So, it is the first of August and this is how my checklist fares for things that I need to do to be an official "grown-up".

Procure Employment: Check
Procure Apartment: CHECK! (Finally!)

Yes, it's true. I am proud to say that I am now officially moving out, and moving on to post-graduate life. What this has in store for me, I don't know. So far I have a lot of bills and a different address so that I can get more junk mail. I'm sure that once I am settled, I'll have lots of tips for the post-graduate city slicker, but at the moment all I have are some tips on how to procure an apartment, since I have finally reached my goal.

Some of you may remember, that not too long ago I was still within the amazon of apartment listings, feeling lost, bewildered, and at times highly amused by the apartments, condos, townhouses and efficiency suites that lay before me. So, having seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, I now feel qualified to share some tips on what not to do/what to do when searching and deciding on a home.

1) If it seems too good to be true- it probably is. Trust your gut. Are you feeling like the rent is way too low? Is there some strange vibe that you can't quite pinpoint about the place- listen to your intuition. It rarely steered me wrong. Sometimes there would be tons of hidden fees, or the renter would be downright dishonest. There are a lot of great renters out there. But there are also a lot of people who are desperate for money.

2) Aside from just plain wrong fits- take some time to really think about your decision. Although it might be tempting, don't commit right away. Think about the situation. Will you really be comfortable living in that place? What about the people?

3) Talking points- after a while I found that there were some really important questions to ask upfront, some that I didn't even think about until way after I had begun searching for apartments. Although the search is different for everybody, these are some basic questions I found to be standard:

- How many roommates will I have? Please describe them?
- How much will rent be? Is that including utilities?
- Will I have kitchen privilidges/ be able to store food? (Originally I had just assumed that I would be allowed to use the kitchen. However, this is far from standard. There are some renters who do not allow their tenants to use the kitchen, let alone common space)
- What is your policy on having friends over? (Again, at first I just assumed that everyone was as low-key about this as myself.WRONG! Some people are more protective of their space than others, and this is something that every first- time renter should ask.)
- Any other questions? Ask it! Do not be afraid or embarrassed to get the information you need to make an informed decision. You need to know what to expect before you move in!

That being said, every situation is different. There is a right and a wrong way to go about getting to know a potential roomie. Find out what situation you want/they want, and then decide. Some people will be looking to make friends. Others, will just want the rent money and to keep to themselves. Everyone is different, and it's important that you only settle for an environment that you are comfortable with!

Now that I have my own perfect city oasis/roomie, I am off to a week of packing and IKEA shopping. Upcoming blogs include furnishing rooms on a budget, and beginning employment!

MBR PVT.BA BRB OMG WTF BBQ

Hey guys,

So, my latest adventures in the city have all centered around the same theme: apartment shopping. Now, I know you may say to yourself, Sarah...apartment shopping is not an adventure. You get on craigslist, you find someone you want to room with and bam! dunzo. This, is where you're wrong my friend. In the past month, I have been witness to some of the most eclectic, the most creative, and most downright disgusting homes in the DC metrapolitan area.

Like almost everyone I know, I have used the local search engine www.craigslist.com, to try and locate my own urban oasis. The following are just a few of the ridiculous experiences that I have had thus far.

1) I went to an apartment- from the ad it looked like a great deal. Affordable rent, nice neighborhood, close to shopping/work etc. I get in there- and the lady does not turn on the lights. She does not turn on any lights except for the one to the room she is renting, during the entire walk through. The "furnished" apartment, has scratch and sniff stickers on the desk and drawers. It isn't even my favorite flavor of scratch and sniff... its banana. Nobody likes banana scratch and sniff stickers. The coup-de-gras is when I notice the renter's clothes are in what would be my closet. She explains that she will live in the living room. I promptly leave.

2) After seeing a few other discouraging aparments- I decide that maybe I should go for an affordable efficency close by. After all- what can go wrong when you are the only person living in the room, right? I go to the leasing office. The woman is literally asleep at her desk. Goodbye.


So, the question of the night: have I found an apartment yet? Well...no. Am I going to? I'm sure. But, it makes me very grateful that I can afford to take my time looking, and stay with my parents for the time being.

This weekend, I plan on retreating to another city, the big apple. There, I shall take time to bask in the luxury of being a tourist. Of being in a city for the good only, and not the crazy walk throughs and scratch and sniff stickers. I will run along Broadway singing, and enjoying the fact that I don't have an apartment there, and that there is no lease in NYC with my name on it. I am totally untethered...atleast until I am back in the nation's capital on Monday, checking my roommate responses.

I'm Back!

So I apologize for not updating this thing in over a week. But, on the bright side, I am now employed! I am truly going to be, Sarah in the city from now on. That being said, let the blogging recommence!

June 19th: Today we went to a local food festival in Reston. There were local vendors, and it was a great opportunity to sample some of Reston's local fare. All in all, we got to eat Italian, hand-rolled sushi, chicken wings, and much more for about 20 bucks. It was really a neat experience, and I highly recommend that anyone in the area come out next year.

June 20th: Today we caught a Nats game- and I thought that, in the spirit of blogging, I'd list a few tips that I've found helpful when going out to local sporting events.

Water: Hydrate, hydrate,hydrate! Even if you think its a total pain to lug around, bring a bottled water just in case. If not- you'll be paying 4 bucks a bottle when you get to the stadiums.

Towels: Sometimes the seats are scorching hot- like today. Be sure and bring something with you to cover the seat. I was scorched today when I forgot my own towel!

Food: Atleast for the Nats stadium, you can bring in your own food to the games. My boyfriend and I have a tradition of bringing subway subs, but really anything except alcohol is allowed. It's much cheaper than eating the greasy stuff at the games, which can get pretty pricy. Still- there's no beating a stadium bratwurst for sure.

Allright well I hope that makes up for my lack of willpower over the past few days. Coming up in the next few blogs- apartment hunting and going out on a budget!

-SIC

Taxi Services

OK- today's blog is going to be short, because I am super sleepy and don't really have any epiphanies as to what to write today. So...

A few blogs ago, I said that the metrorails system was a great way to travel, if not a complete ripoff at the same time. Here's another fun metro fact: Did you know that there are taxi services that park right outside of most metro stops? It's true! Okay, I know that was lame...but I really have been sitting around looking at want ads all day and eating 3 berry pie. I promise I'm trying to find employment so that I can write about exciting things.

Goodnight,
SIC

Berries and Baseball

Hey urbanites,

So...I've decided that to keep myself sane, the weekend blogs will be posted on Sunday evenings. After all, how can I write about living in the DC area unless I actually LIVE?

That being said, here's the skinny on my weekend in the DC met. area:

June 5th:

So, some of you may be wondering what I ended up doing with all of those berries that I gathered from Butler's last weekend.

Well, I decided that when life refuses to give you rhubarb, you make- 3 BERRY PIE!

I have to say, that this pie was fabulous. I don't know if it was the day of being a couch potato, or just the Summer heat, but sitting down with a bowl of fruit and pie crust was exactly what the doctor ordered. Now, I know what you're saying. Man...I wish I had pie. Well, you can't have my pie, as it has been devoured, but you can have ...the recipe!

Here you go urbanites, your own 3 berry pie recipe:

ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

2 cups raspberries

1 cup strawberries

1 cup sugar (white)

3 Tbs. Corn starch

The process:

1) Stir together corn starch and sugar until blended evenly.

2) Combine the fruit with the corn starch/sugar, making sure that everything is coated evenly..

3) Put fruit in 9" pie crust.

4) Bake on 375 degrees for 50 minutes...it's as simple as pie!

I let this set for a few hours in the fridge before digging in. However, if you're really desperate for some warm pie, go ahead and serve once baked...I won't tell ;)


June 6th:

Did you know that, despite DC's ecclectic and urban feel, it still boasts some great sporting events? The Nationals, heck even the Orioles, have some great games with some even greater ticket prices. This month alone, I am going to two games- one of which was 15 bucks a ticket. Buy yourself a beer and a hotdog and you couldn't ask for more!

This weekend I took full advantage of the area's great sports program, and watched a game at a "single a" stadium. This is a great opportunity to get great seats for cheapo prices. OK- I didn't have to pay anything for the specific game I saw today, as I had a family member playing an "all star" team game. However, it's still tons of fun regardless of where/when you see a local game. Plus, as I said, cheap seats! I got to sit in the first row, for about 8 bucks.

Well...back to the grind tomorrow. Ciao and happy city-dwelling!

-SIC

SmartTrip trips up...but smartly?

Hey you guys,

So todays blog is going to be about a DC tradition that brings joy and sorrow to many. Yes, I'm talking about the Metro. If you have ever lived, or even traveled, in DC you've probably ridden on these orangey brown wonders and though to yourself...I paid 10 bucks roundtrip for THIS?

Now, to be fair, DC Metro is amazing in many respects. For anxious drivers like me, it allows me to get in and out of the city with my sanity in tact. Also, it is way cleaner and in better condition than the New York subway, which has recently been a marketing point of the Metrorail system.

Still, there is no denying that Metro has seen better days. The screeching of metal upon metal and the faded seat covers are a constant reminder of the 1970s and the groovy dreams that accompanied Metro's introduction to the DC area.

However, that's not what I really want to talk about today. I'd like to talk, briefly, about the more subtle aspects of the metrorail system.

1) Escalators- did you know that there's an unspoken creed that those who want to stand while the escalator goes up will move to the right, and those who want to walk up/down will move to the left? I've seen many an unsuspecting tourist get caught in this trap, only to have icy cold stares and rolling eyes shot their way.

2) "Doors Closing"- for many people that's a suggestion. I've seen some ninja tactics used to try and squeeze onto the car at the last minute. Seriously, if you taped people leaping into the subway during the final bell toll, and cut that all together, I bet you'd have an awesome movie. Hmm...perhaps a blog idea?

3) Silence- another kind of eerie thing about the Metro, that I always pick up on, is how quiet it is. For a car packed with 100 people at times, you'd think that there would be conversations going left and right. However, it seems in many ways that the Metro car is a neutral space, a place for the urbanite to reflect upon the day. And, while there may be a few scattered conversations, they are rarely a racous or joyful event. Usually just co-workers complaining about the day.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, are a few observations about the Metro. It certainly is a strange place, and I'm sure it will be a major theme for me once I start work. Now- off to enjoy another great DC Saturday!

I Ate Peter Rabbit!

Okay so, as promised this blog is about the restaurant Equinox on Connecticut Avenue. After enduring a long two hours of my brother's high school graduation, this restaurant was a much needed reprieve.

For information/reservations go to:

http://www.equinoxrestaurant.com/

I definitely recommend this place for lunch outings. I think it could get a little expensive if you were treating a large party to dinner.

As is the case with many of these hip "p.c cooking" places, Equinox boasts being "one of the sustainable and seasonal food movement". This translates to smaller portions, packed with flavor. Aka...do not go there looking to gorge yourself. This is a place where quality, not quantity, is valued.

That being said, I felt that the salad portion was ridiculous. I ordered what was described, as "beets, salmon and cooked spinach served with a horseradish dressing and garlic breadsticks. I was presented with three beet quarters, a few sprigs of greens, and 3 rolls of lox, for about 12 dollars. It was, however, delicious and I made up for the small size by treating myself to some home-made raisin bread that adorned the table.

I paired my salad with a garlic soup with rabbit confit. This was by far my favorite part off the meal. The soup was green, vibrant and delicious. It reminded me of everything I love about spring and cooking.

I also had a bite of what my Mom ordered, gnocchi with a truffle and morel sauce. Let it be said that anything with morels is going to be delicious. I wish in many ways that I had ordered this dish. It was hearty, and had so many different flavors incorporated into it.

All in all, the restaurant was really a nice place to relax. It was very casual and elegant at the same time. I did not feel self conscious or suffocated by waitresses, which you find at many of these "high-class" restaurants. It really was just a fun, open and fresh place to eat.


mmm...now I'm hungry. It may not be five-star, but there are pudding cups in the fridge!

Muchos Besos,

SIC

Pomp and Circumstance vs. Awkward Reminiscing

Today was an early morning for me, as I caught the metro with the family to attend my brother's high school graduation. Riding on the metro, with my ipod drowning out the murmurings of the train conductor, I thought back on my own High School career... and how happy I am that it has been over for four years. I was never one of those kids who really felt that High School was my time to shine. I just never could get into an institution that would mark down my papers for using purple pen instead of blue. I happen to like multi-colored pens, and none of my bosses have ever mentioned having a problem with it. Call me a rebel...

In all seriousness, regardless of where you grow up, much of high school is pretty standard. You've got your terrible lunch food, your standardized tests, eccentric/burnt-out teachers, and your obligatory pep rallies. Add a pinch of self-doubt and you've got the recipe for an awkward four year experience, where you make friends with a few and forget about many. However, in the spirit of graduation and blogging, I thought I'd share with you some highlights of my high school experience. Names and locations are anonymous so that I can still Facebook these people in good conscience ;)


1) I remember a rather awkward situation with this guy in my ceramics class. He once wrote his number down on a piece of clay, handed it to me in the middle of class, and returned to his seat without a word. Much to his surprise, I was not wooed. Eventually, the art teacher had to call his mother, after he put what can only be described as a "sexually interpretive" piece of artwork on my shelf. I never could look at clay the same way again...or him for that matter.

2) I took a trip to Disney World with my school choir. We sold candy bars to try and fund raise. I think I ended up paying myself back for a lot of the candy...they should have known better than to leave me with a suitcase full of chocolate bars! Regardless, it was awesome, and I still look back on that experience with fondness. I got to sing Pocahontas and go down splash mountain in a day...what more can a 15 year old ask for?

3) Prom... I ate vegan food. It was awkward. There were waffles at post-prom. But, I LOVED my dress!

So yes, those are the first three memories that come to mind when I think back on high school. By the end of high school...I had a pink dress, butterfly clips in my hair..and a stomach full of waffles.

Having recently graduated myself, I can honestly say that I really felt like I accomplished something when I completed college. By that time, I had traveled/lived in foreign countries. I had worked and lived on my own pretty much year-round since my freshman year. I really grew, and became a much more worldly person. So, the moral of this story is: for those of you who are not saddened to leave your high school behind, welcome to the rest of your lives!

On a sidenote- tomorrow I am going to do a more in depth review of the restaurant that we went to today, called Equinox. It was fabulous, and definitely deserves a spot of its own- so stay tuned!

Day 2/3 -Strawberry and Coffee Fields Forever

OK- last night was a late night, so the blog is going to be twofold.

These past two days have been a little bit of town, and a little bit of country for me.

May 31st:

Although much of the DC Met. area is burgeoning with urban activity, there are some reminders of its not too distant agricultural past. This memorial day I decided to head over to Butlers Orchard in Germantown, Maryland. For anyone in the area who is looking for great produce and fun in the sun, look no further! Butlers is one of my favorite places to go for home-grown produce, and has been a great place to reconnect with the area's country roots for 60 years. Indeed, I have many fond memories of picking pumpkins and cutting down Christmas trees on this huge property throughout my childhood.

If you're going to head out there- a few recommendations:

1) Pick your own berries: Be sure to check the website before coming out to do this:

http://www.butlersorchard.com/

While Butler's usually has pick your own produce up until September, the harvest varies from week to week. This is a great way to spend some time out in the sun with friends. That being said, come early, and be prepared to scrounge around in the dirt a bit. We got there around 1 p.m, and the pickings were definitely slim at that point. Plus, it was extremely hot, and being the urban wimp that I am, I found it hard to stick it out for very long and recommend atleast a hat and a bottle of water.

2) The country store- don't forget to roam around the country store after hauling in your harvest. They have alot of great goodies that you don't find anywhere else, including furniture, cooking/jamming supplies and homemade jams. I caved and got a strawberry slushie, made with Butler's very own berries. Really a great treat!

All in all- it was a great haul. I got about 4 pounds of strawberries and a slushie for 10 bucks. Definitely beats whole foods, and the quality (I can attest to) is really superior to the frankenfruit that you find in most stores. Now I just have to figure out what to do with all of my berries! I wanted to make a pie, but rhubarb is out of season :( boo...

Then it was back to work...which brings me to ...June 1st:

Rabbit rabbit! Say it for goodluck at the beginning of every month! Today was one of those mundane kind of urban days. You know, the kind where you can barely get out of bed and crawl through traffic? I was surprised though, 10 miles in 20 mins. , I'm a speed demon! Not too much to really report on...I think there's an old fashioned trolley permanently parked at the BM station near my house. Maybe they're protesting the oil spill? I heard rumors of an trolley system being reinstated ( I believe there was one in Rockville in the 40's or 50's?). If this is true, I'm scared. I have enough to distract me when I'm behind the wheel...add in bright colors and a old timey nostalgia and I'm toast.

Allright, time to go grill something and find a netflix movie to view! This is SIC signing out.

- SIC

Day 1- Starting with Sushi

The DC Metropolitan area- is there anywhere quite like it? It is the only place that I know of, where supped up Hondas drive with the same authority as BMW's, where fast food joints abut five star steak houses, and where there are more wine lockers than gym lockers. This is the place that I have called home for 22 years, and I love every bit of the many social juxtapositions that the area so openly embraces.

Fresh out of college, (literally, I just graduated two weeks ago) I need a project. Something to fill in the hours when I'm not desperately seeking employment. So what does an English major do, when freshly untethered from the academic bonds that have held her so tightly for four years? That's right, she writes. This is my goal, 365 days of blogging about the area nearest and dearest to my heart. I am speaking, of course, about the ridiculous, delicious and tantalizing life of the post-graduate in the outskirts of DC.

That being said, my first blog is about food. I love food. I could eat it every day. I always try and look for something new and exciting to try. Today was no different, as I went to my very first sushi bar for an impromptu feast. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to have a celebrity's bank account to enjoy these fun and delectable goodies.

We were initially presented with a paper ballot, where we could fill out the different types of sushi that we wanted. Unlike American restaurants, where everything is bundled into one, we could really pick and choose exactly what we wanted and try alot of different things.

The picture above (on the right) is of the beer that we had. It's called Sapporo, very light and delicious. It went well with everything, and really complimented the fried fish in the crunchy shrimp role. Then again...beer and fried food. Kind of the ultimate brofest/flavor combination. Lightweights beware! You are not alone- BUT the beer itself is 22 oz. Def. not something I could finish and still drive home safely with. Thanks/shotout to my boyfriend for gladly taking some of my beer off my hands!

The picture above (on the left) is of one of the two sushi platters that we had.

From left to right:

Crunchy shrimp roll: picture a day on the pier, a basket of fried shrimp and an ice cold beer to wash it down. Now remove the sea water, fries, and seagull skwaking in your ear, and you've got this dish. Very hearty- you could really taste the beer battered shrimp. Delcious!

Top right:

Southern Californian: I felt very fancy ordering this dish. It had caviar, apparently. Go big or go home, right? Seriously though, really good, lots of veg. Couldn't really taste the caviar, but I believe its the orange stuff on top.

Spicy Tuna Roll: More like...spicy amazing heaven roll...ha. That sounds like a good name for a rock group. Thank you! We're spicy amazing heaven roll, you've been a great audience! Okay Sarah, focus. Really good, I really enjoyed the big chunk of fish in the middle. It was very hearty, which I was surprised about. Definitely felt like the biggest part of the meal.

We also caved and had some yellowfin tuna (not pictured). That one was really good, and actually the spiciest out of all of them.

So yeah, all in all a great night, and by no means broke the bank. We walked out full, with clean plates and in good financial health :) Our mothers would be proud.

Until tomorrow- this is Sarah in the City signing off. Be good... or I'm taking away your allowance. Seriously...

-SIC