This spring I’ve become obsessed with gingham, bell sleeves and the off the shoulder trend. This top combines the three perfectly! I had so much fun exploring the salt mashes at Cornell Farm in Dartmouth, MA. The hiking trails were so well groomed, I wish I brought my dog along for the adventure.
Hello, my name is Cashel Koski and I’m a cupcake addict. Living in D.C. this past year has only fed my addiction. I’ve made countless trips to Georgetown Cupcake and Baked and Wired, sometimes centering my entire day around the excursion. I always look forward to the first of every month so I can rush to Georgetown Cupcake and sample their monthly flavors. I’m even planning on metro-ing all the way to Bethesda just to try a chocolate toffee cupcake… the obsession is real.
Every time I went to Georgetown for cupcakes, I’d pass by Pie Sisters on M Street. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pie, but cupcakes will always be my top priority. A few weeks ago, I was scrolling through a D.C. food Instagram page and saw these delicious looking pies in the form of cupcakes. I immediately clicked on the photo to read the geotag which referred me to none other than Pie Sisters.
Last Friday, I was planning on heading to Georgetown and probably picking up some Baked and Wired on my way home since I’d forgotten to place my order for Georgetown Cupcake in advance to skip the line. However, as I walked by Pie Sisters, the memory of the delicious looking Cuppies came to mind. I was feeling a bit hungry, so I headed in, “just to look” I said. The inside of the shop was furnished impeccably and had a homey feel, complete with bouquets of fresh flowers on nice wooden tables. The girl working behind the counter was very friendly and helpful. As I peered through the case at various pies, I made a mental list of all the flavors I wanted to try, chocolate pecan, vanilla cream, s’mores, jumble berry, cookies n’ cream (chocolate cream), and apple caramel. I forced myself to narrow it down to two and ended up walking out with the latter. I fully intended to hold off until after dinner to eat the cuppies, but the chocolate cookies and cream started calling my name ten minutes after leaving Pie Sisters.
I’ve never had better chocolate cream pie in my life. The crust was delicious, and when I say this, believe me since I usually hate pie crust and absolutely refuse to eat it. The whipped cream on top was sweet and firm while the Oreo dust and chocolate chips added some more sweet flavor. The pudding was smooth and rich, clearly made from scratch.
The Apple Caramel was slightly less stellar. The apples weren’t caramelized and there was too much sugar on top which prevented me from tasting any hint of caramel. The crust was delicious however… I just don’t think I’d order this cuppie again.
Overall, Pie Sisters was a total hit. The idea of a cuppie (cupcake x pie) is so clever and delicious. From the shop to the service to the incredible pies, I can’t wait to go back!
Yesterday afternoon a friend and I took a trip to Georgetown to walk around the Potomac and look for a house with Wisteria that I’d found on Pinterest. We walked from campus to the Georgetown Waterfront, up and down the boardwalk, watching crew teams speedily float by. Afterwards, we walked back up to M Street and made a quick stop at Pie Sisters for some cuppies before heading to the corner of 35th and Prospect to find the Wisteria. Unfortunately, someones car was parked on the sidewalk right in front of the white door dripping with the purple blooms. Nevertheless, they were beautiful and the smell from some pink hedges across the street wafted over to us, inviting us to sit by them and eat our pies. After our quick snack, we headed back down the hill and walked halfway over the Key Bridge… does that count as walking to Virginia? The sun sparkling on the water provided the perfect backdrop to take a photo in our matching outfits, which may or may not have been planned (wink, wink)!
For my outfit, I wore a peplum pinstripe top, paired with white jeans and white heels. I sensibly brought a pair of comfortable white eyelet Keds to change into for all the walking around we did (9 miles)! I also broke out my Kate Spade cross body that I picked up in TJ Maxx last weekend for 75% off. I’m completely obsessed. From the scallop detailing to the clever clasp to the vibrant color of the soft leather, it’s the perfect bag. The only “downside” is that there is a little compartment inside that I accidentally placed my phone into and when I couldn’t find it, proceeded to have a mini heart attack and ping my phone when it was inside my bag all along… oops!
I recently took a day trip to Parsons Reserve in Dartmouth, Massachusetts to visit this field of daffodils. Fortunately, it was only about an hour away and the surrounding neighborhood was lovely to drive through. The sun was shining and it was about 70° which was perfect for the short hike through the woods on a nicely cleared path to see the daffodils. There were so many, I wasn’t expecting them to be so numerous! A friend and I spent about an hour walking around, taking photos and enjoying the silence of the peaceful field of daffodils.
If you plan to go, be advised that they are requiring a $2 donation per person. I came prepared and donated a dollar extra. Shockingly, the volunteer demanding donations gave me a hard time over this and yelled at me, saying that I would take the dollar of change. Taken aback, I walked away; slightly confused… no good deed gone unpunished! Later, while we were exiting, the same volunteer was demanding a donation from a couple who had not come prepared with cash. He requested a credit card from them, even though he obviously didn’t have a credit card machine on him! It’s a shame that such a beautiful place could not have more polite volunteers; fortunately, the mans bitterness didn’t take away from the beauty of the daffodils or the gorgeous day. I’m definitely going to make taking a day trip to Parsons Reserve a spring tradition!
Happy Easter! This morning I woke up to a lovely Easter basket filled with chocolate bunnies on the front porch next to some beautiful daffodils. I then went for my annual Easter egg hunt that was a little different this year. My parents hid eggs throughout the woods so I’d have to follow the trail to get to different ‘baskets’ which were actually Lilly bags! Inside the bags I found two adorable Lilly shifts (one of which I’m wearing today), some more chocolate and an adorable button down! It was so much fun to walk through the woods with my parents and dogs while Easter egg hunting. My puppy Delila ended up helping me find some of the eggs I missed. We spent the remainder of the day having dinner and spending time with family. He has truly risen, Alleluia!
Jupiter transformed into the Easter Bunny this afternoon! EveryBUNNY loves carrots, and he was no exception. I made the mistake of feeding him an entire carrot before our little photoshoot was over and was blessed with some lovely photos of him chewing as he thoroughly enjoyed himself- too cute! He surprisingly didn’t mind wearing the bunny ears, he’s such a good sport. Afterwards, he was treated to a nice long trail ride cantering through the woods. He even got to jump over a little log. We had such a fun day, now it’s time to get excited for Easter!
By May 1st, college bound high school seniors everywhere will decide on a school and submit their deposits. Last year, I made my decision that very day. It was a choice that completely changed my life and that will continue to influence it as the years go on. I was completely torn between Boston College and George Washington. Nobody in my family knew what I would decide; in fact, my grandparents had a bet going on which college I would choose… and for the record, Grandpa won. Looking back, I regret my decision, but at the same time I know it was the right one and am glad I made it. Picking a college is tough; here are some things I wish I knew last year that would be useful for anyone trying to do so.
There is no right decision, but the school you pick will significantly impact your life, the people you meet, the degree you pursue and the job you will eventually get. This being said, do not take this decision lightly.
Make the decision for yourself. It’s hard not to ask your parents what to do, but at the end of the day this is your decision and you have to make it for yourself. Last year, I knew my parents each had their opinions on where they thought I should go. I thought Mom wanted me to go to GW so I’d have more options even though she actually wanted me to choose BC. I thought Dad openly wanted BC, since I’d be close to home and on a campus he’d toured and felt comfortable with even though he actually wanted GW for the dorms. I can’t tell you how many times I asked my mom to tell me where to go and how many times she refused. What she did help with was listening to my thoughts about each school and helping to create a pros and cons list, a tool that, in my opinion, is crucial to making any big decision.
Don’t make it based on finances. Based on the situation, this one may or may not be feasible. In fact, making the decision based off of finances may make the decision 10x easier. However, the best way to choose a school is by picking the one you’ll be happy at. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending how you look at it) GW and BC would’ve cost the same amount for me which made my decision harder and ensured it was my own.
Don’t be a follower. You are the one who is going to be living at this school, you are the one moving away from home, and you are the one who is seeking an education. Make your own choice in your own best interest, not anyone else’s. Just because your best friend is going to a school they’re in love with doesn’t mean you should follow them there and hope to fall in love with it. Don’t follow your friends to college! No matter where you go, you’re going to make new friends and probably won’t even end up talking to the people you followed there. Chances are, you’ll end up wishing you went to your own dream school and end up transferring out.
Don’t let your comfort zone limit you. Coming to DC was totally out of my comfort zone, which is why I chose GW. BC was the epitome of my comfort zone: a closed, Catholic campus close to home. Every time I visited GW, I felt overwhelmed by the size of the city and could never find my way around the campus. Meanwhile, when I visited BC, I knew where everything on the campus was to the point that I was already bored with it. Even though moving 7 hours away from home instead of 1.5 scared the living daylights out of me, I knew I had to do it to grow as a person and become more independent. Once you arrive on campus, you have to adjust and because you’ll be forced to make it work, you will. You’ll adjust, function and grow comfortable with your surroundings (even the insane city driving). You’ll adjust to college just like you adjusted to high school. The best experiences that you can grow and learn from involve taking a chance and stepping out of your comfort zone. Just go for it.
Go with your gut. On paper, both schools were a good option for me and I couldn’t justify picking one over the other. I loved them both, yet I made a choice. After mass on May 1st, my priest asked me where I was going next year and I jut said George Washington. I didn’t even know that I’d made up my mind yet, it just came out. An hour later I was committing to GW.
Remember you’re going to have to live there. This doesn’t mean pick your school based on the dorms, but if you’re claustrophobic, picking a school that has tiny dorm rooms and communal bathrooms (like BC) probably isn’t the best choice. Conversely, if you like to cook and are a picky eater, picking a school with no kitchens (like BC) probably isn’t too wise either.
If you do regret your decision, you can always transfer. All summer and over winter break there was nothing I wanted to do more than transfer to BC, be close to home and get away from GW. However, looking back I’m glad I didn’t. Although part of me is still uncertain whether or not I made the right choice, I know that there is no right choice… there is not right or wrong way to go in life and you have to make the best of what you decide. However, if you are absolutely miserable with the school you chose you can always transfer… just wait until after the first year, not semester, to make sure you’ve fully adjusted and are absolutely certain you want to switch schools.
When it comes down to it, the decision is yours and you’re going to have to live with it… for four years. Think back to who you were freshman year of high school and how different you are now… college is going to be the same way. The school you pick will shape you in one way or another. Your college is going to become your home and your classmates are going to become your family.
Only 2.5 weeks left until decision day… GOOD LUCK!
