Quick note: next week I’ll be at San Diego Comic-Con and most likely won’t have a chance to put together a Friday Five post, so if you don’t see one, that’s why!

1. The Red Hen: John and I celebrated our fourth anniversary a little early with dinner last Saturday at this amazing Italian joint in DC’s Bloomingdale neighborhood. The menu changes periodically to showcase seasonal ingredients and all pastas are handmade. We shared two appetizers (fresh burrata and cauliflower “Sicilian Style”) and two vegetarian pastas (ricotta cavatelli and bucatini cacio e pepe). They have a really interesting wine list and our server was also a sommelier so he had great suggestions. Everything was amazing, but the bucatini was out of this fucking world. I’m still thinking about it. WE HAVE TO GO BACK.

2. Ruth Bader Ginsburg Birthday Card: my mom’s least favorite day of the year is her birthday, but when I saw this cheeky card at Union Kitchen Grocery I simply had to buy it for her. I mean, when RBG orders you to have a happy birthday you kinda have to comply, right?

3. The Renwick Gallery: this Monday morning I checked another Smithsonian Institution off my list by visiting this small but lovely contemporary craft and decorative art gallery located in a gorgeous National Historic Landmark building near the White House.* There’s some really cool stuff on display (such as the Parallax Gap ceiling installation upstairs), but I was completely blown away by the below piece, “Fibers and Civilization (1959)” by Sabrina Gschwandtner. You can’t tell from my pic, but the piece is comprised of bits of film strip. When you get up close you can see it’s made of tiny images on film, sewn together. It’s pretty astounding and definitely worth viewing in person.

4. CityCenter DC: in the spring, CCDC decked out their air space with pink lanterns to celebrate the cherry blossom festival. For summer they switched to colorful beach balls, so after the Renwick I strolled over to take some pics. Very festive!

5. Capitol Hill Townhouse: I spotted this cute place on a morning walk this week and had to share it here. The colors totally give off a Miami Beach vibe. I love walking around DC and gawking at all the homes here—it’s so much more colorful than NYC!

 

*I walked by the White House after the gallery, because it’s a cool sight to see even though its resident is a lying, barely sentient dumpster that’s been filled with turds and set on fire.