Thursday, January 24, 2013

best of 2012 | superlatives

best of 2012
I have to admit, when I mentally reviewed 2012, I thought about a lot of struggles and not so many highlights. We didn't take any major trips this year - in fact, I didn't even make it off the east coast. (Lame!) There was no big exciting news or change for us as a family. 2012 was a lot of the same. Of days that repeated themselves. Of routines. Of repeated frustrations. But then I started scrolling through photos and blog posts from the past year, and realized that 2012 wasn't so bad after all. The highlights were more subtle, but they were still good:

CROSSED OFF MY LIFE LIST | Attend Grapehounds
                                                 Walk down the High Line
                                                 Paddle an Outrigger Canoe
STATES VISITED | Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina
FAVORITE TV SHOWS | Veep, Big Love, GirlsTop Chef
BEST MOVIES | The WayMoneyball50/50The DescendantsThe Ides of March
BEST BOOKS | Water for Elephants, Unbroken, Wild (See blog post.)
BEST MUSIC | See Larry's Favorites.
SONG THAT WILL REMIND ME OF 2012 | Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know"
BEST CONCERTS | Jason Isbell, Joe Pug (with David Wax Museum), Rhett Miller (with The Spring Standards), Josh Ritter, Brandi Carlilie, The Lumineers, Glen Hansard, Neil Young (with Patti Smith)
FAVORITE APP | Instagram
BEST WEEKEND ADVENTURE | Grapehounds
BEST OUTDOORSY EXPERIENCE | National Arboretum Full Moon Hike
BEST VIEW | Late Fall in Shenandoah
BEST SUNSET | The calm before the Frankenstorm
MOST REFRESHING | Drinking a Gin & Tonic overlooking the Atlantic Ocean
FAVORITE EXERCISE | Swimming
BEST WINE/WINERY | Linden Vineyards
BEST DRINK | Sangria at Alegria
BEST RESTAURANTS | Birch & Barley, Alegria
FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD DIVE | El Tio
BEST LUNCH | Shrimp Po' Boys from America Seafood
BEST FAST FOOD | Shake Shack
BEST LOCAL ATTRACTION | Angelika Film Center in the new Mosaic District
BEST PICNIC | Easter in Central Park
BEST HAPPY HOUR | On the beach in Nags Head
BEST TRIPS | New York City with Matt, Visiting Dad in Belmar
BEST NEW YORK MOMENT | Baraat in 42nd Street
MOST DEPRESSING BILLBOARD | "I'm feeling very unstable and insecure."
BEST WEDDING | Shagun & Guarav
FRIENDS' NEW BABIES | Welcome to the world Nathan, James, Evan, and Evelyn!
BEST REUNION | Reconnecting with our old crew at our old stomping grounds - The Bottom Line
MOST FUN WITH FRIENDS | Birthday Wine Tour
BEST DC MOMENT | Space Shuttle Discovery Flyover
PROUDEST U.S. MOMENT | President Obama's re-election
BEST WILDLIFE SIGHTING | Fox in our yard
CRAZIEST CRITTER | Crazy DC Squirrel
NAUGHTIEST DESSERT | Mom's Bikini Cookies
MOST SPIRITED DESSERT | Otto the Orange and Flying WV cookies
FAVORITE INGREDIENTS | Shrimp and scallops
BEST RECIPESDeep Dish Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust
                           Milk Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
                           Roast Chicken Thighs with Lentil Stew
                           Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Spicy Avocado Crema and Corn Pico de Gallo
                           Steak with Garlic, Oregano, Orange, and Cumin Marinade (Great on chicken, too!)
                           Shrimp and Fresh Corn Grits with Pecan Butter
                           Blueberry Crumble
                           Smokin' Sweet Chicken Wings with Cherry Barbeque Glaze
                           Fried Shrimp Flatbreads with Spicy Cardamom Sauce
                           Scallops and Pasta with Pistachio-Parsley Pesto
BEST BLOG POSTSYou're Under Arrest
                                  My Platform
                                  Go To Your Room!
                                  Week in the Life: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, recap
                                  49 Book Confessions
BEST CRAFT PROJECTS | Hand-Painted Ceramic Tealight Holders 
                                          Heart Garlands
                                          Yarn-Wrapped Bottle
                                          Handmade Holiday (Modern Painted Wood Ball Ornaments)
BEST DIY PROJECT Shower/Tub Shelf
BEST BACKYARD FIND | Reclaimed wood (which still hasn't been made into anything)
LONGEST DECISION MAKING PROCESS EVER | Bedroom Furniture (we still don't have any)
BEST COLLECTION | In the Bungalow
BEST NEW TRADITION | Sunday night baths
BEST OLD TRADITIONS | Vacation in the Outer Banks, Hosting a New Year's Eve Party
BEST HOLIDAY MOMENTS | Drinking absinthe at Thanksgiving, Christmas with Larry at 4:30am
WEIRDEST HOLIDAY CARD | Christmas Octopus
BEST GIFT MESSAGE | Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down!
BEST PERSONAL DESIGN PROJECT | Smoellke Christmas Card
BEST ARTISTIC ACCOMPLISHMENT | Things That Are Awesome Illustration
BEST PUBLICITY FOR FUNNELCLOUD STUDIO | Being featured on Young House Love
BEST I'M-A-12-YEAR-OLD-BOY-AT-HEART MOMENT | Things That Are Awful
THRIFTIEST | Spending $0 on books
MOST ASS-CLENCHING MOMENT | Watching the Space Jump
MOST STRESSFUL (BUSINESS) | Preparing for Artscape
MOST STRESSFUL (PERSONAL) | Refinancing our mortgage
MOST INTRIGUING | The Mystery of the Brass Rat
MOST ANNOYING HABIT | Banjo's obsession with sniffing the floors
MOST FUN WITH AN INANIMATE OBJECT | Dogs vs. Helium Balloon
BEST DRESSED | Dogs in Scarves
FAVORITE SUMMER SHOES | Teva Mush Flip Flops
FAVORITE WINTER SHOES | Minnetonka Double Fringe Boots
BEST OF THE BEST | Meeting and befriending the talented and inspiring women in my small business group. (Thank you Jane, Toya, and Steffanie - you three keep me sane!)

1 comment:

Jane @ The Borrowed Abode said...

How did I not see this post until now? I love your format for year-in-review.

And my dear, "keeping you sane" implies that you were sane to start with. Hmm....