Hello Cupcake! Hello Wonderful! – Washington D.C. 20036

3:14 PM |

"Lucy" cupcake



So what else did I indulge upon this weekend?!?! Cupcakes!  As I continued to pursue my little trip to Dupont Circle, I found Hello Cupcake!  It’s a cute little cupcake bakery that boasts some of the best gourmet cupcakes I’ve ever tasted.  The picture above was the “Lucy” cupcake, which featured lemon cake with a raspberry cream icing.  It was absolutely cupcake-wonderful!  Check them out for yourself next time you are in the area.  For a list of all their delicious flavors, please click here.

Critic’s Note: My cupcake pictured above was taken after my first bite.  Please excuse my sudden urge to eat the cake before taking the picture.  My taste buds could not help themselves. 

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Posted by Marie Pennington

Muy Bueno Alero! – Washington D.C. 20009

2:57 PM |





There are so many Mexican restaurants in the D.C. area that it is difficult to choose which one to try next.  However, if you find yourself near Dupont Circle, I highly suggest walking four blocks northwest up Connecticut Avenue to the Alero Mexican Restaurant.  Saturday’s brunch was fabulous!  We arrived around eleven thirty and were greeted with a friendly wait staff.  Immediately after being seated, we were served our beverages and our orders were taken.  Delicious chips and spicy salsa were served promptly; followed by our food, which was delicious.  It’s a small café so I suggest arriving early on Friday and Saturday nights.  However, the food is great, and the service is even better.    Thanks Alero!  Now I don’t have to drive all the way to Bowie, Maryland for great Mexican food.  

Critic’s Tip: Alero does not serve beer on tap, but they have a lovely drink menu.  

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Posted by Marie Pennington

Skip the Banana Cafe and Go Straight for Dessert - Washington D.C. 20003

2:15 PM |

No bananas about it.

Today after a long hot two hours of playing golf near the Jefferson Memorial, my friends and I decided to hit up a new restaurant in the D.C. area.  We ended up on East Street cruising the little pubs and restaurants and came across the Banana Café & Piano Bar.  The atmosphere seemed great until an hour after ordering; we realized we still didn’t have our food nor chips and salsa to boot.  Finally our chips and salsa made it to our table, and our food immediately followed.  To say the least, the rice and beans with my chimichanga tasted very cheap, and I found a chicken bone in my chimichanga!  I was both disappointed and hungry at the end of the meal.  Finding a bone in my food (unless it’s chicken wings) disgusts me, and I lost my appetite from that point on.  Plus, the waiter was more concerned about the table behind us who ordered twelve cocktails.  Sorry Mr. Waiter, but we just played nine holes of golf in ninety degree weather.  Alcohol just didn’t seem appetizing.  Therefore, unless you’re looking to order several cocktails, wait an hour on your food, and find bones in your meal, I highly suggest SKIPPING the Banana Café.  It’s better to leave this banana peel alone.

Critic’s Tip: In case you endure a similar experience, you can also walk two blocks further towards Pennsylvania Ave to the Baskin Robbins and fill up on ice cream. Yum!




Image source:
RGBStock.com. (2010). Bunch of bananas. Retrieved July 31, 2011, from http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/mjYvTM0/bunch+of+bananas

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Posted by Marie Pennington

Tiki & Me: Too Cute to Miss - National Harbor, MD 20745

9:13 PM |

Wedding Attire

Adorable Outfits

I wanted to share a terrific pet gift store that I discovered at the National Harbor last weekend.  It’s called Tiki & Me, and everything in the store is absolutely adorable! About eighty percent of the store is dedicated to dogs, but they also have a small corner in the back for cats.  Several dog goodies offered include doggie sneakers with bright fancy bows and ribbons, an iPod look alike doggie chew toy, and even wedding attire.  However, since I’m a proud cat parent of two adoring kitty cats, my favorite section was in the back.  Tiki & Me features several types of kitty catnip toys including a cigar look alike!  I bought the cigar chew toy because it was just too cute.  Plus, since my husband enjoys his cigars, I figured he wouldn’t mind one more cigar lying around the house.  Can you tell he’s a dog person?  If you’re looking for a cute gift for your friend or family member who loves their family pet as much as I do, then definitely check out Tiki & Me.  Your pets will thank you.


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Posted by Marie Pennington

Bar Louie: Delightful Drinks and Delectables - Washington D.C. 20001

8:18 PM |

Where?


Turn around....
There! (It's neatly hidden)

I know I usually post about unusual restaurants or places, but I also wanted to cover a great “typical” bar that is a great hangout in Washington D.C.  Near Chinatown, Bar Louie resides inside a white building with the cinema near the Verizon center.  In case you’re unfamiliar, the Verizon center is also where the Washington Capitals play.  Anyways, long story short, I happened to stumble upon this place due to my frequent visits to the Aveda Institute to get my hair done and also for my first Capitals game earlier this winter, which was a lot of fun by the way.  I can’t wait for next season!

At first, I thought the restaurant would be just an average bar with typical not so great bar food.  However, this past weekend I tried their fish platter with a Yuengling beer on tap, and it was fabulous!  They also have a delightful cocktail and drink menu with large juicy fruit garnishes, which are always yummy.  I highly suggest the Strawberry Fizz cocktail.   I also ordered a Mai Tai and was pleasantly surprised to enjoy top shelf liquor with plenty of kick.  So next time you’re on your way to watch the Washington Capitals play or other great events at the Verizon center, don’t forget to check out Bar Louie.  Besides, their beer is much cheaper than the ones sold in the plastic cups during the games.  (Ouch! $8 per beer at the Capitals games!)

Critic’s Tip: Request a rounded booth in the back.  It’s much more private and cozy.


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Alexandria Proudly Presented John Pizzarelli! - 22314 (Virginia)

7:23 PM |

Recently, I attended a John Pizzarelli concert at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. If you’ve never heard of the Carlyle Club, no worries. It’s pretty small, but definitely worth the energy to find. The stage is set towards the back of the club with around twenty-five small round tables for two spread around the stage. The only downside to the ticket experience is that you are required to buy dinner reservation tickets in order to obtain the best seats. However, if you’re looking for a fantastic dinner experience with the best seats money can buy for a jazz concert, then the Carlyle Club is the place to be. I was literally ten feet away from John Pizzarelli and his jazz trio band. It was amazing! For the best seats, select the tables to the left and directly in front of the stage.

John Pizzarelli’s performance was unlike any other concert I have ever attended. He stood ten feet away crooning and strumming his guitar as though it was the next best thing to heaven, and believe me, the experience was heavenly. Mr. Pizzarelli’s buttery voice combined with the strumming bass player behind him, the gentle tapping on the baby grand piano, and the swish swosh of the drummer seated behind would make anyone stare in amazement. Mr. Pizzarelli and his band are the finest musicians I have ever seen, and I was lucky to have chosen the seats closest to the stage. Thank goodness for my husband finding the concert online.

The dining experience at the Carlyle Club was all right. I have experienced better in regards to food and service, but it was still pleasant. My filet mignon was slightly overcooked even though I had suggested medium well, and my potatoes were only slightly warm. However, my husband’s porterhouse steak was cooked to perfection at medium rare per his request, and thus, he was extremely happy. The drinks were a bit pricey at over ten dollars per cocktail, but the concert made up for the pricey drinks. The tables directly in front of the stage were set too close together. Therefore, if you plan to choose your seats in advance, do not buy the center table in front of the stage. However, the concert was unforgettable. Therefore, if you’re looking for a smashing dinner date night, look no further than a concert at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria. Dress up, have some drinks, and enjoy the show!

To view my favorite song by Pizzarelli please click here: “I Like Jersey Best”.  Another great song redone by Pizzarelli, "Here Comes the Sun".  Youtube is the best! Love it!

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Posted by Marie Pennington

July 4th on the Hudson River - New York Spyport Marina 10010

9:31 PM |


The fun begins...


                                  
                                        Sunset on the Hudson River

                                  
                                             Waiting on the observation deck

                              
                                      New York City Skyline 7.4.11

This year we celebrated July 4th on the beautiful Hudson River in New York City via the Lucille dinner boat cruise.  Besides the long two hour wait to board, we had an absolute blast.  The boat cruise offered spectacular skyline views of New York City, Brooklyn, and the Statue of Liberty.  Then as the sun went down everyone crowded onto the observation deck to view the fireworks.  The sunset on the Hudson River was amazing!  The best part was on the way back with the cool breeze and the gorgeous New York City lights.  This was definitely the best July fourth I've ever had, and it's all thanks to my hubby for finding this great cruise to see the Macy's fireworks show.

For more great photos of our dinner cruise, please click here.

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Posted by Marie Pennington

Harringtons Pub & Kitchen National Harbor 20745

7:42 PM |

Napkin

Juicy

Interesting

So my friends and I hit the town last night to see Transformers 2 in 3D, which was amazing by the way.  Then we tried out an irish pub at the National Harbor called Harrington's Pub & Kitchen.  The pub was pretty low key, which was nice for conversation.  However, the night's entertainment ended at 11pm?!?!  It was a bit disappointing.  The next best entertainment left in the bar was the bachelorette party dancing out the door into the humid air.  However, the drinks were delicious.  I tried the Orange Crush (as seen above) and the Passed Out on the Beach cocktails.  The beach cocktail was delicious, which featured lemon and lime juices, delicious tequila, and Blue Moon beer.  Despite the lack of entertainment, the bartender doesn't skimp on the alcohol, which is a big plus.  This pub would be better with a few more televisions and late night entertainment.  I guess they want you to focus on ordering more delicious cocktails.

By the way, each table featured this interesting salt and pepper shaker.  The top let's out salt and the bottom twists for fresh ground pepper.  Very interesting!



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Posted by Marie Pennington

DuClaw Brewing Co. Bowie, MD 20716

7:18 PM |

Tasty

Sampling...

Satisfying

We just discovered one of our favorite new restaurants, DuClaw Brewery Co. in Bowie, Maryland.  They feature over twelve different types of beer, and we sampled ten of them.  My favorite was the Sawtooth, which is a Belgian white ale similar to Blue Moon.  They also have a beer that features toffee as a twist called Euphoria.  Personally, I would start with the Sawtooth and end the meal with a great Euphoria dessert beer with my Black and Tan Dessert (the last pic featured above).  According to DuClaw's To Go menu, the Black and Tan is "a blondie brownie paired with warm molten chocolate lava cake and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Drizzled with melted caramel and chocolate and garnished with fresh mint and a fresh strawberry".  There is only one word for that dessert "satisfaction".  It's yummy and even tasted great with my beer.  Thanks DuClaw for the great experience, the wonderful beer sampler for under fifteen dollars, and a great lunch experience.  Keep the beers brewing!  Visit their website here: DuClaw Brewery Co.


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