Thirty Five and Counting...
Yesterday I turned 35, and there is nothing like a birthday to fill you with immense gratitude. I am thankful for all the birthday love through Facebook , texts, WhatsApp, and phone calls - even the Mayor’s Office of Talents and Appointments called to wish me a happy birthday - definitely feeling the love! I’m halfway to 70 (gotta love math), and I am grateful for a life full of amazing people, a career that I am passionate about most days (nothings perfect), and the continued opportunities to grow, learn, and travel.
For my birthday I took the day off work and had the chance to explore the Renwick Gallery for the first time (yes, even though I've been in D.C. nearly a decade there are still things I haven't seen yet...). For those of you not familiar, the Renwick is a Smithsonian Art Museum located just steps from the White House. During my visit I spent some time taking in David Best's Temple exhibit. This exhibit covered the walls of the Grand Salon with ornate carved raw wood panels leading to an altar. It is incredibly intricate, and offers visitors a place to reflect and pay tribute to lost loved ones. So much of the wood is covered with names, notes, and tributes - it is truly an emotional experience, especially if you've lost people in your life.
Even though this was a humbling and somber experience for a birthday, it felt like a place I was meant to be - to think about, thank, and recognize the ones who have gone before me, as they have helped to shape who I am today. I took a moment to write a note, say a little prayer, and to pause and celebrate the renewed sense of living that comes with each birthday.
And then like one should, I pregamed dinner by checking out the new(ish) ice cream joint in Mt. Pleasant - Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream. Mt. Desert Island originated in Maine, and opened it's fourth location, and only one outside of Maine, in Washington, D.C. in July 2018. They make all their ice cream in house in small batches. They offer some great flavors, including dark coffee and brigadeiro - which were my dinner pregame selections. Next up was a delicious pizza dinner and drinks with friends at Little Coco's. This place had a charming atmosphere, delicious drinks and food, and was a perfect selection for a well aged palate like mine. I had two cocktails (Anna's Gibson Makes Gordon Say Hot Damn - a twist on a gin martini and the Manhattan Power Outage) and a pizza (the Mt. Vesuvius - think pepperoni, soppressata, fontina, jalapenos, and some drizzled red wine pepper honey - yum). I would recommend all of them.
And then like one should, I pregamed dinner by checking out the new(ish) ice cream joint in Mt. Pleasant - Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream. Mt. Desert Island originated in Maine, and opened it's fourth location, and only one outside of Maine, in Washington, D.C. in July 2018. They make all their ice cream in house in small batches. They offer some great flavors, including dark coffee and brigadeiro - which were my dinner pregame selections. Next up was a delicious pizza dinner and drinks with friends at Little Coco's. This place had a charming atmosphere, delicious drinks and food, and was a perfect selection for a well aged palate like mine. I had two cocktails (Anna's Gibson Makes Gordon Say Hot Damn - a twist on a gin martini and the Manhattan Power Outage) and a pizza (the Mt. Vesuvius - think pepperoni, soppressata, fontina, jalapenos, and some drizzled red wine pepper honey - yum). I would recommend all of them.
Finally, earlier this week I collected my mail and saw the postcard I wrote to myself as part of the last day at the in-person convening at UPenn for my Executive Program in Social Impact Strategy. It made me smile and reflect on how true all the words I wrote to myself were and still are, and I thought there could be no better way to end this post than to share those words with you.
With love,
DC3FO
