Things to Do: Celebrity Date Auction - 5/10

Join DC celebs and athletes for an evening of charity at the "Share Love, Spread Hope" Celebrity Date Auction to benefit The Autism Society of America on Thursday, May 10, 2012 at Shadowroom in Washington, DC.

Doors Open at 7:30pm, admission is FREE and complimentary Remy Martin cocktails will be served.

Register Today www.sharelovespreadhope.eventbrite.com

Shadowroom
2131 K Street NW
Washington, DC

Things to Do: DC International Human Rights Film Festival 2012

May 14-17, 2012
6:00PM
West End Cinema

All Screenings Free

Free Snacks and Beverages
(FYI, West End has the best popcorn!!!)

To RSVP contact pnevents@aicongress.org or register for individual films.

More information about the film festival...
Since its inception in 2008, the D.C. International Human Rights Film Festival (DCIHRFF) has grown into an annual event that offers free film screenings on human rights topics from around the world, from Senegal to South Africa to Argentina and beyond. Pressing social and civic issues – including terrorism, women’s rights, censorship, political repression, and multiculturalism – come into focus through screenings, panel discussions, and artistic performances.The festival aims to highlight international human rights issues and build understanding between cultures, exposing audiences to under-reported human rights challenges and underscore the universality of individual rights. Our films fulfill a unique, untapped segment where we cover not only the Arab world but the entirety of the Muslim world and our audience is not only the Muslim Diaspora. This year features films such as Incendies and Circumstance.

To find out more and to view a listing of films,  click here

West End Cinema
2301 M St. NW 
Washington D.C. 20037
http://www.westendcinema.com

Dumbarton House Seersucker and White Dress Garden Soiree

The International Club of DC is hosting yet another one of their lovely events.  Each spring and summer, they host Soirees at the Dumbarton House, a historic mansion in Georgetown, where young professionals gather for live music and entertainment.

I've attended in the past and would highly recommend you try it out for yourself.  It's makes a great date or grab some friends and make an evening out of it.


My advice is to bring a collapsible lawn chair or a blanket as seating is extremely limited and it's nice to just sit outside on the lawn and listen to the music.

See below for all of the details of this week's event.

Georgetown Dumbarton House Seersucker and White Dress Garden Soiree
Friday, May 04, 2012
7:00 PM
Attire: Seer sucker or white requested

Celebrate warm summer days ahead with chic cocktail attire in either seersucker or white!

We cordially request the pleasure of your company at the Historic Dumbarton House Museum and Gardens to experience a night of sophisticated jazz, elegant fashion, and dancing under the stars as we celebrate the warm summer days to come! Your night begins with a jazz performance, as you meet other ICDC members and stroll around the gardens, and culminates in a night of dancing under the stars and in the elegant ballroom to our live orchestra.

This is a wonderful opportunity to discover and explore one of Georgetown's most historic mansions as you make new friends. Come on your own or invite friends for a spring evening of music and dancing to the sounds of our jazz ensemble!  Wine and sumptuous crepes will be available for purchase. Very few tickets are left so reserve your tickets early!

Our last garden soiree at Dumbarton House sold out in advance and we expect this event to be very popular and sell out. Please reserve your tickets soon!

Tickets
Tickets are $25 for a limited time and $35 afterwards.
Reserve your tickets online: http://www.internationalclubdc.com

Dumbarton House 
2715 Q Street NW 
Washington, DC 20007
http://dumbartonhouse.org

Restaurant Review: Blue 44

A few weeks ago, I went to Blue 44 for the first time and then went back again last weekend. That should be a good indication of what I thought about the place, right?

So my boyfriend lives in Friendship Heights, on the border of Upper NW and Chevy Chase, MD, in a very residential part of DC that is definitely not known for their food establishments. From the looks of the places that have popped up over there over the past year, they are trying to change that.

Next to Blue 44 is a great wine shop called Circle Liquors. Their selection is amazing and the staff is incredibly helpful in aiding you to find the perfect pairing for whatever meal you are planning. But I digress, back to Blue 44.

It's a quaint little restaurant that couldn't possibly seat more than 45-50 people, including the few seats at their bar. They have a few tables in the window, perfect for people watching, then several small tables along the outer walls. There are larger tables in the center perfect for groups or families.

For brunch I've had the pumpkin pecan pancakes and the bourbon spiced french toast with sides of home fries and bacon. The french toast was very filling but I loved the taste of the pumpkin pecan pancakes so much more. I liked the fact that the flavors weren't overly pronounced and the pancakes were light and fluffy.

I'd have to say what impressed me the most was their bacon. I'm a bacon aficionado and their bacon is definitely in the top 3 best I've ever had, in life. It's peppery, thick cut and not too oily. If eating bacon daily was healthy, I'd definitely be there every day.

Hopefully, I'll go back soon to try their dinner. I've heard great things about their Monday Night Special. It's a 3 course meal including a salad, fried chicken "with all the fixins'", and house-made dessert for only $19. Not bad right?

Blue 44 is a one of those neighborhood gems, you only hear about via word of mouth or from a food blogger. Also, Washington Post Food Critic Tom Sietsema, wrote a review about them recently. He didn't give them a great score, but don't let that deter you.

Again, I've only been there for brunch but I'd recommend it solely based on that. It's great for small groups and families and those who want a great brunch experience without the hassle of a long wait. The staff is extremely friendly and does their part to ensure everything is to your liking.

Blue 44
5507 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20015
202.362.2583
http://www.blue44dc.com

Things to Do: Chris 4 Life Charity Happy Hour

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good happy hour, especially those that benefit a worthy cause.

Recently, I was privileged to join the Young Professionals Board of Chris 4 Life, a colon cancer foundation. The first fundraising event I will be participating in (since joining the board) will be a happy hour to kick off Colon Cancer Awareness Month.

It will be hosted in partnership with the Pamela's Punch team for Chris4Life's Seventh Annual Scope It Out 5K Run/Walk.

The happy hour will be held on Thursday, March 8, 2012 at 901 Restaurant & Bar from 6:00-8:00PM. There will be a live auction and raffle. Plus, if you haven't been to 901 before they have great happy hour specials!

Also, I invite you to join Team 'She's Savvy'. You can register for this event here. The password required to join is: "savvyindc"

To learn more about Scope It Out, please visit: http://www.scopeitout5k.com

Things to Do: St. Jude Gourmet Gala

Recently, I was invited to attend the upcoming 14th Annual St. Jude Gourmet Gala which is being held on February 21, 2012 from 5:30 - 9:30PM at the National Building Museum.

I've heard so many great things about the event in the past and have always wanted to participate, but couldn't for one reason or another. Looks like this year I will finally have a chance.

If you're not familiar with the St. Jude Gourmet Gala, please see below for more information, as obtained from their press release.

Led by Honorary Chair and Chef Geoff Tracy, more than 40 top chefs from the area’s finest restaurants will lend their culinary skills to create a memorable experience for more than 750 business, financial and political leaders.

“It’s an honor to share our talents at an event that will help St. Jude find answers to save the lives of countless children,” said Tracy. “On a lighter note, the gala presents the perfect setting for collaboration among some of the industry’s best and a friendly competition to produce the perfect dish.

Attendees will vote for their favorite dish of the evening to determine which chef is the winner of the Taster’s Choice Award. Last year’s award recipient was Chef Scott Drewno from The Source by Wolfgang Puck who prepared spicy tuna tartare-filled sesame miso cones with shaved bonito and tobiko. Additionally, guests may choose to participate in live and silent auctions, featuring items such as a trip to Memphis to tour St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

To date, the St. Jude Gourmet Gala has raised approximately $3 million for the hospital, which opened its doors 50 years ago. St. Jude relies primarily on the public’s generosity to support its lifesaving mission. It costs $1.7 million to operate the hospital every day, with more than 75 percent of that funding coming from the public through fundraising events like the Gourmet Gala. And in keeping with its mission, families never pay St. Jude for anything. St. Jude covers the cost of treatment, travel, lodging and food for each patient and a family member.

Below are some of my faves who are participating in the gala:

Brasserie Beck, Cakelove, Estadio, Founding Farmers, Graffiato, Indique, Michel Richard's Citronelle, Sou’Wester, Taberna del Alabardero, Zaytinya

For more information, to become a sponsor, and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.stjude.org/gourmetgala.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stjudemidatlantic
Twitter: @StJudeGourmet

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering research and treatment of children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The hospital’s research has helped push overall survival rates for childhood cancer from less than 20 percent when the institution opened to almost 80 percent today. It is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children, and no family ever pays St. Jude for care. For more information, visit www.stjude.org and follow St. Jude on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.

National Building Museum

401 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C.

Things to Do: College & Career Pathways Happy Hour

A friend just sent this to me and of course I had to spread the word. Who doesn't love happy hour, especially ones for a good cause?

College and Career Pathways' 2nd Annual New Year's Fundraising Event!
Friday, January 27, 2012
5:30 - 8:30 PM
Jin Lounge

They will be celebrating the new year by having fun and raising funds for the students of College and Career Pathways! You can look forward to an evening of great music, networking, appetizer and drink specials, and yet another exciting raffle with great prizes! Please spread the word and bring a friend (or two)!

Suggested minimum donation for admission is a tax-deductible contribution of only $10 to College and Career Pathways. Your donation will help to supply the staffing, resources, and materials necessary for us to provide students with academic advisement and tutoring, college campus tours, workshops, job shadowing experiences, scholarships and much more!

Purchase your tickets in advance by clicking here
For more information about the organization, visit http://www.collegeandcareerpathways.org.

Jin Lounge
2017 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 2009
http://www.jindc.com/

Things to Do: FREE Play Two Gents --> Sunday 1/8

Happy New Year! Hope your holidays were as great as mine.

If you don't have anything planned this weekend, you should take a trip to see The Shakespeare Theatre Company's newest play, The Two Gents of Verona. They are hosting 2 open rehearsals, which of course means they're FREE. The play is scheduled to run January 17 - March 4, 2012, but this is your chance to see it before everyone else, plus it's free.

Here's a brief description of the play, "...Directed by PJ Paparelli, a bold staging of Shakespeare’s classic play of excess, young love and shape-shifting selves." Sounds interesting, right?

For more information about the play visit:
http://tinyurl.com/savvy0106b

The Two Gentlemen of Verona - Open Rehearsal
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Seatings: 2:30PM & 3:50PM
Cost: FREE (seating is first come, first served)

Lansburgh Theatre
450 7th Street NW
Washington, DC
202.547.1122

Things to Do: Ugly Christmas Sweater Party

I know it's been a while since I posted anything, please forgive my absence. What can I say, life has been hectic but I promise to get back into the swing of things in the new year.

But anywho, last weekend I went to and participated in my very first Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. I'd heard people joke about them but didn't know anyone who had gone to one. When my friend invited me to one that a group of his friends were hosting, I had no idea what to expect.

Prior to the night's festivities, I have to say it was quite challenging to find an ugly sweater. If I would've had more notice, I definitely would have scoured eBay for their worst offenders. Instead, I figured I'd try my luck looking at places like Ross, TJ Maxx, Old Navy, and Burlington Coat Factory, you would think they would have some ugly Christmas sweaters, but they didn't. Finally, I gave in and went to a local thrift store. Within a matter of minutes of browsing the sweater selection I found my perfect ugly sweater.

When I met up with the group, there were nothing but laughs. They began the evening with a White Elephant exchange, then headed to Clarendon for dinner and ended the night in the basement of Eleventh Street Lounge where they played mainly old school rap and hip-hop, who knew? Our ugly sweater crew definitely made us stand out among the crowd and everyone was so amused by our outfits. Mission accomplished!

Check out the photos we took over the course of an evening while wearing our collectively ugly sweaters. A great time was had by all and I look forward to stepping up my ugly sweater game next year.

Things to Do: FotoWeek DC

It's almost that time again for FotoWeekDC. This annual, week-long event began in 2008 as a way for DC photographers, both professionals and amateurs, to showcase their work. This year's event event will be held November 5-12, with a launch party on the 4th. (see below for more info)

This year's "FotoWeek Hub" will be located at 1800 L Street NW (where the old Border's was at the corner of 18th & L Street NW). I actually walked by this morning and saw them setting up, can't wait to check it. Another exciting part about FotoWeekDC is it's FREE! Just one of the many perks of living in the Washington, DC area.

Here's more information about the event taken from their website.
With over 50,000 square feet of space, FotoWeek Central will host 14 individual photography exhibitions. Four additional satellite locations include FotoSpace, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, George Washington University, and the Pepco Edison Place Art Gallery. Additionally, many FotoWeekDC partners will have events in conjunction with the festival, listed on our FotoWeekDC Schedule of Events.

Expect to see the very best in photojournalism, commercial photography and art photography. All Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Continue to visit our website as additional exhibitions, programs, pop-up events, and partners are being added daily!

For more information, visit: http://www.fotoweekdc.org/index.php

FotoWeek Launch Party - Friday, November 4, 2011
The Festival begins at 5 pm at FotoWeek Central with the exclusive preview opening of this year’s exciting exhibitions. At 8:30pm, we’ll move to the Corcoran Gallery of Art as the celebration continues with FatBack DJs and monumental projections. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served at both venues. It’s a Two-for-One evening with a DOUBLE party not to be missed. One ticket provides entry to both AMAZING EVENTS to mingle with DC’s photo luminaries. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/savvy1102b

Things to Do: Gaia at the Corcoran

Being a member of the Corcoran's 1869 Society, a group of young professionals interested in the arts ages 25-42, has many benefits! Not only do you receive complimentary access to the museum and discounts at the cafe and bookstore, but you receive first-hand notice about the numerous events that are hosted at the Corcoran. My favorite annual event is Artini and another great event geared towards the younger crowd is Gaia. The next Gaia event is coming up in November, see below for more information.

Gaia at the Corcoran: A Musical Performance Experience
Saturday, November 19, 2011
7:30 – 11:00 PM

Gaia is a DC-based group of musicians, singers, dancers, and DJs who collectively bring you a transcendent and interactive experience. Actively incorporating the art and architecture of the Corcoran with dance and projections, Gaia invites you into the middle of their performance. It is part concert, part nightclub, part performance art. Odds are you have not seen anything quite like it.

MUSIC
Soul - Tamara Wellons
Trip Hop - Avenue To
Vibe Conductor - DJ Stylus
Congas and Jembe - Tom Pipkin
Flute and Tenor Sax - Kolai

DANCE
Urban Artistry

VIDEO ART
D'Blend - Juan Botero & Lina Almansa

Cost:
Corcoran Members - $30
Non-members - $40
Corcoran Students - $20

For more information, click here.

Corcoran Gallery of Art
500 Seventeenth Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
202.639.1700
www.corcoran.org

Things to Do: The Phillips Collection Birthday Bash

Just wanted to share this exciting event with you all. The Phillips Collections, is a quaint museum that has found a special place in my heart. In celebration of their 90th Anniversary they are hosting a Birthday Bash on Saturday, November 5 from 10:00AM - 8:00PM. The best part is it's FREE! If you've never been I highly recommend it. See below for more information.

PHILLIPS EXTENDS HOURS AND OFFERS FREE ADMISSION FOR
90TH ANNIVERSARY BIRTHDAY BASH ON NOVEMBER 5

On the day D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray has proclaimed “Phillips Collection Day,” celebrate the museum’s 90th anniversary with a day of free activities, gallery talks, and live music.

Highlights include:

• Free admission to Degas’s Dancers at the Barre: Point and Counterpoint
• Cupcake party favors while supplies last (10 a.m.–noon)
• Hands-on art-making inspired by Will Ryman’s outdoor sculpture of colossal pink roses (10 a.m.–2 p.m.)
• Hourly gallery talks on Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party and European Masterworks (11 a.m.–6 p.m.)
• “Happy Birthday” sing-along led by on-air talent from ABC7/WJLA-TV (noon)
• Ballet students from the Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington D.C. practicing in the Degas exhibition (12:30–3 p.m.)
• Interactive self-guide to the collection by illustrator Elizabeth Graeber
• Musical performances throughout the day, featuring Parisian-inspired accordionist Manny Bobenrieth, The Capital Hearings a cappella group, Teiber Trio, Tommy Cecil Quartet, Yvonne Johnson Trio, and DJ Neville C.
• Cash bar with wine, beer, champagne, and light snacks (4:15–8 p.m.)
  

The Phillips Collection
1600 21st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-387-2151
http://phillipscollection.org

Things to Do: Puccini's Tosca - Kennedy Center Opera

Do you like opera and are you between the ages of 18-35?  If so, you should check out Puccini's Tosca at the Kennedy Center, it runs from September 10-24 in the Opera House. See below for more information as well as a special deal I came across.

A little about the performance...Floria Tosca, a beautiful opera diva, tries to save her lover's life by giving herself to the dreaded chief of police, Baron Scarpia. The situation turns deadly, and even Scarpia's murder may not stop his diabolical plan. One of the most popular operas in the repertoire, Puccini's Tosca has attracted thousands of new fans with its timeless and thrilling arias, including "Vissi d'arte," "E lucevan le stelle," and "Recondita armonia." The touching emotion of Puccini's music goes straight to the heart and pulls the listener into its world. Listen to an audio preview of Tosca that highlights the sheer beauty of Puccini's lyrical gift.

Tosca's irresistible combination of passion, tenderness, pathos, and despair is brought to life on stage by Patricia Racette, Alan Held, and Frank Porretta, with Plácido Domingo conducting.**

**DEAL ALERT**
Save up to 68% on Orchestra Seats. 

A limited number of $35, $50, and $75 Generation O tickets are now available for performances on September 12, 14, and 23. Tickets regularly up to $300. Purchase now— GenO seats will sell out quickly! (If you're not familiar with Generation O, it's Washington National Opera's program for students and young professionals between the ages of 18 and 35!)

Purchase tickets online or mention code "132176" when calling the Box Office @ 202.467.4600.

FREE tickets to The Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center to give away free tickets!!! In celebration of its 40th birthday, the Kennedy Center in Washington is giving away free tickets to every performance taking place in the 2011-2012 season and is starting an effort to reach more young people (18-30), military families and community organizations.

Beginning Thursday, September 1st at 10AM., people can enter online to win a pair of tickets to a performance. In total, more than 1,200 free tickets will be distributed from a random drawing after the entry period closes on September 19th.

The ticket giveaway serves as the beginning of the center's MyTix program. It will offer discounted, complimentary and last-minute tickets to select performances. MyTix members also will receive ticket alerts and discounts on food and drinks. Kennedy Center Chairman David Rubenstein funded the program to broaden the center's audience.

To learn more and for your chance to win free tickets visit: http://www.kennedy-center.org/kc40

Restaurant Review: Sou'Wester

Since the purpose of Restaurant Week is to try new restaurants out for a fraction of the cost, every time that week rolls around I take full advantage. This go around my second restaurant choice proved to be much better than my first which was when I went to Vidalia. I decided to finally try out Sou'Wester which is located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel located in Southwest quadrant of Washington, DC, hence the name.

It was a beautiful day so I jumped at the chance to sit outside. The patio area overlooked a grassy area where they were just dismantling from a wedding. It was very quiet and peaceful back there, so much so it was hard to tell you were still in the city.

The waiter came over introduced himself and welcomed us to the restaurant. They had an extensive wine list but I decided to stick with a glass of Riesling while I decided on what I wanted to eat. Honestly, practically everything looked good on the menu and it took me a little while to decide on my three courses. I love when places offer most, if not all, of their regular menu during Restaurant Week.

For my appetizer, I started off with a wedge salad but this wasn't your run of the mill wedge salad. It was drenched in a buttermilk ranch dressing and topped with lots of fresh bacon. I'm sure it had twice the calories of a salad that would have been good for me, but I settled on eating something that was good to me instead.


Next, I had the grilled North Carolina shrimp with Anson Mills Grits, Roasted Tomato, Pearl Onions, Felts Country Ham Sauces for the entree. It was just the right portion after having that hearty salad. From the first taste of the shrimp and grits, I knew it was a winner. Prior to having the shrimp and grits at Sou'Wester, Art & Soul was my hands down favorite. Now Sou'Wester has taken #1. The grits were incredibly creamy, the shrimp was fresh and I'm sure I tasted some andouille sausage in there which was a perfect complement to an already excellent dish.


By this time, I was full and didn't think I could eat another bite but that was until I saw what came out. The blackberry cornbread buckle (similar to a cobbler) was served with a side of sweet corn ice cream. I was a special place in my heart for blackberry cobbler and I'm glad to say this dish didn't disappoint. It was baked to perfection. I truly appreciated how they put the ice cream on the side so that it didn't melt into the dish and detract from its rich taste.

Overall, Sou'Wester impressed me from their very accommodating waiters to their superior food and atmosphere. Everything I had was an A+ and it will definitely be going on my list of places I must take guests who are visiting Washington, DC. If you haven't been there, it's a definite must!

Sou'Wester
1330 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20024
202.554.8588
http://www.mandarinoriental.com/washington/dining/souwester/

Restaurant Review: Vidalia

Over the last few years I'd heard so many great things about Vidalia. When I learned summer Restaurant Week (RW) for DC had been officially announced, I quickly made my reservations and had Vidalia in my top 3.

I ended up meeting an old friend there for lunch on a Friday afternoon. When I walked up to the door, I opened it and proceeded down a flight of stairs to the restaurant. Not really a fan of restaurants that are underground but it was fairly well lit, despite not having any natural light.

Prior to going, I'd perused the menu and was happy to see most of their usual appetizers and entrees were being offered for RW. I don't like when restaurants severely limit their options or create special dishes just for RW. It's happened before that I really liked something and went back to have it again but was told it was only something they had for the week.

Moving forward, I was seated at a small 2-seater table with my friend. As soon as I sat down the waiter came over to take my order. He came over another 3 times, while we were both clearly trying to decide one what we wanted. Eventually, I just selected something because I felt so rushed.

For the appetizer, I had the Berkshire Pork Posole. It definitely wasn't at all what I expected. It had the potential to be good if it had been seasoned adequately. I added salt and pepper in hopes of saving it, no luck. Next I had the Cornmeal Crusted Catfish. Fried catfish is one of the few fried things that I eat and also cook, so I know what I like. I figured it was Southern style, fried catfish so it had to be good right? Yeah, not so much. It also lacked taste and I ended up leaving half of it on my plate. I will say the crayfish and andouille sausage that was underneath the catfish wasn't bad, at least it had some flavor. Lastly, I the red velvet cheesecake came out. I love, love, love all things red velvet so I hoped this would redeem an already lackluster meal. That was a negative. The dessert was a small round piece of dry red velvet cake (it was actually pink) with a round, fluffy piece of cheesecake, which was more like a tasteless whipped cream sitting on top.

By this time I was ready to go and before I could say anything, the waiter was there placing our check on the table. Crazy thing is we weren't even just sitting there being squatters because we both had to get back to work. Guess he was in a hurry to turn our table, so much so he stepped on the back of my sandal as I was leaving. I turned around, no apology nothing.

Saying I was disappointed in Vidalia would be an understatement. It was even more so because each of the dishes were so nicely plated, proving looks can definitely be deceiving. Too bad such care didn't go into the recipes themselves. See the photos below. The photo on the far right was my friend's rib dish. The meat was very tender but also lacking in the taste department.
















I wonder if Vidalia's former head chef was the driving force behind their success. I've heard nothing but great reviews about his new restaurant, Rogue 24, which opened this summer. Hope it's better than Vidalia, but then again, I'm fairly certain it has to be!


Vidalia
1990 M Street, NW
Washington D.C., DC 20036
202.659.1990
http://www.vidaliadc.com/

Restaurant Review: Bobby's Burger Palace

As I write this, I'm still fantasizing over how good the food was at the newly opened Bobby's Burger Palace (BBP). On Tuesday, August 16, Bobby Flay's latest burger joint opened at the corner of 21st and K Streets NW in Washington, DC.

I learned last week that the restaurant was slated to open on August 16th but when I called to confirm, I was told the opening was likely to be pushed back. To my surprise during lunch time yesterday, I saw that one of my Foursquare connections had checked in there. When I did a search online I saw people talking about how long the lines were but how they were excited to have the chance to meet Bobby Flay who was on-hand for the grand opening to mix and mingle.

Since I couldn't leave work mid-afternoon to wait in line for a burger, I ended up going immediately after work with 2 of my co-workers. I was shocked that the line had died down, I was expecting it to still be down the street but fortunately for us it wasn't. We ended up waiting in line for about 20-25 minutes, which was much better than I anticipated.

The Inside. The inside of the restaurant was pretty much as I'd expected it to be, bright, vibrant, eclectic and even a bit retro. The last Bobby Flay restaurant I went to was Mesa Grill in Las Vegas. BBP is no where as grand as Mesa Grill but I could see some similarities.

The Order. We all ordered burgers and for our sides the regular fries, sweet potato fries and onion rings. I had hoped to polish off my meal with the frozen cactus pear margarita but apparently they didn't have their liquor license yet (I was told they should have it by Thursday, 8/18) so of course they also couldn't serve their spiked milkshakes. Oh well. But I didn't let that get me down, just gave me another reason why I must go back.

I, along with a coworker, ordered the Bobby's Blue Burger. It was a ground beef burger topped with lettuce, tomatoes, crumbles of blue cheese and my fav two large strips of bacon. The other coworker had the Santa Fe burger.

So we took a seat, placed our numbers in front of us, and waited for them to deliver each of our meals. The manager, Lawrence, came over while we waited and explained to us each of the sauces (Burger Sauce, Jalapeno Ketchup, Chipotle Ketchup along with the usual condiments) along with making small talk about the restaurant. He did share with us that we'd missed meeting Bobby Flay by only 30 minutes.

The Sides. When the food came out, since I'm one of those weird people who like to eat everything separately, I slowly enjoyed each of the fries (both were crispy on the outside and soft in the middle with a hint of sea salt) and then moved on to the onion rings. I never eat onion rings but these were absolutely delicious. They were lightly breaded and the onion was slightly sweet which made for a pleasant surprise.

The Burgers. After like 5 minutes, I finally cut my burger in half and went to town. My burger was so juicy and flavorful the blue cheese and the other toppings seemed to be just an added incentive. Advice: It was a bit messy so make sure when you eat there you're not wearing white. The thing I liked most is although there were plenty of sauces available (the "Burger Sauce" is my personal fav) my burger didn't need any of them to top it off. It was perfect as-is!

Lawrence came back over to check on us and asked us which of the burgers did we wish we'd ordered. At first we thought it was just a random question, next thing you know we had a hot Miami burger in front of us. The Miami burger was made like a Cuban sandwich. It was beef patty, topped with ham, cheese, pickles, mayo and mustard and the hamburger bun was pressed like a panini.

While I loved my Bobby Blue, that Miami Burger just did something to me. The sauces combined with the pickles and ham, whew just the thought of how it tasted makes me want to go back again and again. Yes! it was really that good, I even made noises to express my satisfaction.

The photos I took of the meal via my iPhone don't even do it justice. The service was spectacular, the venue was very welcoming and had a communal feel and most importantly the food was amazing! Next time I may even ask to be "Crunchified", it's when they put potato chips on top of your burger.

Make sure when you go, you ask for the BBP Rewards card which enables you to rack up points toward a free burger, sandwich or salad. I have no doubt I'll be using mine often, which means I need to put in an extra workout each week. Since they will be serving drinks soon, beer, wine, and margaritas (all under $5), I'm sure this will make for a great happy hour spot.

Bobby's Burger Palace
2121 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
202.974.6260
www.bobbysburgerpalace.com

Things to Do: Riot Act Comedy Theater

Last week, I was scrolling through my timeline and came across a contest for free tickets for a new comedy club called Riot Act that was opening up in DC. I entered to win and was notified a few days later that I'd gotten tickets for their pre-opening night on Wednesday, August 10. Unfortunately, I already had plans by then so I couldn't make it.

Fast forward to the next day, one of my new favorite websites, Venga, had a promotion where they were giving out 50 tickets per day for Riot Act's opening weekend. So I decided to try my luck again. Since I also shared the promotion via Facebook and Twitter I ended up receiving a second tickets for the Saturday 10:30pm performance.

We got there early because you never know what the parking situation is going to look like in the Chinatown/Penn Quarter area, but fortunately we lucked out. The Riot Act Comedy Theater is located at the corner of 8th and E Streets NW.

When we walked in we were warmly greeted by all of the staff and were handed our tickets. They had a bustling bar on the main level with plenty of hi-tops and stools for seating but we decided to head downstairs to check out the showroom to stake our claim to some seats.

There was another bar downstairs that was way less crowded but since we could order in the showroom we decided to just take a seat while they were so plentiful. A host showed us to our table which was on the second row in front of the stage. There was one to the left of the stage but I know how comedians are, so I didn't want to take a chance at getting dragged into the act.

As soon as we were seated our waitress came over, introduced herself and was there to serve us. Our drinks came within 5 minutes and the pulled pork sliders I ordered arrives within 10. How's that for speedy service!

By 10:25 all of the seats were filled, even the other 2 seats at our table. I didn't mind sharing a table because it was a comedy show not some intimate, romantic dinner.

The show began around 10:35 and there were 3 performances, each one equally inappropriate but I love that kind of humor so I laughed the entire time. It started with an MC, Jimmy Meritt, who was absolutely hilarious. Up next was John Betz, Jr who was equally as funny. He even took time out at the end to hawk his comedy DVD that he happily proclaimed "I made myself."

The headliner, Charles Fleischer, came on around 11:30. We he first walked out I didn't know what to expect. He was older and kind of strange looking but after 5 minutes I caught onto his style. During his 45 minute performance, he picked on the 12 people who were seated in the front row, just as I suspected would happen. By the end of the performance he made his way to a keyboard that was on stage and effortlessly made a song out of what each of his "victims" did for a living. He rounded out the performance by also playing the harmonica. I truly was not ready!

Something worth noting, unlike other comedy clubs in the area they didn't require a minimum purchase, so there weren't any people there harassing you throughout the entire show to buy something. So glad they don't operate like that.

Overall, I was impressed with Riot Act. The venue is centrally located, the staff was warm and inviting, the food and drinks were tasty. Usually opening weekends are a little shaky but not at Riot Act. Everyone was professional and on-point. What more could you ask for?

Promotion Alert: When you buy a Riot Act t-shirt, you will get in free for their Tuesday night, Open Mic performances. Not bad!

Some of their upcoming acts include: Todd Rex, Dick Gregory (yes the Dick Gregory), Michael Brooks, and Paul Mooney. For a complete listing and more information, check out their website http://www.riotactcomedy.com/.

I'll definitely be back. Hope to see you there!

Riot Act Comedy
801 E. Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
202.697.4900
Twitter: @riotactcomedy
Facebook: http://facebook.com/riotactdc

Things to Do: Fashionable Life 9/8/11

Join the ladies of LilyPad for Fashionable Life on Thursday, September 8, 2011. Below is more information about the event taken from their website.

event details

The Fashionable Life is an event designed by young, professional DC women for young, professional DC women. It's the intimate, luxurious, and innovative beauty and fashion happy hour that we deserve.

As working women in DC we work hard to play hard. We spent years in school, interned our butts off and are finally on our way to achieving the lives of our dreams. And right now we're in that delightful space where we have friends, fun, jobs, and nothing to spend our money on but ourselves and our student loans.

The Fashionable Life aims to bring a great group of women together to laugh, talk, and network while indulging in delightful dishes prepared by a personal chef, cocktails crafted just for us, and manicures, massages, makeovers and one-on-one time with some of DC's hottest stylists. The girls at LilyPad sat down and thought about everything we wanted for an amazing evening out. Then we called up our friends and made it happen. We hope you'll enjoy it as much as we do, and that each event brings you closer to living The Fashionable Life.

when: September 8th, 2011 at 6 pm–9 pm
where: Hillyer Art Space, 9 Hillyer Ct NW, Washington, DC 20008

Buy tickets here

Restaurant Review: Taberna del Abardero

Feels like I haven't written a restaurant review in a while and I am long overdue.

Being that I'm a fan of Spanish food, when I saw an offer on The Capitol Deal for Taberna del Abardero I knew I had to buy it. Since the menu is somewhat pricey I decided I'd go during lunch so I could get more for my money.

One of my friends from college met me there around 1:00PM on a Friday afternoon. The weather was perfect so we grabbed a seat under an umbrella on their patio. The staff was very attentive and constantly checked up on us as we finally came to a decision on what we wanted. I ordered the Roasted Sea Bream and Shrimp in Garlic with Cayenne Pepper served With Sautéed Wild Mushroom and my friend ordered the Supreme and Thigh of Baby Chicken stuffed with Shitake Mushrooms, Scallions and Marinated Vegetables. We also ordered a side of Fried Potatoes. Would've been nice to have ordered a glass of wine too but since I had to go back to work I decided against it.

As soon as we ordered a basket of bread came out. Either I was really hungry or that bread was some of the best bread I've had in a while. It was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, just how I liked it. They already had olive oil on the table for dipping so I went to town.

While my friend and I chatted we noticed the pace of the meal was somewhat slow, especially since we were both on our lunch breaks. But I do know from going to Spain they relish in having leisurely meals and this was pretty normal being that it's an authentic Spanish restaurant. All that was missing was a bowl of olives.

So the food arrived and the aroma had me hypnotized. I was also enticed by the presentation. If there's one thing I look for at restaurants of this caliber it's the plating. My friend and I were ready to eat but of course I had to snap a few shots before we dug in.

My fish was lightly seasoned and the sauce was delicious. The dish also had 4 small shrimp and sauteed mushrooms. It was a perfect meal for lunch because it didn't leave me feeling weighed down. The fried potatoes we shared on the side were delicious and didn't need any sauce and were perfectly seasoned. I really could have just eaten those by themselves, but they were a welcomed addition to an already great meal.

Things got very quiet as we both enjoyed our meals. I had a bite of my friend's dish, it was good but definitely not as good as mine. Hers definitely had an interesting taste, it was hard to describe but it tasted kind of like a mix between curry and barbecue sauce with a hint of cumin.

Since my hour lunch break, had evolved into an hour and a half, as soon as we finished eating we requested the check. Our waiter and another staff person came over to convince us that we couldn't leave without having dessert. We kindly refused but when our waiter brought the check, he also set two small glasses with a creamy concoction inside. It tasted like some kind of mousse with frozen bits of cantaloupe, watermelon, and apple, with shaving of pistachio on top. I'm still not sure what is was but it was definitely good and a welcomed surprise.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the service, the atmosphere and most importantly, the food. I'd definitely go back again. My advice would be to go for dinner and not lunch. The pricing is actually pretty much the same and you'll have time to sit back and enjoy the

Upcoming Event
Sommelier Gustavo Iniesta of Taberna del Alabardero hosts a Wine & Tapas Tasting.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 6:30 - 8:00PM
Cost: $65 per person

Taberna del Alabardero
1776 I St NW, Washington, DC 20006
202.429.2200
http://www.alabardero.com/