I can have my 'Cakes' and eat it too

One might ask how I decided on a random Monday afternoon in July that I was going to begin blogging about event/party planning, recipes, DIY projects, life lessons, etc. - but it's happening (this sounds like something my good friend, Jessica Bayer, would say) - so just pretty please read on!

My husband #stillhasn'tgottenold #hadtothrowinthe#topisspeopleoff, who for blog purposes we'll call "Mr. Cuddles," and I recently moved into my parent's (thank you, "C and C music factory" as Mr. Cuddles likes to call them) house in Georgetown.  While this was a tremendous financial opportunity for two newlyweds, spending the July fourth holiday week in a DC row house with +/- six adults, an Australian Cattle dog mutt, and an orange tabby mix was taxing.  Bruce 'Fez' Miller, you can settle down as I'm not referring to the reform of our tax code that is in "full swing." a.k.a. don't hold your breath. 

Moving on, we've been "in," the house - and by "in" I mean literally just inside - i.e. not as organized as we'd like to be, praying that an interior decorator will stumble upon our doorstep looking for pro bono work, you get the point - for a little over two weeks and are really enjoying our new neighborhood.  We are a stone's throw from Rose Park (including some tennis courts I plan to dominate once I start my diet today...I mean tomorrow...for real, next Monday), within walking distance to M Street, Wisconsin Avenue, Dupont Circle, Rock Creek Park, several walking/bike paths, and some historical landmarks such as Dumbarton House (Carol Harman!), Georgetown University, the National Cathedral, and of course, the Exorcist stairs.  Who doesn't love a good movie reference thrown into the mix? 

In all seriousness, having been Capitol Hill residents for more than 7 years, we welcomed the change.  While we wish we could pick up our Hill friends and move them to our new hood' (you mean to tell me I can't have my cake and eat it too?), we look forward to hosting a housewarming in the coming...TBD.  What I will say about our new area is that the people are friendly, intelligence levels are off the charts, and the community involvement is one to be envied.  After attending our first impromptu block BBQ on Sunday, we had the pleasure of meeting a diplomat, the president of Rose Park, a woman who appeared in a Geico commercial, and several good people who care a great deal about their community and environment; something we don't see everyday in DC.  In closing, I'd like to give props to our new block and share a summer recipe I hope you all will enjoy!  I plan to add a recipe section but want to get the hang of posting first. 

Watermelon Pico de Gallo

½ “seedless” watermelon (I used one of the smaller ones)

1 package cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 orange bell pepper

1 small jalapeno

1 small red onion

1 lime

Pinch of minced garlic

Directions

 

Dice or finely chop all ingredients, except lime. 

 

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Here's where my party planning tips come in!  I'd recommend using a glass or white bowl so you can see the colors POP once you've combined all the ingredients.  Or, if you're really feeling ambitious, you could hollow out the watermelon and serve the dish Au naturel.  You could also consider ramekins if you're hosting a small dinner group and wanted to serve it as a side salad.
 

Next, add pinch of minced garlic, juice of half - or whole - lime, some extra virgin olive oil, some red wine vinegar, season to taste, and remix.  I used black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt, but those are sort of my staples.  If you want to give it a little kick, you might consider cayenne or a splash of Frank's RedHot!  Refrigerate for at least half an hour, if possible. 

Let's just say this received rave reviews on its own, but would also be delicious atop grilled chicken or a halibut fillet.  The original recipe can be found here, but I added - and subtracted - some of my own touches.