My Beauty Recipe

My favorite beauty quote:

True beauty is feeling good without looking in the mirror.

I've found that these things make me feel beautiful:
Music - singing/playing/watching/listening to uplifting songs/compositions
Fitness - doing active things that lengthen and strengthen my body
Nature - enjoying the majesty of God's creations
Dance - moving my body to music
Truth - acquiring spiritual and temporal knowledge
Service - enriching the lives of God's children
Love - feeling the gift of charity for or through someone
Color - wearing/seeing vibrant shades that represent the spice of life

In addition, I know these 2 things to be true:
1) Heavenly Father KNOWS me...so well
2) His ways/plans are always better than mine

I've been thinking about this all week. I have been in awe of the beauty surrounding me here and SO GRATEFUL to God for putting me where I am, where I have so many things that make me feel so alive - especially the greenery and water. I even love the humidity (I lived by the ocean for the first 18 years of my life)! I've been smiling all week as I'm enjoying the beauty all around me...my new favorite place is the balcony of the Kennedy Center, which is blessedly close enough to visit on my lunch break -

And thank you to whoever planned the sidewalks - with canopies of trees for shade

I couldn't help but think of D&C 59:18-19

"All things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul."

Another thing that makes me enormously happy is people! There is such a diversity of people in DC, and they are all beautiful, from the weary middle-aged lady selling newspapers to the sharply dressed clean shaven young male lawyer. I love all the tourists and gaggles of students in matching bright t-shirts - their enthusiasm and wonder at the city are refreshing. I love the cute little kiddies running around. I love the elderly couple on the benches. I love the homeless man hunched in the corner. They are all so beautiful, especially Rosa. She is the most happy and beautiful custodian I have ever met. She is always cheerful, talks to everyone, and does her work with dignity and a spring in her step. She brightens every work day.

I love working for GW. There was a campus-wide employee appreciation party this week called "Proud to be GW" with lots of food, music, prizes, and games.

Ed is my good friend who took over my position at my GW temp job

I am proud to be at GW

Thursday after work - I went shopping (found some knee-length shorts & skirts!! modest clothes are NOT easy to find) and walked across the mall to a free concert. Ran into one of the many fountains in the city and couldn't help expressing my joy in movement

All week, I also kept thinking of D&C 136:28

"If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving."

I finally got to the steps of the Capitol where the US Army Band was performing

I didn't realize it was such a special occasion - it happened to be Flag Day and the 237th birthday of the Army!

The band was excellent and I got chills many times. They played a great variety: John Philip Sousa marches, a song from the movie The Terminal, an opera duet,a Glenn Miller swing song, a musical theater piece, and medley of all the Armed Forces fight songs. Grateful for their talents.

Friday - I haven't tried any new restaurants lately but was able to check another restaurant off my list when I came to work and found a bunch of leftovers from Roti Mediterranean Grill! I helped myself to a plate of roasted veggies and lamb in a pita with dill yogurt sauce.

Yummy, but it gave me the worse heartburn which kept me too ill to go salsa dancing even 9 hours later :(

Still, after work, I met up with my coworker, Jessica. We got frozen yogurt for "dinner" at Sweetgreen cuz neither of us were that hungry.

And I told her about the best kept secret at Whole Foods - a huge $2 cinnamon sugar soft pretzel!

Then we rode the free shuttle to the Kennedy Center nearby to see The Image Band, a modern Caribbean band. Did you know June is National Caribbean American Heritage Month? Me neither...til now.

There were lots of Caribbean people in the audience who stood and danced the whole time. Jessica and I grooved along :)

Saturday - a much anticipated day with Britt at the Tidal Basin in southwest DC! I have this funny habit of trying to kick the leaves above my head...

Funny story: when I swung my legs up around the branch, my right flip flop flew away! I was so afraid that it got stuck in the tree and I'd have to go barefoot in the yucky Metro. Thank goodness Britt found it on the grass several yards away.

We rented a paddleboat (which brought back childhood memories from China) and slipped on huge life jackets. "Turtle turtle!"

It was a gorgeous day - the duckies were enjoying it with us

What a perfect way to see the monuments - Jefferson Memorial to one side

Washington Memorial to the other

If you ever want to get anywhere FAST in the water - a paddleboat is not the way to go. It is probably the slowest, most inefficient way to travel - about 10 feet a minute despite manic paddling. Who needs a stairmaster?!

It took some paddling to get to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the far side

He looks stockier than in real life. Sorry MLK.

On the way back, we asked a lovely couple to take pics of us and we were so glad they did.


Came back around to the Jefferson Memorial and chillaxed for a while

Britt pulled out her iPod and we jammed to some hits

Here's our abridged Tidal Basin playlist:

"Brighter than the Sun" - Colbie Caillat
"Party in the USA" - Miley Cyrus
"Baby" - Justin Bieber
"Grace Kelly" - Mika

Shameless singing ensued.

Our 1 hour rental ended and we got off to explore the Jefferson on foot (my 1st time, Britt's _th time)

I want to like Jefferson more but his highly racist Notes on the State of Virginia holds me back. Still, it was a beautiful memorial.

We soon got hungry and Britt was craving crepes from this little shop in Chinatown of all places (DC's Chinatown is so not legit, but has some cool shops)

We ate in the shady steps of the National Portrait Gallery

We both got savory crepes - mine had grilled chicken with tomatoes and pesto. mmMMm

Apparently, I am inept at eating these things because right after this picture I accidentally turned my crepe sideways and spilled the innards all over my lap. Smooth.

Went home to wash out and change my shorts, then rested a bit before going to help set up for the ward dating activity (I'm on the Activities Committee). Our setup of the dating game, "Singled Out" was hilariously successful.

Side-splitting and knee-slapping awkwardness - what else would you expect from a bunch of Mormon YSA's (young single adults)?


Someday, my prince will find me. But until then, I will continue to overwhelm myself with the glorious beauties of DC.