Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes...without the green dye

Its starting...it's that time in our lives where between Charles and I...alot of our friends are getting married or engaged.  We were in Philly last weekend, head to Annapolis this coming weekend...oh and the weekend after that we head to Hampton, VA.  To say the very least it is super fun and exciting time!  Plus, it gives us an excuse to travel, and for trips where we only have to be away for a night or two.  That is until the wedding in Charleston at the end of June...but I am always looking for any sort of excuse where I have to go to Charleston.  This past weekend was truly a blast though and was so great to see friends that we don't get to see often enough.  It also made me feel like we are all really starting to grow up, friends are getting married, and some even have kids already!

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens...one of my favorite spots in Philly.

CAKE!  Oh how I love checking out wedding cakes.

Key Lime Pie...Ocean Reef Club Style

Key Largo and specifically the Ocean Reef Club is a place filled with memories.  So when I was down there last week they all came flooding back.  Last time they looked like this and tasted like fish tacos and s'mores by the ocean.  Last time there was "spring break" while working, dancing the night away and golf cart races.  This time I got to experience it in a whole new way with Charles and new colleagues.  There were still golf carts, including a Lilly Pulitzer one, there were still fun themed dinners and there was definitely still Key Lime Pie. This time though I left with the recipe for the Ocean Reef Club's Key Lime pie and jumped at the first chance to make it when Amy requested a pie.  

Last week might have involved a few of these over the course of the week...Mojito anyone?

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

So confession sometimes I am a 12 year old at heart.  In the past two week I have gotten totally sucked into the Divergent series...almost more than I did with Hunger Games.  Like I said, I am 12 sometimes.  Any who reading Divergent has gotten me thinking about how often I have a tendency to flash back in life sometimes because of something I see, hear or smell.  How even the smallest of things can do this, like someone's voice.  Even the simple smells of certain things cooking or baking does it.  It left me wondering though if others do this too?  Or  I am I totally just weird.  I am trying harder these days to not dwell on things of the past even though there are constant everyday reminders of it.  But there is so much to look forward to in the future.  The wedding is less than a month off and it feels like there is still so much to do...including going to three weddings over the next three weekends!  Plus making a 100 cupcakes and a cake next week for the wedding.  I am so excited for the next month and the months and years to come!  

Spring is in the air + Half and Half Cookies (white chocolate macadamia nut and chocolate chunk cookies)

I think we have all been...those times where we are a bit over tired from a few days with long hours of work with the same people.  The times where you start to almost giggle over silly things.  Well these cookies are a product of those times.  A product of their constantly being cookies at meetings as the dessert option and always wanting to be able to try a few different ones...but cookies a meetings tend to be the size of your hand.  Thus eating a few different ones is not really advisable.  So instead it popped into my mind to make a cookie that was really two different kinds of cookies in one.  For the first try on these I went with half chocolate chunk and half white chocolate macadamia nut.  They were sooo good!  Definitely a cookies combination that I prefer to just be baked so they are still super soft in the middle.  I can't wait until the next combination but I already have a couple in mind.  Enjoy!

So its officially spring and I just had to share a few pictures of the cherry blossoms at sunrise I took a couple of weeks ago.

The shear number of people who came to DC this year to see these was amazing.  The ones around the Tidal Basin were here for about a week and then gone, but they sure were pretty for the short time they were around.

Inspired by cookies...Lemon White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Last weekend was an adventure filled weekend in New Orleans.  There was music, delicious food and great cocktails with great friends.  I managed, somehow, to get up Saturday morning and go for a run...it was more like jog, but it was fun exploring.  I still believe you can explore a city the best while running.  The doorman named Bubba suggested I head down Canal Street towards the river and I did. I ran past the water and the ultimately wrapped myself back around to Armstrong park, which I just had to run through...plus stop and take some pictures.

This guy was in the back of the second line...this statue was pretty awesome and definitely my fav.

Its getting real around here...and some Guinness Brownies with Bailey's Buttercream

This week has been CRAZY! I know the all caps is it a bit extreme, but it just feels like there is no time to stop.  Sunday, Charles and I got back from California where I worked and he played.  Monday was half a day of work and half a day of getting ready for Taste of the Nation DC.  (A few pics from the event below. and OMG I ate so much!)  We have also been interviewing people in our office this week, planning for this year's Miles for Memories, sending out wedding invitations, which is a process in and of itself, and the best part is yet to come.  I am so excited to finally be going to New Orleans for the first time!  

I have to admit I am wayyy behind on posting these brownies.  I made them the week before St. Patty's day thinking I would be able to post them in celebration of it.  Well it clearly didn't happen and since St. Patty's day ended up being a snow day in DC, it was probably the first time I didn't wear any green on the day meant for green.  These brownies would have been perfect though, soft and chewy Guinness brownies topped with creamy Bailey's buttercream frosting and crunchy Heath bar pieces.  They would really be great anytime of year, but they are truly fitting for St. Patrick's Day.  Enjoy!

Just a few of the silent auction items from this week.