Week Five: Cafe Salsa

After volunteering for my Delegate to the Virginia State House on Tuesday, I was pretty much a loser for the rest of the week--I stayed in Wednesday and Thursday and did nothing but update my blog (not that that's bad) and watch the first season of The West Wing on DVD (ok, that's pretty sad).

Friday was a different story, however. My friend Red declared that he wanted to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on Friday, and as I had told him I'd see it again because I liked it, he invited me along.

And I'm glad I went - it gave me a chance to spend another two hours ogling Gary Oldman, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman and Jason Isaacs. Red was enthused to find out that Helena Bonham-Carter was in this Harry Potter, and I was reminded yet again of how much of a British character actor nerd I am (I think only Marathoner truly understands).

After the movie, we decided to head into Old Town for dinner and found ourselves on King St. in a restaurant called Cafe Salsa. The upstairs of Cafe Salsa is more of a dance club, where they offer Salsa lessons every Tuesday, and Salsa nights with a DJ every Friday and Saturday. In fact, by the time we got there at 9:30PM, we could hear it just getting started.

The service at Cafe Salsa is friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. When I asked about the ceviches available, the waiter was able to recite the ingredients in each one. The complimentary "bread basket" is really a basket of four crackers supporting a pile of crisp fried plantain chips, with accompanying smoky red salsa and green olive tapenade. Both were excellent and, to my surprise and delight, not spicy at all.

On a whim, Red and I ordered the Empanadas Islenas--crisp-fried buttery mashed potato shells stuffed with shredded cuban beef or marinated chicken. I was in love from the very first bite. If you know me, you'll eventually hear me discuss how mashed potatoes and stewed meat were a cherished mainstay of my Mid-Western childhood. And fried mashed potatoes? With meat stewed in a tomato-based sauce in the middle? Oh my goodness. These empanadas approached nirvana for me. I think next time I go, I'll just order that as my main dish and call it a day. I really couldn't believe how very good they were!

Next up was my entree of Chuletas Borrachas, which turned out to be marinated grilled pork chops drenched in a rum-tamarind sauce, served with rice and lima beans. It was all right. I found the pork chops dry and the rum-tamarind sauce too sweet. The lima-rice combo was good, even though it had sliced cooked red bell peppers tainting it (ok, ok. I don't like cooked bell peppers - but at least I gave it a shot, right?). I still packed up the leftovers for Saturday's lunch, but to be honest it was only in the interest of making another meal out of it. Now if you get me some of those empanadas, however, I'll follow you anywhere. Those are worth the trip just by themselves.

If you go:

Cafe Salsa
808 King St.
Alexandria, VA 22314

Week Five: Cheese, Glorious Cheese!

Since I didn't have any plans for Monday after work, I decided it might be a nice day to return the library books I checked out a year ago when I actually lived in the District. They were, uh, a little overdue. By about a year.

*cough*

After that, I just wasn't ready to go home yet, and began wandering around F. St., right there between Metro Center and Gallery Place. I window shopped at H & M, peeked in at McCormick and Schmick's (but decided not to partake of their most excellent happy hour menu). Oh, and I discovered that I am considered a size Large at American Apparel. WTF?!? I'm a 0 at Ann Taylor! Boo! I shake my fist at you, American Apparel! *shakes fist!*

*stepping off soapbox*

I continued my wander down F St. NW, and discovered it: the Cowgirl Creamery Cheese shop. I went in. It smelled like cheese. How glorious.

The front part of the store is dedicated to cheese-y accouterments: artisan breads, "Cowgirl Creamery" cheese spreaders, and cheese grab-bags made up of the brand's most popular cheeses. Oh, and also jars of gourmet jam, crackers and chocolate. I carry a secret torch for good jam.

The back room is where the real goods are. A couple refrigerated self-serve cases offer pre-packaged feta, soft goat cheese, pecorino romano and ricotta., among other things. The real draw, though, is the gorgeous display of every kind of cheese I have never heard of (remember, I'm a foodie in training. I'm not there yet). Well, I've heard of manchego. To be honest, though, I was awfully wrapped up in the different kinds of butters available in the refrigerated case. I had no idea that there is such a thing called "cultured" butter, and that it is different from "regular" butter. Apparently, according to the educated staff, cultured butter has a tangier taste than regular butter. I will have to try that sometime.

I was a little too intimidated to get help from the staffed counter with the beautiful block-and-wheel-of-cheese displays, so I hemmed and hawed at the refrigerator case, finally choosing a small wedge of Pecorino Romano, a package of Camembert, and a Cowgirl Creamery cheese spreader for good measure. I also succumbed to the siren song of some blackberry preserves, which came in an octagonal jar with a little computer-printed label . These preserves are made of three ingredients: organic blackberries, pectin and sugar. I'm am giddy.

Sadly, Cowgirl Creamery was sold out of baguettes for the day, and Best Buns Bakery was closed by the time my Metro Bus meandered past it, so no baguette for me yet to go with the Camembert, but my goods are in the fridge waiting for me.

And I'm already planning my next trip to test out this new realm of cheese.


If you go:

Cowgirl Creamery
919 F St. NW
Washington, DC 20004

Week Four: Tysons Corner with the RN

A friend of mine, whom I met through CrapBastard over St. Patrick's Day, works as a nurse in the area. Every once in a while, she gets a few days off, and we get together, usually we catch dinner somewhere and chat for a few hours. Last Saturday, we decided to meet half-way between our homes at Tysons Corner, get dinner at Gordon Biersch, and see "License to Wed" at the AMC theater there, and also chat for a few hours.

Here is what I like about Tysons Corner: it's huge, and it has stores that I have never seen before. For example, I have never seen a Banana Republic store completely devoted to petites. This is like a type of heaven for me.

Here's what I don't like about Tysons Corner: it's huge, which means there are a lot of people in one place--especially on a Saturday. That means it's noisy. And incredibly dirty. If you do happen to find yourself at Tysons Corner, do yourself a favor: don't use the bathrooms. My experience in the ones I found near the food court is likely to give me nightmares.

My dinner at Gordon Biersch, however, was quite good. Our waiter was attentive, and the food was good. I had the Gorgonzola Bone-in Ribeye (a real ribeye this time) with garlic mashed potatoes and julienned yellow and green squash, and RN had the burger and fries. The Ribeye was great - and almost as good when I reheated it the next day. The potatoes and julienned squash never made it home because they were yummy.

"License to Wed" was entertaining, though I liked Harry Potter 5 better. The real treat at the AMC theater in Tysons Corner, though, is the ergonomic seats. Bar none, they are the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in at a movie theater.

We ate, we chatted, we watched a movie, window shopped, and I was home before 11. After the previous night, it was heavenly.

If you go:

Tysons Corner Center
1961 Chain Bridge Rd.
McLean, VA 22102

Gordon Biersch
7861 L Chain Bridge Rd.
McLean, VA 22102

AMC Theaters
7850 E Tysons Corner Center
McLean, VA 22102

Week Four: Bond, The Willard, and Harry Potter

Let me tell you, I am a big Harry Potter fan and have been anticipating the release of the seventh book for quite some time. In fact, I pre-ordered it a few months ago, and for me, it was late because I even waited a few weeks after it was available for pre-order (big risk taker here, I know). To be honest, though, I've never been too interested in release parties. They seemed fun, but really not my thing. I just want to get to the store, get my book, get home, and get reading. With that in mind, I've gotten my last two Harry Potter books from the Borders at 14th and F St. NW, in downtown DC. Once the working day ends and the restaurants have closed, the part of the city near the Treasury and the White House becomes relatively quiet, and since the area isn't residential, the Harry Potter party is limited to people like me, who just want to stop by, get their book, and leave. Perfect.

I had Friday (relatively) planned-- I would test out the Willard's new restaurant, Cafe du Parc. As I knew a few of the concierges back from my days in the business, I would stop by their desk and reconnect for a few minutes. And if I got bored before midnight, I might even be persuaded to head over to Gifford's for some ice cream, or the Elephant and Castle for a Harp.

I went to Cafe du Parc. The bread there is the fantastic European kind with the hard, crunchy golden exterior and soft, white interior. The service is excellent as well. If there is anything that one can count on with the Willard and all of its associate ventures, it is the service. It is quick, it is friendly, and it is knowledgeable. I am told the Four Seasons has better service, but I'm not sure how much better you can get. I have a feeling that the differences there are in the most minute of details, and I am so not the splitting-hairs type.

The entree, I think, could have been better, but let me tell you what I did like about it. If you look at the picture, you'll see some roasted garlic and grilled eggplant. I really liked those. I don't know if I've ever had roasted garlic, but I've always known that garlic has a lot of sugar in it (anyone who has cooked with garlic at all, can see that). For this reason, I have no idea why I didn't think roasted garlic would be sweet, but it is--pleasantly so. The grilled eggplant was nice, too. As soon as it hit my mouth, I felt it practically melt on my tongue, my tension melting with it.

One thing I don't like about eating in restaurants is the fact that so many of them drastically over-salt their food. Cafe du Parc does not, even though with such a mild flavor, the eggplant seems perfect for some salt--and then a little more...and some more still. Instead, they grilled the eggplant with just a little bit of olive oil, allowing the flavor to shine through. Yummy.

I'm a little conflicted about the main part of the entree- the one that looks like a ribeye steak. The genius of it is that it's not really a ribeye steak. Ok, yes, I am one of those country bumpkins that gets all excited when my food is dressed up to look like something it's not. I giggled when I realized that the part of my entree that looked like meat was actually a mixture of greens. Not sure what these mystery vegetables were, but they were tasty, as was the hard-boiled quail's egg that was supposed to be the "bone" of the "ribeye", and which I was thoroughly certain I wasn't going to like (but tried anyway, and did like). The lighter section wrapped around the veggie-quail's egg masterpiece, however, was supposed to be the veal. I say "supposed to be" because, well, there wasn't a whole lot of veal there. Just fat. And I was kind of disappointed, because I wanted the veal.

Perhaps this was planned - perhaps the chef needed to increase the fat content of the "ribeye" to keep something from getting too dry. I'm not sure, but when the waitress came over to check on me, she insisted that everything on the plate could be eaten and exhorted me to eat the "veal" that was really fat. I ate a few more bites, just to be polite but really, there are better uses for the calories...

...such as the chocolate mousse topped with fresh raspberries that I had for dessert, for example. Yum. The mousse was dense, the flavor was rich, and the raspberries were at their peak. I was a happy camper with this mousse. Sadly, it was so rich, and I was so full from my dinner, that I was only able to finish half of it (though I polished off all of the raspberries). Ah well, better luck next time.

This is where my evening went off the track I had planned for it: during my meal, unknown to me, my friend Bond called and left a message inviting me to meet up with him and one member of his merry band of cads and scoundrels at Bourbon in Glover Park. I decided then that Harry Potter would just have to wait until Saturday and headed to the concierge desk to get an exact address for Bourbon, as well as hopefully shoot the breeze with the concierge on duty.

As luck would have it, an acquaintance of mine was working the desk, and we proceeded to chat for the next 45 minutes or so about restaurants and places to live, venues, activities, mutual friends and, of course, gossip about the Washington, DC hospitality scene. My Concierge Friend not only vetted my current list of restaurants, bars and venues, but even added a few to it, for which I am grateful (though my list is now so large I am unsure that I will ever see even half the spots I have on it). We exchanged email addresses, promised to keep in touch, and I really hope we do. I loved getting his insight and would love to check out some new restaurants with him.

Bourbon was as it has always been for me - very laid back and, for the most part, uncrowded. I love that. This is not a place that I would go to wearing, say, a tank top and cut-offs, but in my Friday office casual wear (a nice pair of jeans, camisole and a blazer) I felt quite comfortable. We told stories, Bond tried to get me drunk on wine, and his cadly friend hit on the cocktail waitress. Bond and I took a cab back to his Dupont Circle condo and chatted some more before I crashed on his couch. I have a distinct feeling that Bond (being who he is) had...other plans...for us for the evening...but that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

And the next day, in the haze of a red wine hangover, I took the metro to Metro Center, got a coffee at the Caribou near there, headed over to Borders to pick up my book, and then went home. Delicious.

If you go:

Cafe du Parc
1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20004

Willard Intercontinental Washington
1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20004

Bourbon - Glover Park
2348 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20007

Week Four: My Mom Visits-- Part Two!

Monday, though I had planned to take a day off, I went into work. With The Planner not back to work yet and a fundraiser to set up (by the way-- did I mention my boss is giving me jobs other than answering the phone?!? YIPPEE!!!), I could not afford to take the day. Mom didn't mind-- she took the opportunity to explore the National Mall and the U.S Botanic Garden. We decided to meet up after my fundraiser at Union Station, and find dinner after that. Unfortunately, my fundraiser went a little late. Fortunately, I had decided to take Mom to the Dubliner for dinner, which is right across the street from Union Station.

The Dubliner is crowded, the food is...edible, and the floor in the bar area is permanently sticky. I don't care. It's a comfortable place, the service is (relatively) quick, there's live music on weekends, and it has the best bathrooms in the city (outside of the Willard). Besides, my friend Crap Bastard loves it, and I love him. So I took Mom there. I had the fish and chips because it was safe, and upon receiving them realized that I'm not all that wild about the Fish and Chips there, I only order them because they're safe. I should have ordered the Sirloin Burger. Mom went a little further out and ordered the Seared Salmon Salad, loved it, and then proceeded to finish off my Fish and Chips declaring that she is always hungry after eating "rabbit food". Mom really liked the Fish and Chips and pronounced them to be very similar to what she had while on her post-doctoral research fellowship in Kew, though she says that the chips at the Dubliner were much better than the ones she had at the pubs in England. I guess nobody really goes to Britain for the food, do they?

After the Dubliner, we planned to go home, but at the last minute, I decided to veer off 395 to the Air Force Memorial. It's the one monument I can clearly see from my apartment windows, and I thought it would be a shame if Mom didn't get to see it up close and in person. Besides, she's been to just about everything else, and I was running out of cool new places to take her. So we went. Unlike the memorials on the National Mall, the Air Force Memorial's location in Virginia ensures that there are no crowds-- except for the ones that really want to be there. It's on a peaceful ridge next to some barracks, and you wouldn't know it, but the view of downtown Washington, DC is phenomenal. You can't really see the green of the Mall, but beyond the Pentagon, which spreads out before you, is a panorama which includes the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Library of Congress, the Washington Monument, the Capitol, the White House and even the National Cathedral (among other sites). The view was worth the trip, but the Memorial itself is beautiful in its simplicity. I wasn't much of a fan when it was first constructed, but it's really grown on me.

By the by, when Mom and I entered the Memorial grounds, we noticed a sign at the entrance advertising free concerts featuring the Air Force Band every Wednesday and Friday night , right there at the Memorial. (weather permitting). Definitely something to put on my to-do list (and I do have one).

If You Go:


The Dubliner
4 F St. NW
Washington, DC 20001

The Air Force Memorial
One Air Force Memorial Drive
Arlington, VA 22211 (use the directions on the website)

Week Four: My Mom Visits!

Sunday: Exhausted from our drive on Saturday, Mom and I slept in. I missed my Sunday "long" run, but decided I needed the sleep more than the two miles. Still groggy, we unloaded the car, whereupon I discovered that instead of the new (red!) microwave and Japanese screen I had paid my mom to buy, I instead received a box of children's books and the notes from my high school Spanish class. Lovely. I have a 489 sq. ft. apartment. It's great that my mom saved this stuff, but do I look like I have space for my high school Spanish II notes? 489 sq. ft. Oi. I discovered this, shoved the boxes in my newly-discovered storage locker in the bowels of my building, and then packed up Mom in the car and took her to Shirlington. I needed coffee. And then I needed a nap.

After my coffee and a nap, Mom and I decided to go see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, at Potomac Yards. I loved it, and I personally think it's the strongest of the series. I laughed, I cried -- all the usual. ;)

After that, we picked up Mr. Planner, dropped him off at his apartment (along with the wedding gifts we'd transported for him and Mrs Planner), and headed into Old Town Alexandria for dinner at La Tasca. I don't care that it's a chain, it was yummy! Well, everything was yummy except the Paella Valenciana. That wasn't so great - the rice, chicken, seafood and sausage were no great shakes, and the peas had that "canned peas" taste to them *shudder*. But the Calamari, the Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp with garlic sauce), Tortilla Espanola (Spanish potato omelette) , Berenjenas Fritas con Queso Cabrales (fried eggplant with creamy cheese dip), and the Sangria Blanca (white sangria) were all fantastic. The thing with La Tasca is when you order the unlimited tapas, you don't get a doggie bag, so you have to stuff yourself and/or let what you can't eat go to waste--and I'm Mid-Western, so you know how much I hate wasted food! Aaaaaack!! So we stuffed ourselves. It was ridiculous. And when we couldn't possibly eat any more tapas, we ordered and shared the Flan de Huevo con Salsa de Caramelo, Pasas y Pinones (Egg Flan with Caramel Sauce, Raisins and Pine Nuts). That was just okay. There was something about the texture--you know, when you expect custard and get something slightly watery, it's...disconcerting. But the raisins and pine nuts were a nice addition to a flan which even with caramel sauce was very mild.

By the time we rolled down the street back to our car and went to Trader Joe's, I was crossing things off of my grocery list that suddenly didn't sound as exciting as they had back when I was hungry. When the penny-pinchers tell you not to go grocery shopping when you're hungry, they are NOT kidding. That had to be my cheapest grocery bill ever. Awesome.

If you go:

La Tasca
607 King St.
Alexandria, VA 22314

Why I should do blog entries as soon as I have the experience (i.e.: Week Three - Sunday)

I completely forgot to write about my experience in Adams-Morgan! The Sunday after The Planner's bachelorette party, I decided to go exploring boutiques. Specifically, I was interested in finding clothing that fit me (for more on this topic, see the entry on Lingerie Success).

Most people know Adams-Morgan as an area with a plethora of restaurants, bars and clubs (oh, and Amsterdam Falafel and the Big Slice). If you go during the day, however, you'll discover an entirely different Adams-Morgan-- one with vintage furniture and clothing shops and trendy boutiques (and Amsterdam Falafel and the Big Slice).

So--eureka--I went to Adams-Morgan during the day (there's actually PARKING!), and wandered up and down 18th St. NW, and then up and down Columbia St. NW. Found a few restaurants I'd heard about (but didn't know where they were), wandered in and out of antique shops, boutiques, and vintage clothing stores, was accosted by a saleswoman in a vintage clothing store who I suspect hadn't seen another human being in weeks, and discovered, much to my delight, Shake Your Booty.

Shake Your Booty is a trendy women's clothing and shoe store tucked into a small building between a hipster furniture store and an Ethiopian clothing boutique. The walls are painted PINK, and everything in the store has a price tag that puts it in the $30 - $60 range--perfect for someone who wants quality clothing, but doesn't want to sell their firstborn to get it. The sales staff is young, friendly, and extremely helpful - one girl took a dress off a mannequin for me to try on because she thought it would look good on me (it did, but it was one of those dresses you see on Nicole Ritchie - totally NSFW). It was here that I discovered shoes that I adored that I didn't see on everyone else. It was also at this store that I discovered a bias-cut black and white jersey dress that fit me like it was made for me (moreso than the usual bias cut jersey dress). It is gorgeous, and if I put a black camisole underneath it, I actually can wear it to work. Special bonus - unlike the ubiquitous Ann Taylor skirts, I have yet to see anyone else wearing this dress. And it was on sale - originally $60, now $40. $40 for work appropriate dress - that's well within my clothing budget for the month. I say "yes" to that.

And that was my victory in Adams-Morgan.

If you go:

Shake Your Booty
2439 18th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009