tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63998851872852149812011-07-30T18:12:09.545-04:00cooking eating drinkingdctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.comBlogger511100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-42260050189377468852010-07-07T16:06:00.016-04:002010-07-09T11:01:13.544-04:00

me, i think i could be in paris indefinitely but we just had a few days here. not sad about that because i know i'll be back again and again.i'm not going to drone on [for once] about my experience as if it's any more significant than yours is or was or could be. everyone's trip to paris is going to be different.i'm just going to offer some tidbits about what you might consider if you ever feel

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-66108277887153555692009-11-29T17:24:00.040-05:002010-07-07T15:45:36.034-04:00

recently, i learned that a friend i met in dubrovnik, croatia passed away. though i can't do our trip justice via blog, i still dedicate this story to him.rip, cameron wilson.note: i began this story shortly after our trip but i just finished it today, july 7.here we go.who thinks of going to croatia for vacatia? for many years it was on my list, the dalmation coast and dubrovnik. my besties and

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-65172909248549760332009-11-13T11:18:00.021-05:002009-11-13T18:24:28.898-05:00

thinking is overrated. so i say, stop already. stop thinking, just do. trust me when i tell you this is a pretty good way to navigate life.as you well know, i don't like to think about things much before doing them. mostly this works out nicely.let's for a moment review some life-changing decisions i didn't give much thought to:adopting philippe, one of the smartest, most handsome and

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-40083202923327260532009-11-12T01:33:00.020-05:002009-11-13T17:45:41.529-05:00

i'm becoming predictable, no? checking out the new happenins at 14th st nw. again. perhaps i'll name my first-born logan shaw since i'm preoccupied with the eats and drinks in this 'hood. tonight, a friday, another new resto/bar is our destination. opened by the neighborhood restaurant group within the month, birch & barley [the downstairs resto] and churchkey, the upstairs beer bar with over 50

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-56501657275154798982009-11-11T23:46:00.006-05:002009-11-13T17:44:12.926-05:00

i love the smell of new. especially when it's wafting within the splendidly-detailed vestibules of an authentically old building. the folks who redesigned the jefferson weren't playing around; they expertly managed to preserve all the grandiose and stately elements you'd expect of a hotel named after the great thomas jefferson. in washington dc. a tourist's dream. sometimes i feel so

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-17616578491021439982009-11-11T21:22:00.015-05:002009-11-13T10:46:51.712-05:00

long overdue, this bit on potenza, italian food, bakery and wine. i'm super-conscious of that as i'm freezing my arse off now while remembering the frock i was spotted wearing that night [more on that below]. apologies to both of you for the non-blog of late, but i'm sure you've found more educational things to read in the meantime. plus, you know how i love shoes. and handbags. thus, work has

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-44109317193676341502009-10-02T09:09:00.010-04:002009-10-02T10:45:48.250-04:00

you know you can fry anything right?people love fried. they love you for making it. they love you for serving it. they kinda want to hug you. they gaze upon you with admiration and awe. their gaze moves from you to the fried blah blah blah and they get all mouthwatery googly eyed. some even get a little romantic. i don't blame them. i get it.last night i was the girl serving fried oreos. fried

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-50084702687006751052009-08-18T13:20:00.017-04:002009-08-20T12:36:49.487-04:00

my two new and now obsessions: the u street corridor and vampires. what the? i know you're thinking vampires don't really have a place in this blog. but i don't really give a bat's ass about that. humor me, please. i'm gonna give it a whirl, incorporating them. you'll see it's not too difficult for my overactive and fantasizing pea-brain. i'm not embarrassed too much to admit that i wish i

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-35228844458291231252009-08-13T17:21:00.008-04:002009-08-14T14:34:36.613-04:00

see, when your mama advises you that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all, you should listen. sometimes it comes back around and bites you in the tush. and not in a good way. here's your chance, friends to say it. you told me so.i find the following comment sent by "anonymous" unequivocally worth posting. it's honest. it might even be true. and like i always say, if

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-58056145888424099172009-08-10T12:19:00.006-04:002009-08-10T17:13:23.730-04:00

policy is one of the smooth new coolcat spots to grace the u street corridor. joining old school classics cafe st. ex and local 16 along with the new: hominy, 1905, the gibson and new-ish marvin, cork and vinoteca. what i'm loving about the u street corridor is now we have freedom of choice. you don't get all the way over there only to find yourself trapped in a joint you're not feelin. eclectic

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-51695292827750127042009-08-09T14:33:00.016-04:002009-08-10T12:16:33.933-04:00

there's always been a buzz about ray's the steaks. people who've tried ray's either love it or hate it for reasons that mostly boil down to expectations and ambience. what's not to love? here's a cluebird for ya: read reviews before you dine out. not every resto should offer the same old sheet. it's what makes the world go round. i like to embrace these differences. recently ray's moved down the

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-2459959429741642692009-08-08T14:13:00.009-04:002009-08-08T16:46:44.657-04:00

at long last, it's open. dc's first w hotel. in all its glory glory hallelujah. formerly the tattered hotel washington - home of the best view in town [available to the public]. me, i don't give a sqeaky squirrel's arse about the hotel itself. the girls and i have been discussing how cool it would be to james brown style getonup to the rooftop terrace after years of construction. how touristy of

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-81563237518047063632009-06-29T10:37:00.023-04:002009-06-29T15:06:49.850-04:00

washington national harbor - brand-spankin huge. holy mother of colossal newness. what was a dubious opening last winter, a few restos and shops opening in the dead of cold and amidst crappy economy, things have changed [all caps]. i visited saturday to be a part of a friend's birthday fete and whaddayaknow, the place is thriving. unless you traverse the woodrow wilson bridge you probably feel

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-18054755163896671992009-06-27T11:00:00.007-04:002009-06-27T15:18:57.999-04:00

if you're interested in cocktail culture, search for the dim blue light. it's above a door located just barely off king street smack in the center of old town alexandria. behind eamonn's dublin chipper.if it's on, px is open and there are people inside having super-intriguing cocktails. there's no sign letting you know the 20's fashioned speakeasy exists. if you haven't heard about it through the

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-16546009778351914892009-06-22T03:01:00.007-04:002009-06-27T16:00:34.018-04:00

i took a leisurely trip to the harris teeter last sunday evening to see what they had in store for me to pick up. a grocery trip for sport alone. i never get to savor shopping here because i'm always in a raging dash. why harris teeter, and not safeway? why not whole foods tonight? the teeter happens to be the one with the most capacity for budding romance due to its proximity to me as well as

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-62352428563840088352009-06-21T10:45:00.011-04:002009-06-27T15:21:23.209-04:00

(pictured is the butcher's block, just next door to the tasting room)a couple of months ago i inadvertently stepped in to the tasting room on my way to eat next door at brabo. and ever-so-briefly i admired groups of fun attractives enjoying what seemed like a hip joint. [not to be confused with a hip joint replacement.] i'm supposed to be attending my high school reunion in oklahoma right this

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-81932155431374412912009-06-14T10:13:00.015-04:002009-06-16T17:29:55.103-04:00

a few friends have asked for fish recipes. i guess because it's summer and you're feelin a little bored [puffy].i'm merryhappy to share with my buddies my $25k education plus years of working with some uber-talented [screaming] chefs. for free. others should benefit besides myself. just don't get annoyed when i ask for legal advice in return.this blog's tagline is cooking, eating, drinking. i

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-21798470661072156762009-06-12T10:18:00.009-04:002009-06-12T16:36:16.413-04:00

happy procrastination friday. facebook's 25 things about me that might bore the bejesus out of you. originally published 2 february, 2009.1. i avoid using the shift key and rarely use caps. i like to type as fast as i can. someone told me for christmas he'd like to buy me a shift key. who cares? at least i don't shorten everything on top of that, like lol, lmao, lmfao, ttyl, bfn, bff, etc. i also

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-64433604016442240062009-06-11T12:51:00.015-04:002009-06-27T15:22:50.360-04:00

ok, so lately i'm socializing on 8th street, southeast. aka barracks row. it's so easy to be there. if you wanna see me, invite me to nearly anywhere on 8th street and i'm alloverit. i kinda want to move to that 'hood. seriously. the restored barracks row district has it all in this smartly-dressed girl's estimation. and it keeps gettin better. starting with the new greek resto, cava mezze. and

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-60452887349111921402009-06-06T19:21:00.000-04:002009-06-07T11:06:46.975-04:00

it feels pretty gross to wake up in your adorable black vera wang lavendar label frock. not to mention it's terribly uncouth. at the ritz. at motel 6. wherever. why am i in 14.5's room [rather than my rain man suite]? great. the walk of shame at the ritz-carlton san francisco. and i don't have a reason to feel shame except i've mistreated one of my favorite dresses. made exclusively for bergdorf

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-55036538008136204992009-06-06T17:18:00.000-04:002009-06-07T11:53:10.187-04:00

sad, so sad to be leaving the astonishingly beautiful countryside and hills of the napa valley and sonoma, i look ahead to what might lie ahead tonight. or not. pahleeze. who gives a frog's fat ass, i'm having a fabulous time.i enjoy a leisurely drive. i'm not in a hurry, savoring my visits to bouchon bistro and the oakville grocery. i feel lucky. which is only slightly better than feeling cute.

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-91397331482553699232009-06-06T16:08:00.000-04:002009-06-07T10:29:36.913-04:00

love at first sight.{it's not just a song by kylie minogue}some would argue that love at first sight is horsepuckey fairytalery. it's not possible. it's silly and nonsensical. well it is silly and nonsensical but you can't help it when it happens.[if you must know, i think it's happened to me many times: matt damon in mystic pizza, dude from columbus, mr. strong, geez could i go on? i should

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-79982209652873278852009-06-06T11:28:00.000-04:002009-06-07T10:59:23.425-04:00

a.k.a. bouchon, 6534 washington street, yountville, cafog or no fog it's scary as hell to photograph the golden gate bridge whilst driving across it.you know how i know going to napa must be like going to heaven? because it's 80 degrees and sunny as you get past the bridge. curious weather phenomenon of the bay and the valley, low pressure, warm air getting trapped, blah, blah, blah. gracious me

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-517330571975122672009-06-06T10:20:00.000-04:002009-06-07T11:43:11.033-04:00

disoriented, i wake up in my absurdly luxe pad to the doorbell. room service at 6:45 am seemed like a good idea the night prior because i can't function until i'm mainlining the french roast. that was before i knew i'd be whoopin it up til three. my $30 pot of coffee was magically here, delivered by an angel of the ritz. actually i think the coffee was $23, but the cream was $6.50. [they do

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-32133945076982697702009-06-05T14:24:00.000-04:002009-06-07T11:46:28.618-04:00

for some time now i've been wanting to revisit both san fran and napa valley. haven't been in three or four years. recently an occasion presented itself to get my little behind out there. so i hopped into a taxi, onto a few planes and there i was, some silly 9 hours later. what was i thinking not flying direct? thank goodness for 10-minute manicure and massage at jfk. a good way to kill time fyi.

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-67681704168662439672009-06-02T08:01:00.000-04:002009-06-02T22:48:06.102-04:00

one of my friends/readers keeps asking me to post miscellaneous stories of funny events that happen - more specifically sans food and for the love of tom ford, devoid of anything related to fashion. and to please be more succinct. well firstly, you can kiss my creamy saffron grits. i can't help that i'm long-winded. i've got a lot to say.this one's for you, friend. i dread a trip to costco. i

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-32777166596854720392009-06-01T12:14:00.000-04:002009-06-01T14:30:18.084-04:00

my life pretty much revolves around food. food is my life. it's not always my best buddy but we usually get along quite well. i'm either thinking about it, preparing it or eating it when i'm awake. and perhaps in my sleep, who knows. (of course, in reality my friends and family are most important to me but until y'all start paying my bills....)a relatively interesting thought has entered my pea

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-39398041049133567092009-05-15T12:40:00.001-04:002009-06-07T11:04:57.646-04:00

you know that game at the fair. squash-a-squirrelbonk-a-badgerspank-a-gophercall it what you will.i call it trying to find someone dateable for more than one to three hours. if i'm lucky a yummy summer romance that leads to happilyeverafter.trying to find a love interest is like whack-a-mole. by process of elimination [of vermin], i'm gonna find that perfect-for-me guy {i think his name is matt

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-81303725602598642822009-05-12T08:37:00.001-04:002009-06-07T11:01:27.638-04:00

one person almost always thinks the date went better than the other. pessimistic attitude? no - realistic, friends. come on, i've been doing this a while. i've dated a lot of frogs hoping [hopping?] to find my prince: online tom cruise look-a-like who looked like a troll in person, to girl-hands, text-a-holic, narcissist, tattered t-shirt, jean short-wearin' with tevas dude, gold-necklace,

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-88153372524761853892009-05-04T14:07:00.000-04:002009-06-07T11:06:10.605-04:00

this is not a restaurant review. this instead is a blind date review. why? because there's really only one reason to eat at legal seafoods - there's nothing else around, there's no reason to talk about their food. it's marginal and that's being generous. legal seafoods serves a purpose: you're at the airport grabbing a bite, at the mall grabbing a bite (on a blind date) and you have to eat

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-84409363003683089662009-04-30T08:57:00.000-04:002009-06-07T11:05:36.753-04:00

(eve, the bistro. it's very romantic at night)it annoys me that i can't think of a befitting word to describe my dining experience at restaurant eve but i have to proceed nonetheless. amazing? no, overused. fantastic? nope, underwhelming. perfect? tres cliche. it was simply flawless. from walking in through the understated entrance on s. pitt street to the moment i left, every moment was truly

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-44255298459171855972009-04-20T17:08:00.000-04:002009-04-20T18:05:48.379-04:00

give it a whirl. that's my motto.and so i did unsuccessfully give it a half-assed whirl. running for office, that is.just a quick follow-up to food and politics. politics and food, for those dying to know the results of the election. in a nutshell, i wasted a perfectly good evening at the annual park fairfax neighborhood board meeting for the elections last wednesday. we lost. period the end. it

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-69326842175328836462009-04-11T12:15:00.000-04:002009-06-07T11:03:20.216-04:00

first of all i'm shouting, "bravo!" that someone has finally invested in the revival of old town alexandria. {if you want my thoughts on old town, click on the entry for jackson 20}.chef robert weidmaier, of dc's brasserie beck and the lovely marcel's, has expanded his repertoire of resto's.not only has robert weidmaier opened brabo restaurant, named after the roman hero, silvius brabo, just next

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-61601078931527515392009-03-29T10:50:00.000-04:002009-04-20T18:08:15.145-04:00

dubbing myself, "caterer to congress" sounds snobby, doesn't it? kind of like caterer to the stars. i'm fortunate to have clients who hire me to feed u.s. senators and congressmen. these congressman and their staffers love my food.[duh, they've been eating crappy food from bull$hit caterers for years, when all they really want is one of jt's mini-burgers.]i can't say i blame them. we all have to

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-84690740632493378742009-03-09T16:29:00.000-04:002009-04-20T18:26:29.282-04:00

food isn't always my number one priority when i leave the house.sometimes i like to shop. when i'm not busy caring about food i'm thinking about clothing myself. well.my friend and i took a quick jaunt to the city last weekend. just us. we booked a room at swanky, star-studded 60 thompson, a boutique hotel in soho (you may have seen it featured recently in the rachel zoe project on bravo - love

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-72598688400693199162009-03-05T13:48:00.000-05:002009-03-10T11:59:34.908-04:00

so, i'm in the process of being scammed. only the scammer doesn't know i know i'm being scammed. for some crazy reason there's a catering/personal chef scam "ring" out there. wild and crazy, huh? bored much?do they sit around a conference table and discuss who their next con-victim's gonna be? scam artist #1: hey, i have an idea! let's screw over the private chefs. they're probably stupid and

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-79567865062866477472009-02-28T11:37:00.000-05:002009-04-20T18:10:48.149-04:00

ceiba used to be a thursday night hangout for my friends. the bartenders practically used to shout, "norm!" when we walked in. now it's probably considered washed up and old news. it is like 4 or 5 years old, afterall. it's seen its scene.i met my friend for a drink the other night so we could catch up on what's going on in our worlds.what happened to the corn nuts? they're no more. how very sad

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-63528297492507994932009-02-28T10:41:00.000-05:002009-04-20T18:12:59.473-04:00

bored on a thursday night? can't decide where to go? before you make any rash decisions (like popping in to capitol lounge), ask yourself the following questions:am i in my 20's? am i broke or nearly so?do i live within 4 blocks of capitol lounge and without car/bike/metrocard?am i literally dying of thirst?am down to my last 5 bucks before payday?are all my friends, plus someone i want a

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-7652786968947422862009-02-21T20:38:00.000-05:002009-04-20T18:10:02.563-04:00

my beloved central. it's pronounced "sen 'TRAHL" just so you know. i will try to keep this on the up and up and report as unbiased as possible.you see, it's hard to do though. having cooked there, i've sampled nearly everything on the menu at one time or another. i could go on and on and on but i need to keep this succinct.i cooked for michel richard for nearly three years all together, a third

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-3259736580074654592009-02-21T19:19:00.000-05:002009-04-20T18:12:36.728-04:00

so a couple saturdays ago after my birthday evening out, my dear friend and i (in rough shape much like our younger years found us on saturday mornings) decided we better check out the new matchbox location on capitol hill in hopes of curing what was ailing us. the night before was a champagne wonderland of girls being girls. girls gone wild. minus the midriff baring, beer-chugging keg-stands.

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-48057784884753306222009-02-21T17:49:00.000-05:002009-04-20T18:14:50.380-04:00

jackson 20, an american tavern. walking through the king street entrance i'm greeted by a life-size bronze pig (perhaps the most charming thing about this place), said to be president andrew jackson's favorite animal, and a symbol of hospitality and abundance. i like pigs. and i know, i've dated a few. kidding. i do like pigs and all pork products.i don't know how long it's been open - a year or

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-55884441121004833492009-01-07T15:18:00.000-05:002009-06-07T10:06:58.864-04:00

i'm a diva. i'm a new diva. a recently self-proclaimed diva. please take note: i've got a few expectations and i guess i'm a diva for insisting they be met. if i say it enough, i'll accept my new diva status after all these years of being "too laid back".{insert cat's meow sound effect here.}i had a date recently. i was really excited about this one. weird, i know. i really was. met a nice chap,

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-53549225508561365342008-11-30T10:11:00.000-05:002009-04-20T18:15:48.456-04:00

i'm not dating anyone special right now, have no kids, and yet i have an ever-growing list of holiday traditions i observe and share with friends that make me merry happy. perhaps without this structure of the-things-i-love-to-do-in-december, i'd get real grumpy this time of year. i'm not gonna test it. unless anyone has a companion ticket to escape the city for a few weeks of travel. firstly, i

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-11260839532152959852008-11-20T12:37:00.000-05:002009-04-20T18:16:23.181-04:00

i'm not into hot tea. i know i'm admitting to a less-than-sophisticated side of my otherwise openminded and worldly culinarian self. i'm just not - though i'm the biggest fan of coffee. i just don't understand tea and i think that's why i don't do it. wish i did, perhaps i will someday, but for now i've got all i can handle in this pea-brain before any new info can be filed. there, i admit it.i

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-38108200572489837672008-11-20T11:20:00.000-05:002009-04-20T18:22:05.305-04:00

blacksalt has been on my hitlist ever since they opened three years ago or so. combination fish market/restaurant, it may sound like you're going to be dining in a warehouse with newspapered tables, high ceilings, a captain's platter, schooners of beer, mallets and plastic bibs featuring a lobster smiling back at your date; quite the contrary. thankfully.instead it's the perfect marriage of a

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-55726151223873335512008-10-12T11:21:00.000-04:002009-04-20T18:22:41.533-04:00

after checking out a neighborhood art exhibit opening of a friend, the girls and i popped over to vinoteca for a snack and, of course, some wine. it's not my first visit to vinoteca, in fact i've come several times.vinoteca has some notable characteristics and i'll give it a shot capturing them all.it's an amalgamation of hippy, boho, chic, grunge, urban, laid back, neighborhoody, stylish,

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-50771702197037804382008-09-27T10:07:00.000-04:002009-04-20T18:23:27.947-04:00

i've been known to sit in front of my tv eating chocolate chips out of the bag while sipping a glass of cabernet...for dinner.laugh all you want but for those who haven't tried it, well i recommend it - with caution. you see, when you eat a chocolate chip, then have a sip of your wine (assuming it's one that goes well with the chocolate), well all bets are off, my friend. the wine tastes better

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-68975225729440211092008-09-21T10:24:00.001-04:002009-04-20T18:20:15.560-04:00

when i walked up the red-carpeted steps and entered the grand lobby of the williard, i was transported to another time and certainly another place. maybe paris. i know everyone says the williard is a washingtonian fixture, the dining room having served almost every president since the 1850's, but i felt like i was in a different city for the evening. adding to this was the fact that i was out

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-64207477830912283062008-09-12T11:59:00.001-04:002009-04-20T18:21:37.269-04:00

it's rare for me to take a trip to bethesda. let's face it, unless you live there, it's a daunting thought, that drive. i have a close friend there so i am happy to report i have and will continue to go more frequently in the future. the drive wasn't really that bad after all.redwood restaurant and bar is open and i made my first visit wednesday evening. it spans what seems like over half of a

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-6825326440885061272008-07-14T02:18:00.000-04:002009-04-20T18:24:33.708-04:00

wednesday evening i had a date at sonoma. interestingly, since we didn't have a reservation, we were told we could sit at the bar or sit upstairs on those weird, too-low sofas. as we discussed leaving, we were interrupted by the hostess who informed us they would have a table in 10 minutes. (huh? why not mention that in the first place? of course we'll wait 10 minutes. geez, why is it so hard?!)

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399885187285214981.post-33439727986212882422008-07-14T02:08:00.000-04:002009-04-20T18:24:58.277-04:00

wine is proof god loves us and wants to see us happyben franklini really enjoyed an evening at proof thursday night. i hadn't been since february and, at that time i didn't enjoy it as much as i had several times prior.even sitting at the bar alone for 30 minutes - which i never do - was liberating. bartenders were sweet.i really, really, really like this place. it was so light and summery inside

dctastehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681723313875747655noreply@blogger.com0