your favorite

I will name a winner on Friday, June 7. Good luck!

saying good-bye to chloe diggers

2013-05-15T06:09:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year Dan and I bid the most bittersweet good-bye to our Chlo E. Diggers.

In 2012, I remember ringing in the new year at home on the couch, so content with a hound in my lap and a husband by my side. If we're here next year, just the three of us, I'll be happy. I got to revisit that moment 12 months later, but I knew better than to make the same wish this year at midnight. At 10 1/2, Chloe had quickly started to show the signs of age.

Weeks later, a knot behind her left ear that the vet had been watching, hoping medicine would treat, seemed to double in size overnight. It was cancer, and the vet told us she couldn't survive surgery. One Saturday morning in March after a long night of hacking, resting only if I kept a hand on her chest, Chloe couldn't hold down her breakfast. We took her back to the doctor, but we didn't bring her home.

Dan became Chloe's dad when she was just weeks old. She saw him through some lonely bachelor years, pooping on the floor in front of girl after girl he had hoped to date until I came along when she was 5. Dan joked to me that Chloe would be the deciding factor in the future of our courtship, that she could count on one paw the people she liked. If I met her approval, I could stay around. Quickly I learned her affection could be bought with doggy ice cream. Less than a year later she would run in circles and howl when Dan would ask her, "Where's your mom?"

She liked me a lot. She loved puppy pops.

The night Dan got down on one knee to propose to me Chloe was behind him, her short front legs (leg-arms, as we called them) reaching up his back for his shoulders. Together, they asked if I would stay around forever. It is my most favorite memory of the hundreds I've revisited since we stroked and sang our dog into her last nap.

In the final weeks, when I could no longer pretend Chloe wasn't slipping, my prayer was always Let her know no pain. She was very uncomfortable on that last day, it was clear, but for the most part I believe she hurt very little. She had stopped asking for belly rubs. She had stopped snuggling with us on the couch. She had shared all the love and bad breath she had to give, and our hearts are softer and fuller for it.

As much as true dog people can, we adored our dainty, lazy, soft, smelly, loyal, stubborn, warm, spoiled, speckled and perfect real girl. We miss her every day.

my afternoon with prince harry

2013-05-13T22:46:00.000-04:00

Last week I got a blast-from-the-past email from a friend whom I haven't seen or spoken to in years.

She'd been watching TV coverage of Prince Harry's Washington, D.C., visit and thought she saw me in the background, stalking the royal uncle-in-waiting as he roamed the halls of Congress.

"I know that's something Patra from 8 years ago would do," she said, "was it you?"

If the MI6 has a file on me I wouldn't be surprised. I tend to make the paper(s) when the Brothers Wales dominate American headlines. I can't deny it's odd behavior for a lady of my age, but if the ginger prince came to your office wouldn't you try to catch a glimpse?

With just a little shame I admitted to my friend that it was likely me, as the photos seen on the front page of UK Daily Mail (and also on CNN, HuffPo, WaPo, Gawker, USA Today and People) would confirm.

In defense of all us curious anglophiles, I will tell you that the welcome we gave Harry was indeed hospitable but hardly the Beatles-crazed mania you read it was. UK Daily (one of my favorite reads; I was highly amused to make its print) reported that police escorted us all back to our desks. That didn't happen (but should security have tried, I was ready to test the Reese Witherspoon I Am An American Citizen defense). Though mocked globally, our curiosities obstructed no one's justice.

a tree cutting straight from the clark griswald playbook

2012-12-07T14:55:00.001-05:00

My Christmas tree has been up since the weekend after Thanksgiving! That, sadly, is about as far as my limited holiday cheer has taken me this year. If Dan, emotionally aged 7 come every December, would have let me I would have even skipped the tree this year, I think. He wouldn't hear of it, though.

Likewise, he wasn't listening when I suggested we go for a smaller pine, but...10+ feet of Frazier Fir later....one of us is smiling like a kid at Christmas.

Actually, I'm glad Dan told me to elf off with my bah-hum-bug. For anyone else feeling a tad Grinchey, I will confess that at least putting yourself in the midst of things merry does, in fact, help.

It helps, too, when your friends organize a tree cutting tailgate straight from the Clark W. Griswald (juuuuuunior!) playbook. That's what I'm writing about today over at my Fedscoop Social Studies column, and you can read about it here.

holiday hostess gifts

2012-12-06T15:04:00.004-05:00

Last year, I took popcorn and a holiday movie as a hostess gift when I went to Christmas parties.

Today over at Fedscoop I'm writing about 3 gifts that offer your favorite party planners a unique thank you this season. You can read that post here!

What's the best hostess gift you've ever received? What's your favorite go-to gift to take when you're a guest?

jenni for the {royal} win

2012-12-04T09:21:00.002-05:00

If you've been reading I Do Declare for a while you may recall I had a little royal wager with my friend Jenni on when Kate + William might become Mom + Dad. I was sure it would be within a year of their royal nupts. Jenni knew better; she said later rather than sooner. On the line with this bet was a pricey bottle of bubbly. I paid up back in the summer.

We should have saved the Veuve for yesterday's big announcement. Instead, in the spirit of Catherine's pending reign into the mommyhood, I'll announce the winner of my Secrets of The Mommyhood give-away. It's Jessica Mesnick, whose fave TV mom is....Miranda from Sex and the City. Yay!

a free treat!

2012-11-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Christmas card I sent out last year was a little cheeky, and I was worried that certain people (think Grandma) on my list wouldn't quite understand it. If only I'd known then about Treat, Shutterfly's new custom greeting card site, I could have whipped up something personal and special.

Treat is perfect this Christmas if you don't have the budget to bulk order a ton of photo cards, but still want to send your nearest and dearest a greeting. Or, if you want be sensitive to certain friends on your card list, a Treat card would be special alternative. Maybe your friend who is in the middle of a divorce shouldn't get your card with your wedding photo displayed. Instead, create something personal and festive just for her.

Not just for holidays, Treat will come in especially handy when you're searching for a birthday card or a note of congratulations for friends and family that require a little something more than a grocery store greeting card. As a super card nerd, I'm pretty excited about this new site where you can make and send one-a-kind cards without even having to lick a stamp!

To celebrate the launch of Treat, I Do Declare readers will receive a FREE card today (11.19) and tomorrow (11.20). Create and send a greeting to someone you're thankful for this week...just because you can. (enter the code TREATBLOGR at checkout)

Who will get the Treat card you make today?

election night in washington, dc

2012-11-07T14:21:00.000-05:00

**enter here to win a signed copy of Secrets of the Mommyhood**

I have long joked that Capitol Hill (or as I often call it, D.C.H.S) is like a big high school. The hierarchy of staff parallel class ranks. There are rivalries. And oh, the gossip you'll hear in the cafeterias! That makes election night not unlike, say, homecoming as every one awaits the big announcement revealing who takes the crown. On election night in Washington there are celebrations all over the city - big, small, partisan and just party!

The party I went to last night (which you can read about over at Fedscoop!) was held in my favorite museum. I loved looking out the windows to see the Capitol and the monuments while watching election results. D.C.H.S Pride, indeed!

caught RED-handed

2012-11-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

**enter here to win a signed copy of Secrets of the Mommyhood**

This is me trying to decrypt the liner notes from the new Taylor Swift album, RED.

MAPLE LATTES. FOR ETHEL. YOU'LL NEVER KNOW.

I can't help it, I'm a TSwift apologist. I feel like I can very much own this because I didn't read any of those vampire books. I claim vampire immunity a lot when justifying very common practices (see above, I'd just finished rereading War and Peace). I can champion songs that are straight up US Weekly to music because I was never on any of the vampire teams. So I did this weekend, combing through the lyrics to unriddle Taylor's vague but oh-so telling messages. I can't tell you how much it intrigued me. And made me feel 13. I feel like in 2013 I'll be making heart hands at her concert. Dan says he'll take me. He's my J~~oe, Jake, John, Connor, Taylor (aka Jacob)~~ Edward.

For her part, Chloe says she'd rather hear a dog whistle, which totally shocked me. I figured she'd be all ears for songs about puppy love.

the mommyhood - book review + giveaway!

2012-11-05T09:50:00.004-05:00

When entertaining the idea of children, especially in one's mid-30s, I think it's wise to hear from mothers who are experienced not just with diapers and burp clothes but also with the balancing of a busy, full life with and (gasp!!!) away from their children.

Heather Alexander, who you may know from The Mommyhoood blog, recently wrote a book called The Secrets of the Mommyhood.

Heather's views on parenting have been tested from many angles, making her my kind of mom! She's had a really big career which she balanced, at its peak, with two young children. She's also been a stay-at-home mom. These days, when she's not busy being an author, along with tending to her daughter, son and husband, Heather writes a column for the Knoxville News Sentinel.

With action points that direct expecting moms on how best to pack for the hospital and a very candid list of pros and cons for anyone undecided on returning to work after baby, Secrets is a very user-friendly guide that picks up where more clinical books on pregnancy and childbirth end. Heather shares her classified mommycode in a casual and comical voice. This book is a quick read, and by its end you'll feel like Heather is one of your girlfriends, especially when she gives readers the perfect comeback for those competitive, know-it-all veterans who might make a new mom feel a little inferior.

In the spirit of full disclosure it should be noted that Heather is one of my friends. Remember this cute correspondence? Heather's daugther. When one pals around with important authors there are often free books, so I get the pleasure of giving away a copy of Secrets of the Mommyhood to one lucky reader. This book would make a great happy to send to a friend who recently announced she's expecting, and it's also a perfect shower gift.

To enter: leave a comment telling me you're all-time favorite TV mom. I'll name a winner on November 26th!

blow outs - he vs. she

2012-10-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

He thinks it's silly to pay someone to wash and dry your hair. She (and her naturally frizzy mop) believe that a blow-out is the most practical form of pampering one can buy.

She thinks it makes no sense to blow out the leaves in advance of the 60mph winds forecasted during Frankenstorm. He believes the threat of wet leaf stains on patio stones should be the first warning issued during inclement weather alerts.

So, this happend on Saturday.

This will happen on Friday.

tiny prints winner!

2012-10-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

The winner of the $50 Tiny Prints gift card is......

KathleenJ!

She may not be on LiLo's card list, but I bet she'll be on mine!

I have another fun giveaway coming up this week that will be perfect for first-time moms!

my interview with {sometimes} suri cruise

2012-10-26T18:02:00.001-04:00

Obviously I'm a fan of Suri's Burn Book - that's why I stalked out its author (and Washingtonian!) Allie Hagan. Find out where Suri Cruise might shop if she came to Washington over in my Social Studies column at Fedscoop.

Happy Friday!

where the blogway meets the runway it's a small, small world

2012-10-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

**enter here to win a $50 gift card from Tiny Prints!**

One fun fact about Washington is that you can bump into strangers on the street and hours later find yourself sharing secrets over dinner. Now this doesn't happen every night, but in my years here it's happened a few times, and that's where today's story picks up. Last night.

I was solo at Bloomingdales for a charity fashion show (which you can read more about over at Fedscoop!). Going to events alone makes me nervous and socially awkward so when through a cluster of geeks and glamazons I saw the familiar face of someone I "know" but have never met - MCW from Saving the Best for Last blog - I was thrilled!

When we locked eyes MCW rebuffed the gentleman vying for her attention by telling him she'd just seen an old friend. HAAA.

We've been reading each other's blogs for a while, even meaning to meet up for drinks. Life just kept getting the way. Until...life suddenly imitated Anna Wintour and landed us front and center beside the runway. I call this The Devil Wears Forever 21......(cause that's where I bought my sunglasses).

I mean, how often do you meet people who'll play Posh with you by pose-harding for sport?

MCW was there with Landlocked Mermaid (center above; she blogs privately). Before we knew it the three of us were shopping for lip-gloss before gossiping over a late night dinner. I had SUCH a good time, and loved that a soiree I feared would leave me the wallflower instead made me a bonafide Disney princess.....

"The Disney Princesses" is what Mermaid's husband calls all the bloggers she knows and reads. Hysterical. I'm so happy to be part of Mermaid and MCW's small blog world!

live out loud! {ford's warriors in pink}

2012-10-24T12:30:00.000-04:00

She was a teacher. She was an Orioles fan. She drove a red convertible. She clipped coupons before it was cool. She made a mean crab soup and a legendary seafood lasagna.

Her name was Sue and she was a friend, a sister, a wife. She was Dan's mom.

October is breast cancer awareness month, and if you live in this world, you know that. Pink is everywhere. If you've lost someone you love to breast cancer all this important attention given to the disease can be so bittersweet. Dan was only 20 when his mom died from breast cancer. I hurt for him every time I see a story on the news encouraging mammograms or NFL players wearing pink cleats. Still, I know that awareness translates into money, and money can fund lifesaving research and prevention.

This October, Ford Warriors in Pink® has launched its first ever produced documentary, “Bang the Drum: Living Out Loud in the Face of Breast Cancer.” The film honors 11 men and women breast cancer survivors who have demonstrated strength and courage in their battle with its “Models of Courage” program. 2012 marks Ford Motor Company’s 18th year of support for the breast cancer cause. In that time, Ford has dedicated more than $115 million to the breast cancer cause.

I love that there are two men - breast cancer survivors - featured in this video. It's rare that men have breast cancer, but it can happen. Certainly breast cancer makes victims out of the fathers, husbands and sons who lose the women they love to this disease.

You too can get involved in this tremendously worthy program! When you buy Ford Warriors in Pink apparel at fordcares.com, 100 percent of the net proceeds go directly to support breast cancer awareness all year long. I really like this Circle of Hope scarf!

Soon after Dan's mom died he participated in a breast cancer walk. I've been a volunteer at a center in Washington that provides free mammograms to uninsured women, and we make contributions to breast cancer research. The Warriors in Pink program is a very easy and purposeful way to be part of the movement, and you can shop any time of the year - not just October. Because if you have fought breast cancer or if you've lost someone you love to the disease you're aware of breast cancer every month, every day.

To keep connected, be sure to check out Ford Warriors in Pink on Facebook and follow @WarriorsinPink on Twitter.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ford Warriors in Pink. The opinions and text are all mine.

pumpkins or apples...which do you pick?

2012-10-24T09:15:00.001-04:00

**enter here to win a $50 gift card from tiny prints**

Every fall Dan and I go to a some country-on-crack kind of festival. We started on our second date. It was Dan's idea, and every year he still humors me when the seasons change. Our motto is....

You can't be bored when there's a gourd! {In all honesty, that's my mantra, but...I'm married to a pretty good sport!}

This year we tried a new place, Baugher's Farm in Westminster, Maryland. The long drive sent us way into the country and smack into a perfect October day where the only big decisions we had to make were....

donuts or fritters?

Pumpkin patch or apple orchard? We hopped on this flatbed...

and you can see where ended up over at my Fedscoop column.....!

a perfect ten

2012-10-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

*don't forget to enter HERE to win a $50 Tiny Prints gift card **

There's nothing like another birthday to make even the most dignified lady become and emotional eater....

Yet, no one can hide from Mother Time...not even Chlo Ella Diggers.

Chloe turns 10 today. She's a full-fledged senior citizen. We'll be celebrating with puppy pops + squirrel cookies from Dairy Godmother. And steak...cause she's a real girl.

a blue Christmas card + a $50 tiny prints give-away

2012-10-15T13:04:00.000-04:00

I don't send out a Christmas newletter, but if I did this year's would be short and sweet: 2012 Sucked.

I do, however, send out Christmas Cards Christmas cards

. In fact, I am kind of a super nerd about creating my own greeting. With December looming in on what's been kind of a crap 2012, I'm already thinking What kind of card will I send THIS year? That's why (yes - in mid-October) I've been clicking through cards at Tiny Prints to see if I can make some of the very cute, clever design options work in my favor. Greeting card writers may not pen a message that says, Let's call this year a wash and start fresh in 2013...but thanks to the ability to customize at Tiny Prints, I can.....

If you're feeling a little blue during the holidays, I think it's fine if your card reflects that. Not every year brings memories you want to commemorate with an ornament, and that's fine. That's just life.

Years ago, I was talking to my minister because I was just sad. I couldn't explain why I felt so down and generally lonely because, aside from the mysterious gloom I was hosting, my life was good. I couldn't pinpoint what was even causing this heavy cloud over my seemingly happy world, and being able to recognize my good fortune only created guilt. The guilt for feeling bad made me feel even worse. In short, I was depressed PLUS depressed about being depressed.

"What's the worst kind of pain?" my minister asked me.

Without really thinking, I answered with a question.

"Losing a child?"

"You're wrong," she told me, "the worst kind of pain is your own."

While I know fate has been even more unkind to others this year, it's been our crummy year, our pain. And...it's our Christmas card, so I am giving myself permission to take on a bahhumbug theme if come December I still feel this way.

I do have some good news, though....and it does make me very jolly.

TINY PRINTS IS GIVING AWAY $50 TO ONE I DO DECLARE READER!

Here's how can you win: Fill in the blank of this sentence in the comment section below...

I would be most excited to receive a holiday card from ___________.

I'll tell you, for me, it's probably the Witherspoon-Toths. I'm curious about a lot of things. Like, is that baby really going to be called Tennessee; do Ava + Deacon get to dress hipster even in the Christmas card; are Reese + Jim in it, or just the children; formal photo or candid; auto sig or personalized in red ink? I feel like the card would reveal SO much.

I'll name a winner on October 29th - good luck! Oh, and if you don't win, you can still take advantage of some great Tiny Prints discounts and promotions - click here!

Tiny Prints sponsored this post and promotion.

barrel oak - best virginia winery for lingering

2012-10-12T11:48:00.002-04:00

October is Virginia Wine Month. As if one ever needs an excuse to drive south into my favorite part of the DC-region.........

I went with some friends recently to visit an old favorite, and to check out a new concept in Virginia wine drinking...a seated tasting (read all about that over at my Fedscoop column!). The day ended with dessert at Barrel Oak winery which has now officially become my favorite place to linger long time.

There views are so nice, but the grounds....once there you just don't want to leave! There are plenty of tables and chairs for guests. Outdoor food is welcome, but there was a barbeque stand selling plates of food when we were there and a super fun band playing. People were dancing between wine tastings. It was picture-perfect fall! There are firepits galore around which everyone sits and sips and makes friends. I can't wait to go back here for the John Marhsall Tasting Experience.

If every you visit the D.C./northern Virginia area and you like wine, do not plan a trip this way without spending a day hopping from vineyard to vineyard. I promise you'll adore everything about it... even if it isn't Virginia Wine Month!

first birthday gift for little girls

2012-10-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

I never have a clue what to give a child on its first birthday. Moms can be very particular about the types of clothes their kids wear, and what do I know about toys? Nada.

I think I have found the perfect present for an auntie-type to gift a baby girl that will guide a path that leads towards citizenship of the world. This gift will inspire dialogue on global issues like the economy....

and international affairs.

Vanity Fair covers and Ferragamo kitten heels, sadly, are not the birth right of every little girl, but if we can instill in the next generation how imperative it is to relate to other women on a very common level of pop culture and fashion...

then we've done our job in outfitting the next generation for the red carpet that is life. Just like the practice of proper sunscreen application, one can never, ever start too soon.

That is why I'm giving Suri's Burn Book to every little girl I know.

my nashville dream

2012-10-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

Did you watch the series debut of Nashville last night on ABC? I didn't...I'd long since watched it online because I am just not into delaying gratification. I have to tell you, I thought from the show previews (and see also the movie Country Strong) that it was going to be pretty cheesy. It isn't entirely without cliche and the Southern accents could use a little work, but I love the music, I love seeing Tennessee in lots of beauty shots, and I LOVE Connie Britton.

I think she's really good in this role if for nothing more than I never saw her as Tami Taylor, her character from Friday Night Lights. She's full-on channeling Faith Hill on the stage and I'm thinking Martina when she's being a mom. And her hair....

Here's my dream, though, and tell me if you're feeling it, too. Kyle Chandler (aka, Coach Taylor) makes a guest cameo as his character not-Dusty from Pure Country.

photo credit here

Now that I'm certain I will never have perfect country music singer hair this is my new Nashville dream.

pledging beta chi {charlotte bloggers}

2012-10-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

Y'all know that my blog BFF is Dee from Dee's Adventures. Last month I flew down to Charlotte to celebrate her as she awaits her first baby. I went to her baby shower (which had adorable, steal-worthy details - read about it here!) and got to meet some of her oldest friends - it was a great time!

I also got to meet a ton of Dee's Charlotte blogger friends.

The Charlotte area seems to have a really great group of bloggers who meet up often and support each other in the real world as well as the world wide web'ed one. I have joked in comments before that they should call them selves Beta Chi for Bloggers Charlotte.

The Beta Chi blog class above features Classic Annie, Looks Like Lulu, Reporter Turned Mommy (like me, though, Kathleen is just a pledge - hee), Dee, A. Liz Adventures and Mr and Mrs.

It was so fun to meet in person some of the bloggers I read often, and to meet new bloggers whom I've started following!

party politics

2012-10-08T09:59:00.003-04:00

One of the first things that surprised me when I moved to Washington was how seriously people took televised political events. After a while, I too was quick to add State of the Union addresses, convention speeches, and of course, political debates as a reason to have a party! Today over at Fedscoop (and in advance of this week's Veep debates!) I'm offering a two-party system for making a fun night out of watching the debates! You don't have to live inside the Beltway to get in on party politics...read more about it here!

new york never gets old

2012-10-08T09:26:00.002-04:00

My parents came to Maryland back in August, and while they were in town we hopped a train in Baltimore to spend a couple days in Manhattan...

Waiting on the train at Penn Station

New York was especially "new" to PR and Danny because this was their first trip, so we hit up lots of token sights!

To maximize our time, we rode around on an open-top bus tour.

We went with Gray Line and bought a package that included 48-hours on the bus, a boat ride around the harbor (which, save for a close peak at Lady Liberty, was kind of a waste of tourist time) and tickets to the top of the Empire State Building. The Gray Line buses (which are actually red?!) are everywhere around the city and we never had trouble catching a ride.

On Day 1 we hopped off the bus at Central Park. As you might imagine, these Beatles fans loved Strawberry Fields....

...and this pop culture fan loved seeing a scene from Gossip Girl being shot.

It was fun to watch the action, but there were no big star sightings. A few days later I did see a photo of Blake (nee Lively) Reynolds on that scooter pictured above in People magazine. We channeled more Gossip Girl while staying at The Palace Hotel...

A slight hotel obsession with The Palace was born when I was in New York last Christmas, and I've been dying to stay there since. Its Midtown location on Madison Avenue is perfect! Our view of St. Patrick's was amazing - the nicest I've ever had staying in a New York hotel. I actually didn't know the hotel had Gossip Girl ties when I booked it...likely 'cause I don't watch Gossip Girl. But still...I love seeing television and movie shoot locations. Which is why one day we lunched here......

Did you know you can make a reservation at Serendipity 3? I didn't either 'til I decided to just call and ask - I guess it was just fate (wink, wink!)? We walked right in for lunch passing a long line of people, and I was so happy the food actually lived up to Serendipity's hype. Another restaurant that really surprised me was the Rock Center Cafe. We popped in there after our appearance on TODAY.

HA!!! We went in search of Hoda and Kathlie Lee, but tragically, they weren't in town; all their shows that week had been pre-taped. (Now, those are some gossip girls I would have loved to see!) Rock Center Cafe has very reasonable (for New York) prices and the food was special without being too big city. It appeared lots of locals were there too for both breakfast and dinner, and we liked it so much we made a return trip!

We hit up Broadway and saw Rock of Ages! It was fantastic - if you're into 1980's music and off-color jokes (which I am...). It's not a show for kids or prude grown-ups, for sure.

We saw the 9/11 memorial, walked through old churches and with ice cream cones often in hand, peaked in different neighborhoods while wishing we had more time. Though we missed having Dan with us, I think it rates as one of my favorite family vacations!

I don't know why New York is called New York, but I think the city is aptly named. No matter how many times I visit, it never gets old.

q+a with hilary phelps

2012-10-03T11:37:00.001-04:00

Her brother, Michael, may have some gold medals under his ~~belt~~ Speedo, but can he whip up sweet potatoes and recommend the best moisturizer for the changing season? Hilary Phelps can, and does...then blogs about it with a true Genuine Joy! I shared some Q+A with this D.C. Lifestyle blogger. Find out where Hilary would take the First Lady to dinner in today's Social Studies column over at FedScoop!