Megan and Ed's Wedding 2007

Megan and Ed got married! The wedding was in Florida where Ed is from, and Ed's mom helped with a lot of the arrangements. In Florida, there's always a threat of rain, so they kept the ceremony short and sweet. Thanks to their strategizing we were all inside right as it started raining outside.

Megan and her dad

Megan's mom doing a reading

Vows during the ceremony

The first thing we did before cocktail hour was take a big group photo of everyone at the wedding. I'd never seen that before and I thought it was the greatest thing ever. Kevin and I copied that and the style of their invitations for our wedding. Suffice to say, I like their style. The cocktail hour was really fun in part because Megan and Ed actually attended their own cocktail hour. Again, it was the first time I had seen that, and Kevin and I copied that too.

Awesome group photo. 

Darren and Janice with the bride and groom during cocktail hour

It's been five years but I still remember that the reception was beautiful, and the dinner was delicious, and they had an amazing cordial bar (with chocolate and coffee liquors) and a chocolate fountain. I loved that bar. And we all had a wonderful time celebrating and dancing together. It was really fun.

Laurie, Jamie, and Janice

 

Fake table photo missing Laurie (I think she was dancing?)

The beautiful cake

We were all so happy for the two of them. By the time they got married I had known Megan for 10 years. I had seen her be very happy before, enjoying herself with her friends, but since she met Ed, it seemed like she was permanently in that state of happy. When I met Ed in 2005, I thought he was great anyway. The reason I thought they were great together was that Megan was her best self with Ed. And all that beaming back and forth they did- wow. In five years, you can just look at them and see they haven't lost the magic. In many ways, they're even better now. They even run marathons together and have an amazing baby boy William.

Even though this picture is from far away, I think you can see how happy they are.

New Years in Arlington, VA 2006 --> 2007

Kevin and I organized a lot of our friends to go to Ireland's Four Courts in Arlington for New Years. Also, we kidnapped Ash from Pennsylvania because she said no. We had a lot of weird fun!

Kevin and I toasting at midnight!

  

Round of beers for Lukas, Brady, Cory, Lars, Manfred, and Kevin

Ash, Janice, Darren, and me

Robin and Cory

Toasting with Ash

Wooo! Lukas and Sarah!

Manfred, Lars (You can see him this time) and Brady in deep conversation

Me, Bethany, and Brooke

Ash and and Manfred enjoying their champagne

Brady and Sarah enjoying their champagne more

Brooke and Eric

Noise maker battle

Noise makers! Weee!

No idea.

Heading out!

Here's looking at you, 2007!

Dinner with College Friends- October 2006

Saturday, in lieu of actually attending our college reunion, Kevin and I had dinner with my college girlfriends and their significant others. We had a delicious dinner at DC Coast. I'm always so happy to see them, but it's especially happy being surrounded by my wonderful friends and the loves of their lives. What a happy time!

Megan, Christina, me, Janice

DC Coast mermaid statue

Megan and Ed are engaged! I'm so happy! So are they.

Christina and Dan

Janice and Darren

Kevin and me

Northern Virginia Trip- August 2006

So the reason I went to DC this weekend was to go to Anna and Mike's baby shower.... but since it was a surprise baby shower and I invited everyone out who I know in DC/NoVa... and I invited them too- they came! I got to spend two days with them while I was here. Haha, they probably would have skipped it though if they knew I'd see them tomorrow. We started out our night with dinner tapas at La Tasca in Clarendon.

Mike, Anna, and me at La Tasca (also baby-to-be)

I got to meet Johnny's lovely and friendly new girlfriend, April

With my buddy Janice

Then we went to Mama Quans Tiki Hut for some outdoor drinks. I'd never been there before and I really like it.

Brooke at Mama Quan's

Darren giving Janice sexy-side-eye at Mama Quan's

Laura, Brooke, and I can never give up the party so we went on to Cheesecake Factory for a little dessert and some more drinks.

Laura and Brooke- cheers!

So happy I got to see everyone!

Visiting DC- January 2006

Though I was recently in DC for New Year's Eve and stayed with Janice, I came back this weekend for Anna's wedding and stayed with Janice again through Tuesday. I took the bus down to DC on Friday, went to Janice's to take a nap, and then met up with our other friends at Ozio's for Happy Hour. (For some reason, I failed at photos here.)

Janice walking Crash

 

Crash is blind so she might not know what's what's up with the couch.

Saturday was Anna and Mike's wedding but it was over fairly early so Cathy and I met up with my law school friend Akure afterwards. We went to my old hang out the Deluxe Diner in Crystal City.

Me and Akure at Deluxe Diner

Akure and Cathy bonding

Monday I went to the Spy Museum and crawled through some fake air ducts to prove how 007 I am. Monday evening I went to Bethany's poetry reading at Bossa Bistro on 18th street in Adams Morgan. Fun! Anyway thanks for hosting me Janice, and thanks to everyone that came out to hang out! I can't wait to come bug you again soon.

The least serious-looking spy you ever saw... in air duct

New Years in DC 2005-->2006!

Janice invited us and anyone we wanted to bring to a fancy New Year's party with martinis and a chocolate fondue fountain. And after midnight I might have started a dance party. I don't know if other people were dancing actually. I just remember that I was dancing. Happiness.

Janice, Laurie, Jamie, and me

Jamie and Rich with the chocolate fondue fountain. Fancy!

Some law school peeps Roger and Akure


Janice and Laurie


Buddies Seth and Akure

Getting the champagne and toasting going

After the countdown! Sipping and mingling.

We also started 2006 right with a big unhealthy breakfast at Siné Irish Pub. Happy New Year!

Me, Laurie, Stephanie, Rich, Janice, Jamie