The end of DC
Since I always get caught up in the end of a city, travel days, and beginning the next one, I neglected to finish out the end of my DC stay. Here goes!
On my last Thursday in DC I met Kyle, Joelle, Triana, and Joelle's friend Shane at Cafe Mozu in the Mandarin Oriental, for yet another restaurant week meal. Shane is a childhood friend of Joelle's who now hosts an HGTV show called 'Designed to Sell'. It was great to have someone new around to spice up our talk and keep us from obsessing about the show. Cafe Mozu specialized in Japanese-American fusion, so we all had some amahhhhzing sushi, along with some Asian ribs, tuna soup, bread, and tempura lychees to end. Yummy!
After lunch I needed to finally hit up my long awaited museum, the Holocaust Museum. I spent three and a half hours there, and could have stayed longer. To anyone who's visiting DC, I highly recommend it. It's fantastically done in a way that makes it both shocking and resonating, accessible and educational. I was very moved, and will definitely go back the next time I'm in town. Unfortunately I eventually ran out of time because I had to head to the theatre. Thursday's show was a hit, and as soon as it was over I had a great treat waiting for me at the stage door - my bestie Marti! Marti is an old best friend from high school, who took the train in to hang out.
After the show coincidentally people were heading back to my old favorite, Old Ebbitt, so Marti and I headed along so she could meet people. With a table for 13 we were eating a feast of seafood and drinking vino for a few hours before we finally headed home. Marti and I caught up on all our gossip, and eventually hit the sheets. Then on Friday she and I hung out all day, until the two of us met our friend Mark (also from high school) for dinner! The three of us have been friends practically forever... we met and were friends in sixth or seventh grade, which puts it at about 13 or so years. That's ridiculous! I don't have many friends who have been around longer, so they're very special to me. We ate and gabbed and they of course made fun of me, which completed the scenes that we always share. Eventually I had a job to go to, but they got to hang out all night. No fair!
On Saturday I had two shows, so I left Marti on her own to hang out with Mark and have dinner with a good friend of hers from college. The shows went well, and I actually squeezed YET ANOTHER restaurant week dinner into my day. Kyle, Jen, Carli, Triana, and I headed to Notti Bianche, a fantastic restaurant just a block from the Kennedy Center. We'd walked past is several times, but it wasn't until our perusing the food reviews that we realized what a find it was. Of course when we called for reservations they claimed to be booked, but when Kyle stopped by and dropped the P-word (we Phantom-ites don't like to do it, but occasionally...) we were in! We ate the most amazing meal ever, with some fantastic bonuses.
From the start the manager was sending us tastings, which was a great sign. We thanked him profusely, and enjoyed the food the the best possible extent. Then it got even better. When we asked for the check, the manager told us that the bill was on him! We protested for a bit, but he told us that is was the least that he could do. Phantom had brought him a lot of business, and it was one way of showing his appreciation. We were stoked! It was definitely one of the greatest meals, and it was FREE!
After the second show Marti and I hung out, and made plans for her upcoming wedding. I'm so excited for her - she has a fantastic fiancee, and I love it when people I love marry other people I love. Perfect! We stayed up late, and then on Sunday she headed out with me to head home. It was such a fun visit. Sunday's shows went well, and on Sunday between shows I had another unexpected treat! Sarah Ford, Emily and I randomly decided to have dinner, and then we all decided to hit up Ethiopian! I've never eaten Ethiopian food before, and the first Ethiopian restaurant in the US was actually in DC. The Ethiopian there is supposedly great, and the whole time I'd wanted to try it out. It worked out perfectly. We headed to Zeke's, which also coincidentally had a... Restaurant Week Menu. I had some yummy peppered beef called something like Beef Zulikuli, and it was great. The spongy Ethiopian bread, plus a potato salad (not what you're thinking), and a chocolate caramel pyramid left me very satisfied.
I did the last show on Sunday and said goodbye to my dressers, and was on my way. It really was a great way to say goodbye to DC.... if you don't count what happened afterwards. Oh well!
On my last Thursday in DC I met Kyle, Joelle, Triana, and Joelle's friend Shane at Cafe Mozu in the Mandarin Oriental, for yet another restaurant week meal. Shane is a childhood friend of Joelle's who now hosts an HGTV show called 'Designed to Sell'. It was great to have someone new around to spice up our talk and keep us from obsessing about the show. Cafe Mozu specialized in Japanese-American fusion, so we all had some amahhhhzing sushi, along with some Asian ribs, tuna soup, bread, and tempura lychees to end. Yummy!
After lunch I needed to finally hit up my long awaited museum, the Holocaust Museum. I spent three and a half hours there, and could have stayed longer. To anyone who's visiting DC, I highly recommend it. It's fantastically done in a way that makes it both shocking and resonating, accessible and educational. I was very moved, and will definitely go back the next time I'm in town. Unfortunately I eventually ran out of time because I had to head to the theatre. Thursday's show was a hit, and as soon as it was over I had a great treat waiting for me at the stage door - my bestie Marti! Marti is an old best friend from high school, who took the train in to hang out.
After the show coincidentally people were heading back to my old favorite, Old Ebbitt, so Marti and I headed along so she could meet people. With a table for 13 we were eating a feast of seafood and drinking vino for a few hours before we finally headed home. Marti and I caught up on all our gossip, and eventually hit the sheets. Then on Friday she and I hung out all day, until the two of us met our friend Mark (also from high school) for dinner! The three of us have been friends practically forever... we met and were friends in sixth or seventh grade, which puts it at about 13 or so years. That's ridiculous! I don't have many friends who have been around longer, so they're very special to me. We ate and gabbed and they of course made fun of me, which completed the scenes that we always share. Eventually I had a job to go to, but they got to hang out all night. No fair!
On Saturday I had two shows, so I left Marti on her own to hang out with Mark and have dinner with a good friend of hers from college. The shows went well, and I actually squeezed YET ANOTHER restaurant week dinner into my day. Kyle, Jen, Carli, Triana, and I headed to Notti Bianche, a fantastic restaurant just a block from the Kennedy Center. We'd walked past is several times, but it wasn't until our perusing the food reviews that we realized what a find it was. Of course when we called for reservations they claimed to be booked, but when Kyle stopped by and dropped the P-word (we Phantom-ites don't like to do it, but occasionally...) we were in! We ate the most amazing meal ever, with some fantastic bonuses.
From the start the manager was sending us tastings, which was a great sign. We thanked him profusely, and enjoyed the food the the best possible extent. Then it got even better. When we asked for the check, the manager told us that the bill was on him! We protested for a bit, but he told us that is was the least that he could do. Phantom had brought him a lot of business, and it was one way of showing his appreciation. We were stoked! It was definitely one of the greatest meals, and it was FREE!
After the second show Marti and I hung out, and made plans for her upcoming wedding. I'm so excited for her - she has a fantastic fiancee, and I love it when people I love marry other people I love. Perfect! We stayed up late, and then on Sunday she headed out with me to head home. It was such a fun visit. Sunday's shows went well, and on Sunday between shows I had another unexpected treat! Sarah Ford, Emily and I randomly decided to have dinner, and then we all decided to hit up Ethiopian! I've never eaten Ethiopian food before, and the first Ethiopian restaurant in the US was actually in DC. The Ethiopian there is supposedly great, and the whole time I'd wanted to try it out. It worked out perfectly. We headed to Zeke's, which also coincidentally had a... Restaurant Week Menu. I had some yummy peppered beef called something like Beef Zulikuli, and it was great. The spongy Ethiopian bread, plus a potato salad (not what you're thinking), and a chocolate caramel pyramid left me very satisfied.
I did the last show on Sunday and said goodbye to my dressers, and was on my way. It really was a great way to say goodbye to DC.... if you don't count what happened afterwards. Oh well!
posted by Beth at 11:59 PM
1 Comments:
The Belchers, who live across the street, are in Ethiopia right now to pick up a baby boy that they're adopting. When he's old enough to eat real food, I'll tell them they have to head to DC to try the Ethiopian restaurant!!xxxooomom
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