HOW I ROMANTICIZE MY LIFE: SUMMERTIME IN THE DMV
After spending the last several summers at home and not traveling abroad for a while, I’ve cultivated a new appreciation for the area that I grew up in. It’s easy to become so accustomed to familiar surroundings and my everyday routine that I forget how many interesting and fun experiences there are to have locally. Plus, making the conscious effort to create a sense of newness in my days empowered me to just go out and do the activity, attend the event, and even create the special occasion myself! And I’m happy to say that I didn’t wait for the next trip abroad to start pursuing joy and novelty in the present moment. Here are the ways I romanticized my summer at home…
Going to an outdoor jazz concert
The girls and I packed a picnic dinner to enjoy during sunset at Jazz in the Garden, held monthly throughout the summer at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. The band performing that evening played lots of Latin jazz and even threw in a bit of salsa!
Summer fruit picking
Strawberry picking at Butler’s Orchard in Germantown, cherry picking at Pryor’s Orchard in Thurmont, and strawberry picking at Glade Link Farms in Keymar.
Visiting a lavender farm
My family and I visited Kharis Lavender Fields in Gaithersburg, where we learned about the harvesting process and also created flower bouquets using English and French lavender we picked ourselves!
Wandering around the local farmers market
The Bethesda Central Farm Market and the FreshFarm DuPont Circle Market are my two favorites to take stroll through on the weekend. I just can’t help but admire the vibrant produce and see what’s cooking at all the different food stalls.
Hosting a picnic
I gain so much joy from hosting events for my friends and family, so here is a glimpse of our Tomato Girl Summer Picnic at a lakefront park! My friends and I dressed up according to our theme of red, white and green. Everyone prepared beautiful and delicious finger foods to share, we served drinks, and I baked what is now my famous lemon raspberry cake!
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Lotus & Waterlily Festival
This yearly festival celebrates the peak bloom of lotuses and water lilies, while also offering guided tours of the grounds to learn about the thriving wildlife. Art activities, music and cultural events happen throughout that weekend as well.
Dewey Beach girls trip
There's nothing like being by the ocean in good company and with delicious food! And Dewey Beach in Delaware was such a relaxing place to spend our beach trip. Few crowds, clean sand and plenty of space to set up a picnic spread or go tanning.
Outdoor Movie Nights
There are places all over the DMV to catch an outdoor movie in summer time. At this one in Union Market, people can either reserve a parking spot in the lot to watch the movie from their cars, or bring chairs to camp out in front of the screen. Also you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to finding something yummy to eat nearby, either from the food hall or from the surrounding restaurants.
Going out for dinner with the girls
While I’m the kind of person who enjoys eating home-cooked meals most of the time, I like to treat myself once in a while to a fancy meal out with my girls. Also, going out to eat at a restaurant together is the perfect excuse to get dressed up!
Baking outdoors
The entire process of baking can feel so much more cinematic by simply being outside. This subtle change of scenery grounds me in the present moment, feeling the warm sun on my skin and hearing the breeze as I measure ingredients and mix batter.
Water Lantern Festival
Writing secret messages, wishes or thoughts on your very own lantern, setting it free on the water, and watching hundreds more join together and float away. It becomes a pretty magical sight!
Paint pottery
Over time I’ve curated a small collection of cute ceramics for my kitchen. And I loved the idea of creating my very own piece, so my friends and I designed and painted our own dishware at a pottery painting studio in Cleveland Park, All Fired Up.
Dine all’aperto
My sister and I absolutely love cooking together, definitely one of the top ways we spend quality time. So in summer time, we try to take advantage of the nice weather and eat our meals on our little balcony. The thriving plants are the work of my sister who inherited her gardening talent from our mom.
Attending a candlelight concert
Watching musicians perform live in this kind of ambiance made for a unique experience, where the songs are all based on a theme, and this one was Disney. The musicians also told stories in between their playing, where we got to learn interesting facts about each song or the movie that the song is featured in.
Relaxing in a garden
The Bishop’s Garden at the Washington National Cathedral is a peaceful refuge in the midst of DC’s bustling cityscape. There are plenty of places to sit and admire the blooming flowers and greenery, or to take a nice stroll.
Grill lunches & swimming at the pool
Pool days are for stuffing our faces with grilled meat, veggies and fresh fruit; and then getting tan by going for a refreshing dip in the water!
