Week Three: Wedding Prep

On Tuesday, I dropped The Planner and the soon-to-be Mr. Planner off at the airport. While I was busy on Monday, bra shopping and getting presents, The Planner received a call from her doctor's office with her diagnosis results. It was not the diagnosis she was hoping for, so after her wedding, she'll be going to a world-renowned medical center near her parents home to a second opinion. Keep your fingers crossed for her!

After dropping The Planners off at the airport, I headed over to Buzz to eat some honey-themed sweets and attend the Justin Wilson event. Buzz is a great little neighborhood bakery with excellent espresso drinks, and a wine list that eventually I'll try out. The decorating is decidedly hipster, with the focal point being a collection of found kitchen objects mounted on the main wall. Instead of being erudite, however, the eating area in Buzz is comfortable, and the baked goods are fantastic. I'm particularly fond of the cupcakes, in which a delicate, richly flavored cake is topped with a light mousse frosting. Yum.

Wednesday was supposed to be an at-home packing day, but finishing up all the work I needed to do at the office not only kept me at work longer than I'd planned, but sucked all the will to make dinner right out of me. Enter the Carlyle Grand Cafe in Shirlington, which just so happens to be conveniently on my bus ride home. I am a HUGE fan of Best Buns Bread Company, which is owned by the same restaurant group, and which occupies the space adjacent to the Carlyle. However, it had been years since I'd last eaten at the Carlyle, and my one experience with the restaurant was on a date, during which the gentleman I was with was trying to show off and encouraged me to order the fillet mignon (which I did). The fillet was excellent, but many restaurants serve steaks, and I wanted to see what else the Carlyle could do.

I walked into the Carlyle Wednesday evening and was immediately greeted by two attractive and friendly hostesses (not surprising--Great American Restaurant Group, which owns the Carlyle, is known for great service). As it was just me, and it looked like there would be a little bit of a wait, the hostess suggested that I sit at the bar (which was moderately crowded), and even procured a seat for me. I sat down, ordered a Carlyle Pale Ale and requested a dinner menu. After much consideration, I decided to keep cost down and order an appetizer and salad. The bartender didn't even blink an eye at my frugality (which I appreciated) and sent in my order promptly. Ten minutes later, my Steamed Lobster Pot Stickers with Lobster Ginger Butter arrived at in front of me, followed a few minutes later by my small Traditional Caesar Salad. It surprised me that the uncooked Caesar salad arrived before the cooked appetizer and I realize I probably should have specified arrival time, but the arrivals didn't particularly bother me. What did bother me, however, was the small amount of spiciness that began to settle in the back of my throat and was only exacerbated by my desperate gulps of beer. Oh dear. I must confess, I am not a foodie, though I do love food. I don't enjoy terribly spicy anything, and I have no clue as to food and drink pairings. I will say this, however: I learned a lesson Wednesday night. Pair spicy(ish) foods with something OTHER than beer. In what will be my only complaint about the service at the Carlyle, I will say that in order to get anything at the busy bar, one has to be very focused on catching the eye of one of the bartenders. It took me a few minutes of trying to get a hold of one of them and ask for my Diet Coke. The Diet Coke - Lobster Pot Stickers food combination, by the way, was wonderful, and I enjoyed myself way too much. Especially after the couple sitting across the bar from me sent me a shot that tasted like apples. A nice, preppy-looking couple sending a single girl in a business suit a shot? Hmm...

Once my dinner was done, I walked over to the couple and thanked them for the drink. They invited me to sit with them for another drink, and I did, wondering if it was some sort of weird swinger thing. After awhile, though, I got the feeling that the girl was the "wingwoman" (at least, this is what I hope) - especially after she left the bar for about 20 minutes to take a phone call, leaving me alone to talk with the guy. The guy did things like try to get us to go up to some unsuspecting men at the bar and ask them if they were gay. We declined. He also had an unhealthy habit of beginning sentences with the phrase "not to be racist or anything, but..." which immediately predicated a racist statement.

For the first time in my life, I was glad to have an early flight the next morning. I used that as my excuse, left my unfinished drink, and walked the 1/2 mile home.

The dinner was good, though.

If you go:

Buzz Bakery and Cafe
901 Slaters Ln.
Alexandria, VA 22314

The Carlyle Grand Cafe
4000 S. 28th St.
Arlington, VA 22206