Five Days in DC - Day 3

Before I launch into my Day 3 DC goings-on, I thought I'd take a minute to say I AM STRESSED. Almost to that overwhelming-anxiety-induced, insomnia-resulting, give-me-a-glass-of-wine-before-I-scream, stressed.

It's hard to say exactly why I am so stressed. I have an ample amount of work to keep me busy, business lunches planned, a trip to Mammoth in the works for pie and hiking, aspirations to get a manicure, etc. However, I am at a point where weeding out superfluous anxieties is a complete necessity, including the boxes of stuff in the garage, my disgustingly overfilled email accounts and people who have frustratingly ambiguous roles in my life. 

Anywho, you'll have to excuse me if I launch into a complete downward spiral of tirades and pinteresting. Back the regularly scheduled programming:


Day 3 in DC started with a coffee from Dolcezza as well as a quick perusing through their amazing gelato flavors. Cailin prepared a beautiful brunch of a omelette including (turkey) bacon and Rafi, our talented barman, whipped up some Bloody Marys, which were quite the wake-up call. He used a Bloody Mary mix called "Birth of Pain," that he and Cailin had picked up at the Farmers Market. From their website: "Born from the fiery fields of our farm emerges a new level of the most pleasurable pain.  The "Birth of Pain" made with only our freshest Heirloom Tomatoes, blended fresh vegetables and spices and, of course, the infamous Scotch Bonnet Pepper.  Weak Souls...Heed this Warning:  Prepare yourself for the "Birth of Pain".  It will satisfy your deepest desire to surrender your taste buds to your Master."


So if that is any indication of its strength, you can imagine the deliciousness. I totally want to order some myself.

Later after some napping, Cailin and I went on a jaunt to Georgetown for macarons from Olivia (I tried the red velvet and the rose), which were absolutely lovely and I got to gawk over the gorgeous architecture in the idyllic afternoon sun. 











I then checked into my hotel, the Mandarin Oriental, which is just off the National Mall. It was walking distance to my work, which I'll detail tomorrow, and offered lush accommodations and a great outdoor bar.  Laxmi met me and we enjoyed a late afternoon glass of wine before heading to Jose Andres' DC restaurant, Zaytinya, which blends Turkish, Lebanese and Greek cuisines. Phenomenal. First, the space is massive and packed for a Sunday night. The wine list was dynamic an unique with delicious wines from Lebanon and Greece. We were seated inside, which helped us avoid the crazy summer downpour outside and the service was impeccable. 

We ordered the labneh to begin. Omg. I can't even. I'm salivating just thinking about it. So fresh, simple, rich. It's kind of ridiculous that once I had that simple appetizer, I thought the meal couldn't get any better. But of course, it did. I am incredibly grateful that Laxmi is just as much as a foodie as I am. We also ordered the horta salata (kale, smoked olives and fava santorini), piyaz (warm giant beans, kale, oven-roasted tomatoes and garlic) and the seared haloumi cheese (with watermelon, mint and tomatoes). I know the dishes sound very simple, like how impressive can "warm giant beans" be. UM CRAZILY DELICIOUS. LIKE EXPLODE IN YOUR MOUTH. I WILL NEVER HAVE BEANS THAT GOOD AGAIN DELICIOUS.


So you have to go. Period. Again, a great day of friends and food.

Five Days in Dc - Day 2

Le Diplomate.

I can't even. If there is one place, one menu (or five, in this case), one location, that is the single handed reason I am debating moving to DC, like right this minute. It's Le Diplomate. On Saturday morning, Cailin and I met her lovely boyfriend, Rafi, for brunch over Bloody Marys (very well executed). The restaurant is completely French, for the tiles and moldings imported from France, to the woven chairs, the bound menus, and the officious waiters - I LOVED IT.

It was bustling with families, couples and newspaper wielding individuals, chatting over cappuccinos and fresh bread. I mean, it was heaven. I ordered the creamy polenta, with crispy prosciutto and two poached eggs. The eggs were perfectly cooked, so rare to find and utterly delicious. Cailin, who is a regular, said everything on the menu is that ridiculously magical and I can only imagine. It is a must go.

After brunch, I wandered over to Dolcezza cafe, where they incidentally served Stumptown. I picked up an iced Americano from their to-go window (such a great idea) and wandered to the Mall, where I met up with Annie at the Lincoln Memorial for a personal tour. Like I said, Annie is smart and sweet and thoughtful and also, an amazing tour guide. We walked around the Mall and she gave me the history, tips about DC, and we even had time for a quick discussion on recent political movements within the U.S.  

Ten miles later (jk kind of), I had seen the White House, Washington Monument, all the War Memorials, the Lincoln Memorial (my favorite), and all the monuments around the Tidal Basin. We even watched the late afternoon sun rest over the Tidal Basin with some Dove ice cream bars - pretty epic. Since it was my first time to DC, I was awestruck by the history and the beauty and it really solidified my own feelings of responsibility in being an American citizen. Many of the monuments contained quotes about kindness, generosity, fairness and justice. Good things to remember in the midst of the recent political climate.

After that epic stroll and a rather tearful goodbye with Annie, I walked back to Cailin's for a glass of wine with my new friend, Rachel, where we discussed boys. (Much needed levity after my DC trek; Rachel is so funny and open and warm). Cailin and Rafi joined us a bit later and we headed to Doi Moi, a fusion restaurant down the street. It was lifegiving after my walk. We started with the Gui Chai, Steamed Garlic Chive & Mushroom Dumplings with sweet soy-black vinegar dipping sauce. I would bath in that sauce. So amazing, totally made the dish. We also had Laab Ped, Ground Duck & Duck Liver Salad (Phet Mak) with shallots, toasted rice powder, ground chilies, saw leaf herb, kaffir lime, and cilantro. Very rich, but so flavorful with the lime and cilantro to cut the delicious duck. Again a great dish. I had the pork belly over vermicelli noodles, which I can't seem to find on the menu now, but, let's be real, you can't go wrong with beautifully cooked pork belly. Amiright? We had the ice cream and the pumpkin coconut custard for dessert, which was solid and headed down to the speakeasy downstairs for post-dinner drinks. 

Two Birds, One Stone is super secret and very chic, located in the basement of Doi Moi. It's brick, blue light, and white furniture feels very Euro to me, with little cavernous booths and twists and turns. We ordered a round of the punch du jour and settled in for some serious conversation before heading home. It would certainly be a good place to while away a Friday night, but we were deep into our food comas. 

We wandered home and I pretty much collapsed after such a fulfilling and busy day.

Five Days in DC - Day 1

Confession 1: I had never been to DC until this past week.
Confession 2: I want to live there ASAP.


Of course, it most certainly helped that I had the best group of hosts ever, including first and foremost, Miss Cailin, as well as Laxmi and Annie and Millie and Will. I had the privilege of the trip by virtue of a short-term work project (more on that later - I'm too stressed and inspired to discuss now). Upon arrival, on Friday, however, it was just a vacay, mostly centered around the bustle of 14th Street. (Which is the area Cailin resides and the area I plan on living once Sophie and I relocate to our brick row home - I can dream right?)

Friday began with the beer garden, Garden District, where I caught up with Annie and her work at The New Republic. Annie is one of the most thoughtful people I know. Not just in a sweet, caring way, but deliberate and smart in her conversations. She is also one of those people that we may not keep in the best day to day contact, but whenever I see her, we fall into our old ways. The beer garden was bright, fresh, hipster-y with large herds of buttoned-up boys getting off work and preparing for Friday night shenanigans. It felt like an older, polished college beer garden, but brimming with intellect and vibrancy. I would go here every day.

Later, Cailin met us and we hopped across the street to an new Italian restaurant called Lupo Verde. It is that industrial-chic vibe I love, with wood beams, high stools, and aproned waiters. The winners of the night, included the octopus salad and the swordfish tartare (the best way to eat swordfish in my opinion.) It was perfectly prepared food, fresh and clean. The pasta was delicious, but you can't get better than my favorite at Bestia.


Later, Cailin and I hightailed it over to Right Proper, a newish bar, which is huge with a great house made beer selection and friendly tenders. I also got to meet some of Cailin's friends, including Rachel, off of whom impressed me with their warmness and ambition. Pro tip: get the Raised by Wolves beer, an almost IPA, and the baked Mac and Cheese (THE BEST DISH EVER - like 18 cheeses and deliciously salty.)



Cailin and I finished up the evening catching up at her gorgeous studio with Emile, her stately black cat, and some great red wine. (P.S. seltzer is amazing at getting red wine out of new couches.)

Although I had traveled all day, seeing Cailin and Annie filled me with such energy and gratitude. They are so kind, loyal, caring and crazily smart. Like crazily. More on my other days in DC but back to the grindstone.

xx

Heat Wave Recap

My weekend isn't over yet, between work stuff, kicking it with Grant and dinner with Lauren tonight, but it's too hot to move from my couch right now, so  I'll record the goings-on now.

Friday:
I finalllly got to catch up with Shaleen at Hopskotch in the heat of the day. It was amazing to see her, especially catching up on life post-bar and discussing where our wandering career paths are leading us. I miss our days at Hadsell, partly because I no longer remember the hard work, just the trips for iced coffees and the occasional happy hour. We ordered the herb fries and had an IPA each and discussed our escape plans.


Then I drove up to LA for Seda's birthday. Aline, Evan and I walked Soph about, had a quick nibble at Home and then hit up Perch to see the girls. I hadn't been to Perch before and despite the interesting crowd, I loved it. Beautiful view, great company, amazing weather. Love love love.


Saturday:
Evan and I ventured to Westwood so I could books at my favorite library, the Young Research Library at UCLA (nerd alert). It was closed despite their posted schedule, so it was an utter fail. Until we went to Profeta and I got my favorite latte in the State of California. I used to study at Profeta for all my exams, taking advantage of free wifi, the beautiful patio and gawking at the cute baristas.

After Evan and I met up with Christina to talk wedding plans, travel, future plans and general aging. I haven't seen her in ages and I am so excited for her to move back to California permanently so we can resume our shenanigans.





Following a brief respite at home at my mom's a/c, I battled the heat to see Michael and Freddy for a beer and nachos, which was really fun, as usual. We were chillin outside for most of it, enjoying the temperate evening. I've definitely missed that teddy bear, even though the little bugger took a millisecond to remember me.

And I finished up the evening in the best way - seeing Aimee at her show in Long Beach... which happened to be a punk show... which I was not dressed appropriately for at all. I actually thought I was at the wrong place, because Aimee's band is a soul one, not punk. When I pulled up and heard punk, I was slightly confused. I finally found her and met her bandmates, caught up with Moreah (not for long enough) and of course, we hit the photo booth. I love her and I feel so grateful to have seen Aimee, dare I say, regularly, in the last few months.

Excuse me while I refill my coffee.

xx

Dinner: Fusion Ramen thingy

I've been doing a fair bit of traveling, late nights, crowded places and dehydration. It's my lifestyle choice of the moment. So when I got back to my mom's after a few days in New York, I craved something life-giving. When this happens generally my mom and I order watered-down pho from the place a block away or go back to our homemade chicken curry (which is delicious, but sometimes, one needs a break). So I decided to throw together some things my mom had found at the Korean market into a spicy, hearty broth. The result was surprisingly delicious, with enough kick to help sweat out the toxins and enough veg without overwhelming the ridiculously tender short ribs.

Fusion Ramen:
- pack of fresh short ribs
- five cloves garlic - sliced
-one inch ginger - slice
- one onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp Korean chili paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp hoison
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms (even button mushrooms work)
- one jalapeño, sliced down the middle
- one carton of whatever broth, low sodium
- one bundle ramen noodles, cooked
- salt and pepper to taste
- two heads bok choy, washed and sliced
- washed bean sprouts
- lime slices
- cilantro to garnish

1. Sear the short ribs in a heavy bottomed pan (i.e. a dutch oven)
2. throw in garlic, ginger and onion, allow to wilt.
3. Throw in the mushrooms, hoison, soy sauce, chili paste, vinegar, salt, pepper, fresh jalapeno, and broth.
4. Simmer at the lowest level for 2-3 hours until short rib falls off the bone.
5. Throw in bok choy in the pot a few mins before you serve
6. Throw your ramen noodles in the bowl (follow the directions, they take two mins to cook. They may seem a bit clumpy, but they loosen up in the hot broth)
7. Spoon over the broth (make sure to get that short rib)
8. Throw on some bean sprouts and cilantro
9. Squeeze on lime
10. Serve

It's even better for lunch the next day, when the flavors have settled. Enjoy with a cold lager or a dry italian soda (I'm dehydrated remember).

xx

A night in Queens and Brooklyn

Last Saturday, upon my arrival to JFK airport and the three hour hot, humid, gritty journey across the NY subway to Queens, I was withering away from exhaustion, dehydration and a general hate for all humans. I didn't sleep very well and was too enthralled with House of Cards on the plane to properly rest. 

But first stop saved me from an imminent demise: iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts at one of my subway stops - my saving grace, my oasis in the bleak landscape of 90 percent humidity and having to carry my overloaded Longchamp weekend bag over 9 miles of stairs, cement and trains. Only regret? Should have gotten a donut.

First stop:

Taverna Kyclades

33-07 Ditmars Blvd, New York, NY 11105

(718) 545-8666

So then I met Nat and E at our Airbnb and we ventured out of our apt in the face of a thunderstorm because with only coffee in my stomach, I was ready to kill. We decided on Taverna Kyclades, which served the best grilled octopus I've had since I backpacked through Greece four years ago. It was ridiculously amazing - perfectly cooked, tender, with a hint of that beautiful grilling char. Served with lemon, it was a simple refreshing dish.

We also ordered the fried calamari, mythos beers (a light Greek lager), and some dips, including taramosalata, tzatziki, and skordalia. It was a lovely little patio we sat in, under an umbrella with a cool breeze. It was perfect for hipster watching (so many cute pups). By the time we left, there was a line down the block for this place, with a wait of up to two hours. Nat and E said that the night before at around midnight, the line was still that crazy. It was perfect fare for a sweltering summer afternoon. 

Second stop:

Brooklyn Bridge Park

Before meeting up with old friends, Nat, E and I skedaddled around the park, taking a few selfies, checking out the phone charging stations (amazing!) and drooling over all the cute restaurants. 

Third stop:

Grimaldis

Under the Brooklyn Bridge,
1 Front Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone. 718-858-4300

5 Front St
Brooklyn, NY 11201

This is a must-stop for me every time I go to NYC. They have changed locations to a bright, white, industrial chic spot in the same area. Thin crust, thick cut pepperoni, and an adorably sweet waiters (Thanks Ernie!). The only downside is that their liquor license is still pending, but have no fear, in the midst of a crazy storm, we found a cute little margarita bar around the corner, housing delicious drinks (and my favorite from Gilmore Girls and Supernatural, Jared Padalecki!). 

Fourth Stop:
Gran/Electric 
5 Front St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 852-2700
We enjoyed a couple of rounds of their refreshing, not so sweet, margs with our reunited group of six and essentially got kicked out since we closed the place down. I almost reclaimed my youth until I realized the restaurant closes at midnight. 

Fifth Stop:

Brooklyn Bridge

It had to happen. We rapped Jay-Z, walking through the fog, checking out the skyline, the lights, and scaring the general population. We missed the rain, soaked in the city life, and collapsed into bed like zombies. An amazing time :)

Lexi's Wedding!

Last Saturday, I flew into NYC for a whirlwind trip for one my oldest and best friend's, Lexi's, wedding. (Excuse the overuse of apostrophes, I don't really get how to write that.) Anywho, a little on Lexi and I. We met in the fourth grade, when we both had awkwardly awful glasses and blindness to match, a penchant for literature and movies a bit beyond our age and a love for bacon and spicy food. Thank god, that latter things stuck, but we trashed those glasses the minute we hit puberty and have been making style improvements ever since. Lexi is the most open, warmest person you will ever meet and has the most magnetic personality, which is only amplified by her amazing sense of humor. Add that to the fact, she is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous and has no idea, and she's like almost perfect. I say almost because we've have a history of explosive fights over things we forget about two minutes later, although some are pretty good.


For instance, we've actually had a fight over who ate more chili cheese fries at FatBurger when our parents abandoned us on Birch Street when we saw like four movies in a row without telling them we would be unreachable. I believe it was Finding Neverland, the Grudge, Christmas at the Kranks and maybe Shark's Tale. This was 2004. We had like three dollars between us and we crawled to FatBurger in a post-movie stupor just before it closed and Lexi counted our pennies out and purchased fries, which we inhaled like ravenous animals before turning on each other for both failing to secure a parental ride home at midnight. Thank god Ellen picked us before blood was shed.

Another movie-inspired fight was when we saw Scoop, again on Birch Street, and we then began screaming at each other about Woody Allen. If you didn't know (but you should), Lexi is a die-hard fan. And by die-hard, she would KILL for Woody Allen. I fall to the other side of the spectrum. With some exceptions, I think he talks too much, which doesn't work well for me, because I like to talk and I refuse to have competitors. So we were walking to the car, at which point I mentioned my minor distaste and then World War III broke out in the middle of an intersection with traffic horns blaring and Lexi and I squaring off in a vicious stare-off. But then we laughed and got ice cream. It was a close one.


There was also the time we rented Match Point and some other movie. Lexi was sleeping on the top bunk, me on the bottom bunk. And one thing you should know about me is I turn homicidal when I want to go to bed and people won't let me. At the end of the first movie, I was done with the night and informed Lexi in rather abrasive terms that we were not watching the second movie, we were going to bed. We got in a verbal scuffle, which ended in me turning off all the lights and leaving Lexi hanging halfway down the bunk bed with no glasses on. Like I said, she is nearly blind and it took her more than a few minutes to secure both feet on the ground before she strode out to the living room couch, where she told me to either get it together OR get it together and watch the movie with me. We watched the movie and bonded over all the crispy bacon in the morning.


But all these "fights" weren't really fights, they were times where I realized (generally midst fight), that Lexi is my sister. We can scream, yell, slam doors, but never once have I ever doubted that within two minutes, we would be back to drinking our beers, eating our french fries with hot sauce or plotting out our respective career paths together. And if you know how high maintenance I am, you know that her loyalty and patience is incredibly laudable.


So clearly it would take a special person, and by special, I mean outstandingly amazing, for Lexi. Someone with humor, intelligence and warmth. And when Lexi skyped me from Ireland to tell me about this amazing boy, and was giddy and giggly and girly, I knew there was something up. A long while later in 2011, I finally got to meet this man, Stephen, when he and Lexi met me at Borough Market. Not only did he handle our obnoxiously loud reunion complete with high pitched squeals, traipsing around fashion markets, and gossip about random people he had no context for, he was an utter gentleman. The moment that sealed the deal about how much I loved Steve, was when I had secured air mattresses for their visit, which the label assured me were fit for a comfortable guest bed. I opened these ridiculous mattresses, blew them up and realized they were actually pool rafts and were so narrow, you could only sleep one your side in a straight line and were only inflated about an inch off the ground. Whoops. But because I procrastinated, I had no time to find an alternative arrangements. Although I asked that Steve and Lexi take my bed, he was absolutely against it. He demanded that Lexi and I share the bed and he proceeded to sleep on the pool raft, which rapidly deflated throughout the night, leaving him on a nearly cement floor (with a thin carpet) in a grimy London dorm room where the radiator didn't work. And the next morning, he arose, fresh as a daisy, even more gentlemanly than the day before, inviting me to visit London, where he could return the favor of accommodation (with slightly more comfort).


Not just that, but its the way Steve looks at Lexi - with warmth and sweetness and romance - the same way he looked at her when he walked down the aisle. They mirror each other's grace and sense of fun and I couldn't imagine anyone better for Lex. So when I was invited to the wedding in the Catskills, I had to go. Not only was it a pleasure to see Lexi and Steve and both of their amazing families, but I also got to meet a lot of Lexi's NY friends that I have heard so much about. They are just as wonderful as she described them and I hope to see them again. And seeing Beej and Ellen reminded me how much I miss them and how much time I have missed with them being wrapped up in all that useless law school business. Also special shout-out to Nat and E for being my adoptive parents this weekend, xx. Thank you to Lex and Steve for an amazing weekend and I love you both!