Burnside Farms Tulip Fields

April 19, 2022.Reading time 4 minutes.

Although the weather doesn’t always seem to agree, spring is here in the DMV. We’ve had several weeks of beautiful blue sky days with highs above 70, and then suddenly rain, cold, and near-freezing temperatures. Just before this latest cold snap, we took a trip down to Nokesville, Virginia to explore Burnside Farms tulip fields. […]

Peak Bloom 2022

March 22, 2022.Reading time 2 minutes.

Peak bloom 2022 is happening now! I know I just wrote about the DC cherry blossoms a few weeks ago, but I’m ridiculously excited to share some photos from this year. It’s been four years since I really shot these blooms and they did not disappoint. We ended up going at sunrise this past Sunday […]

DC Cherry Blossoms: Tips and Tricks

March 3, 2022.Reading time 5 minutes.

One of my absolute favorite parts of DC spring is the annual cherry blossom bloom. It’s one of those quintessential experiences that you just can’t miss. This year, the National Park Service predicts peak bloom for the cherry blossoms will take place from March 22-25, 2022. Peak bloom is the best time within the two-week […]

Fall Fun at Baugher’s Orchard and Farm

October 5, 2021.Reading time 5 minutes.

I’ll go ahead and say it: fall is the best time of year. I love summer wholeheartedly but after three months of scorching weather in the Mid-Atlantic, it’s easy to yearn for cooler temps and relief from the overbearing humidity. Plus all the best things happen in the fall: the return of pumpkin spice lattes, […]

Caucasian Carpets Gallery

September 8, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

In the two years we’ve been in Tbilisi we’ve probably walked past Caucasian and Oriental Carpets Gallery down by Sioni Cathedral in Old Tbilisi no less than a hundred times. The inviting storefront always caught my attention. A rotating cast of carpets draped over the fence and laid out on the street to tempt any […]

Khinkali Cooking Class

February 4, 2020.Reading time 5 minutes.

One of my absolute favorite Georgian foods is khinkali. While the name is unique to Georgia, of course, the concept is fairly universal: delicious dumplings. I grew up eating the Polish version – pierogi – and have fond memories of going to the Polish deli with my parents and then frying them up on the […]

Tbilisi Christmas Lights

January 7, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

Today is Orthodox Christmas, so I thought it would be fitting to briefly talk about Tbilisi at Christmastime. We were a bit bummed when planning our failed R&R and then our impromptu trip to Helsinki and Stockholm that we would miss out on the spectacular Christmas season here at home. However, since Georgia is on […]

Frosting Fails

December 10, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

Recently I’ve gotten back into baking. For some reason, I went on a bit of hiatus for the past several years. I think in part it was our desire to eat healthier, and we really don’t need six dozen cookies for two people with little to no self-control. But, I really enjoy baking, and I’ve […]

Marine Ball

November 19, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

One of the more fun things we’ve been able to participate in as part of the Embassy community these past few years is the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball. I grew up fairly far removed from the military world, so when Sean started working for the DOD I got a crash-course on all things armed […]

Georgian Cloisonne Enamel

November 12, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

One of the most popular – and most beautiful – Georgian souvenirs is enamel. It seems everywhere you turn in Tbilisi there’s another shop showing off these vibrant and intricate works of art. I know by looking at these pieces that a great deal of time and effort goes into making them, and a few weeks […]