Computer issues, writing issues

After sitting down countless times over the last several weeks to write up brunch reviews and to share some other DC and brunch-related links, I’ve hit writers block.  Nothing will come out.  It slowly started to occur to me that it might have to do with the fact that I have been using a very old and slow loaner computer while my laptop has been getting repaired (that story later…but the gist is that I am NEVER again buying anything from Dell).

So much of writing is being in the right mood and mindset.  When I sit at a desk to write, I get into work mode.  I find myself opening sites that are related to my work projects, and writing in a much more formal, boring tone.  So I guess that’s my sad excuse for not having posted in a while.  So to all my friends asking when I’ll write about the brunches they joined me on – it’s coming soon, promise!

Permanent Brunch

Last year I wrote about a restaurant that would be opening up in New York City that had two of the best concepts I could imagine: it always serves brunch, and it has an entire list of bacon to choose from.  Well, the wait is over!  Permanent Brunch has officially opened it’s doors!  I don’t think I’ll be able to get up to NY until October, but I already know where I’m going to want to eat while I’m there.

For a full review of the new restaurant, I’d recommend I Heart Brunch.

Crepes at the Market

When I arrived at Eastern Market last weekend for the grand reopening, I scoped out the lines at my favorite food vendors to decide where to get lunch.  I wouldn’t have time to wait in line for something like Market Lunch (mmm blue bucks…) but knew I would need to take a break from volunteering at some point for food. And then I got a craving for one of my favorite treats: crepes.  If you have never stopped by the Crepes at the Market stand, put it on your list for one weekend soon.

The line moves a bit slow, but only because they make the crepes to order, and they have a mouth-watering list of fillings to choose from.  My savory favorites include asiago with mushrooms and spinach, or ham with muenster, apple and maple syrup.  You can also order a sweet crepe with any number of delicious toppings.  Sweet crepes start at $4 and savory start at $5 but most of the best ones are in the $7 and $8 range.  I say that they are worth every penny!

I have heard from some people that they do not love how these are severed, but I am a big fan.  They crepes are rolled into a cone and placed in paper so you can eat them while walking.  It can get a little messy, but aren’t the best foods the ones that are the messiest to eat?

Crepes at the Market sets up their stand in front of the Aquatic Center on North Carolina Avenue, right behind Eastern Market.  (They used to be on 7th Street but all weekend vendors selling prepared food are now setting up on the North Carolina plaza.)  Their website says that they are only at Eastern Market on Saturdays from 8am-4pm, but I heard them telling customers that they are coming on Sundays as well, at least through the fall.

we now return you to your regularly scheduled programming…

Writers block, internet issues at home, traveling, job hunting, work, volunteering, etc…yep, I’ve been busy! And in the midst of that, I’m working with some fellow Hill residents to start up a Hill-focused blog that we want to make a place for all news, gossip, and entertainment about our little neighborhood.  I think it’s coming along quite well!  Check it out, bookmark and subscribe, and please let us know if you have any story ideas!  It’s TheHillIsHome.com.  Don’t worry, I will continue with my brunch obsession over here as well.

I realized that I hadn’t been to the beaches around here in, well, longer than I can remember.  So when a friend said he was driving out the next morning, and offered me a ride and a free place to stay I jumped at the chance.  Instead of taking pictures and writing up some great review of the weekend getaway that is the DelMarVa shore, I decided to read, sleep, and recharge.  So no great pictures or reviews, sorry!

The next weekend, I drove to Pittsburgh with a couple of friends.  A good friend of mine that is from there had been wanting to show us her home town.  We arrived just as the Penguins won the Stanley Cup…I’m sure you can imagine how crazy that was.  Pittsburgh fans are pretty enthusiastic about their teams, and after the Steelers’ winning the Super Bowl, they feel like they are on quite a roll.  My friend took us on a marathon tour of the city, and in the evening we caught a Pirates’ game (against Detroit…their fans seemed pretty blue after their hickey loss the night before).  I got a Primanti Brother’s cheesestake sandwich, which I would not really ever go back for.  There’s just something about putting french fries ON the sandwich that I will never understand.  But it was a fun time, good to get away with the girls, and fun to see a city I’ve never been to before.

Plenty of other things have been keeping me busy and way from brunch and the city as well, but it’s stuff I’m not sure others would be interested in so instead I’ll just get back to my regular stuff – brunch, food, etc.

Support Your Farmers Market!

It’s that time of year when everyone is abuzz about their local farmers market.  And what’s not to be excited about?  Walking through the farmers market always inspires me to try new recipes with the wide array of fruits and vegetables.  It also brings me back to my young childhood aspirations to be a farmer…I apparently moved onto new dreams after pre-K, growing out of my little farm set, becoming a through-and-through city girl.

Review: Simply Summer Cookbook

Anyone who has spent a summer in DC knows that the heat and humidity can make the kitchen a pretty unpleasant place once the oven or stove heats up.  Since my rowhouse kitchen doesn’t have air conditioning, I am forced to change my cooking habits in the summer months to avoid turning my kitchen into a sauna.  But meals that require minimal cooking can be tough to come up with (or at least coming up with a variety of dishes can be challenging), hence my love for cookbooks and cooking magazines that focus on seasonal recipes and tips.

When Angela Tunner contacted me to review her cookbook, Simply Summer, my mind and appetite immediately jumped to thoughts of the farmers market and meals on my patio.  It’s almost time for summery meals and I couldn’t be more excited.

recessionista weekend fun: DC’s bike trails

As temperatures hovered around 70 all weekend, I jumped at the chance to pull out my bike for a couple of rides. I’m filing this under “Recessionista” because one of the best things about DC’s trails, besides how beautiful many of them are, is that they are totally free!  Yes, you need to pay for a bike, but that is a purchase that can pay for itself if you give up a gym membership for it, or, if possible, your car.

A few of my favorite trails so far:

• Mt Vernon Trail: I haven’t actually done the full trail yet but have done parts of it.  This past weekend, for example, I met up with friends in Crystal City and we rode to Old Town and back.  A few of the uphill stretches were a bit rough on my out-of-shape legs but the view along the river was worth it.  No pain, no gain, right?
• Capital Crescent Trail: I am a big fan of this one except for how crowded it can be on a nice day.  None of the trails are really wide enough for bikers and walkers to comfortably share, so you need to watch your speed a bit.  But it’s quite beautiful and if you take a break in downtown Bethesda, there are great restaurants and stores to check out.  Fletcher’s Boathouse, just past the Georgetown Reservoir, is also a great place to stop for a picnic.
• C & O Canal: I love the idea of this trail but my butt doesn’t love the bumpiness.  Maybe later in the season I’ll be able to handle it better.  Otherwise, it’s a great one for a long walk or jog.
• The National Mall: The Capitol to the Lincoln is about 3 miles, so doing a big loop of the Mall is a pretty easy trip for an early-season ride when you want something less challenging.  Just be careful crossing the streets – not all of the crossings are really all that bike friendly when you factor in out-of-town drivers paying more attention to finding their way around than pedestrians and bikers.

If you want to bike with other people, Capitol Hill Bikes has group rides on Sunday mornings.  And be sure to check out the Washington Area Bicyclist Association as well – it’s a great site for finding groups to ride with and to access a ton of great trail maps and guides for biking around DC.

when you’re handed a lemon…

…make lemonade, or so the saying goes.  The rotten economy finally found me and I was laid off from my job last week.  What does that mean for brunch and the city?  Well, until I find a new job I should probably reduce the amount I eat out! So brunch and the city will start to focus a little less on the brunch and a little more on the city.  When I started this blog a year ago, I intended for brunch reviews to only be one part of it.  I wanted this to also be a motivator to get out and rediscover my hometown, but I have not spent as much time on that aspect as originally intended.  So in the coming weeks, I’ll be posting a bit more about DC on a budget! (including some of the better bargain brunches)

And, my dear readers, this is also a call to you for your own brunch reviews.  If you have a good (or terrible) brunch in the DC area and want to share your review, please pass it along!  I always welcome guests posts and look forward to hearing more about your recommended brunch spots that I have yet to discover.

brunch vacation…what did I miss??

I was hoping to catch up on several posts this past weekend while on vacation, but, alas, I was without a reliable Internet connection.  After getting past the first wave on withdrawal, I decided to embrace the chance to take a break from my constant internet surfing.  Okay, to be fair, I still had my iPhone connecting me to email and news, so I wasn’t totally disconnected.  (I will post about brunch in Seattle as soon as I get through this busy 4-day week at work, and in the meantime you can see a few pictures from my trip here.)

But until then, I want to know: did your sweetheart take you to a special Valentine’s day brunch or make you your favorite breakfast? Or did you opt for brunch with friends?  I know plenty of area restaurants had specials this weekend, so let me know where your appetite took you and how it was!

Freebies for blocked ticket holders – enough to make up for missing history?

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (aka event planning rookies) announced today that they will be giving some Inaugural memorabilia to ticket holders who were unable to get into the swearing in ceremony on Tuesday.

According to the Washington Post:

“The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies said Thursday that those with blue, silver and purple tickets who didn’t make it will receive copies of the swearing-in invitation and program, photos of Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, and a color print of the ceremony.”

But as DCist puts it:

“Does this free stuff make up for you feeling super disappointed/having been actually frightened by an angry mob/spending money and time on something that you didn’t get to experience?”

Sorry Senator Feinstein, but I have to say that copies of the invitation and photos don’t feel like an apology to me.   How about full representation instead? Okay, that may be asking too much, but really – a lot of people traveled a long way and spent a lot of money to come for Tuesday’s historic events. That’s the best you all can do?