So this is what it’s like…

As the first weekend of our married life sans school draws to a close, I am prompted to reflect on all the lovely things we did this weekend and how much more enjoyable they were without homework and other school-related responsibilities hanging over my head. I had literally been in school since we got back from our honeymoon last August.

After sleeping in a little Saturday morning and having a leisurely breakfast, we set out on foot for the 14th and U Farmers Market. It was such a perfect day: mid-70s, mostly sunny, a slight breeze. After browsing the produce stands and picking up a few things, we made one last stop at the Dolcezza gelato stand. Now, I am a discriminating gelato-eater. I don’t claim to be an expert by any means, but after spending more than 6 months of my life in Italy, during which time my gelato consumption averaged at least one scoop a day, I have a very specific idea of what constitutes good, authentic, artisanal gelato. And believe me, this was it. At the stand there was a selection of several interesting flavors including Strawberry-Tarragon, Lime-Cilantro, and Black Mint, as well as more traditional ones such as Dark Chocolate and Pistacchio. My host mother in the Italy always said you could tell a good gelateria by it’s chocolate gelato. I’ll add to that litmus test pistachio (it shouldn’t be bright green as many commercial pistachio ice creams are, but a muted, earthy green tone). Dolcezza passed both tests with flying colors. I will definitely patronize Dolcezza’s permanent location in Georgetown in the future! After tasting several of the flavors, we decided on a half pint of blood orange sorbetto (it was amazingly smooth and creamy and actually tasted like the fruit it was named for). We shared the sorbetto as we made our way down 14th street on our way to shop for a new swimsuit for Brian. It was absolutely perfect: the gelato, the weather, the company, the shops and cafes that line 14th Street. These kinds of moments always prompt nostalgic feelings and leave me pining for my other home across the Atlantic. I will make it back there soon. With Brian. I have so many wonderful experiences and memories there that I want us to be able to share. Hey, really good gelato gets us one step closer!

After our outing, we decided to get a head start on our tans, so we’d be ready for our beach trip later this summer. Hello, rooftop deck and gorgeous views of the sky (and even the city, as long as you don’t look east).

After a bit of sun, we decided to go to Blockbuster for a movie and to my favorite place, Whole Foods, for some dinner ingredients! This trip afforded us another chance to walk a few blocks in the perfect May weather. Some grilling and chopping later, we were sitting down to fresh tomato-mango salsa with tortilla chips, grilled salmon topped with a mango-soy pan sauce, a green salad, and mojitos (with fresh mint from my herb garden).

Gosh, I love being out of school.