2.22.2011

What I've Been Eating: Brunch at Estadio

I let my brother and his girlfriend borrow my car and was rewarded with a thank you brunch at Estadio (which I've been dying to try out!) I see why everyone has been raving... there are little touches everywhere that made the experience feel special. From the stacks of oranges at the bar, ready to be fresh squeezed (and mixed with cava, brandy and thyme!) to the locally sourced honey butter that comes with the warm toast.

I feel like the last person in DC to discover Estadio, so if you haven't yet been, take a look at these drool-worthy photos and... get. there. fast.


Estadio is located at 1520 14th Street NW, Washington, DC. You can follow them on Facebook, Yelp and Twitter to stay on top of the latest specials and news.

2.08.2011

MAP: Where to Eat in San Francisco

... and while I'm at it, I'll be in San Francisco by 8pm PT. Here's my San Fran starter set... what do I need to add to the map?

View San Francisco in a larger map

MAP: Where to Eat in LA

I only had 48 hours in Los Angeles this visit, but I got SO many recommendations from friends, locals and restaurant industry insiders... you know I had to Google map them! If you've got a trip to LA coming up, here's one hell of a starter list.

My favorites this trip were Urth Caffee for breakfast, THEBlvd for lunch and Culina for dinner. But I've still got one meal left (lunch) before my flight takes off... which one of these should get the nod? *paralyzed with making a foodie mistake*

View LA, CA in a larger map

Keep in mind, I didn't have a car this time and was working in Beverly Hills, so it's heavily centered there. What'd I miss this trip that I should check out next visit?

What I've Been Eating: Lunch at BLT Steak

I recently had a great girlie catch up lunch at BLT Steak (btw, we were the only women in there... it was stacked with suits!) and wanted to share the experience. I'd go to BLT just for the gruyere popovers that come gratis, but check out these other options...

I know, I know, they are known for their steak... but if you don't have a steak budget, have the cheeseburger, like my friend E did:


I was trying to eat lighter (damn WW guilt), so I opted for the Lobster Cobb Salad, which is colorful and delicious. The egg was so soft  (I think I need to learn how to boil eggs so they still retain that soft yolk), the lobster sweet and the greens and veggies added crunch.

BLT is also a great happy hour option - they have $5 specials at the bar.  And, splurge on the tuna tartare... it's the best I've had in DC (and the plating alone is worth the money.)

Follow them on Twitter for updates and the latest specials or make a reservation and get eating!

CHAT: Let's Talk Valentine's Today at 11am on TBD

Join me and fellow TBD Network Bloggers, Alejandra Owens and Olga Berman as we chat tips for Valentine's Day at 11:00am ET here.

We'll be talking romantic meals - ones you can make, ones you can buy and ones you can go out for.

Meanwhile, this is all it takes to make my guy happy on... well, any day...

2.04.2011

To Do: Krispy Kreme BGR THIS SUNDAY ONLY

Gotta be quick on Twitter to catch madness like this... Mark Bucher of BGR Burger Joint just tweeted that he's doing an experiment... an evilly delicious one... this Sunday at 11am at the Old Town BGR location, he'll be serving up Krispy Kreme "Luther" Burgers while they last.


It might look a little something like this photo... consider the bun being replaced by donuts. Inside, a burger plus bacon, American cheese and an egg. Zzzzzz.

The Old Town BGR location is at 106 N. Washington Street in Alexandria, VA and convenient to the Old Town Metro stop. Or you could walk. After this calorie bomb, you'll need a stroll.

To Do: Zola Wine & Kitchen Whoopie Pie Eating Contest

If I created a Whoopie Pies of DC Google map, Zola Wine & Kitchen would be a must stop. It's one of my favorite places to grab lunch near my office and these red velvet Whoopie Pies are diet slayers (and SO worth it!)

On February 11th from 5-8:00pm, Zola Wine & Kitchen is having a wine tasting and whoopie pie eating contest - it's free, so just drop by their location at 9th & E Streets NW in Washington, DC.  For a little pre Valentine's Day fun, you'll also be able to frost your own whoopie pies for your sweetie (or for your own belly... who has to know?)
Zola Wine & Kitchen Whoopie Pies (via Stir Food Group)
[SIDE NOTE: Zola Wine & Kitchen is going to be selling Valentine's gift baskets brimming with cupcakes, cookies and whoopie pies, so you can pre-order those as well ($30-$55).]

2.03.2011

Adventures in Home Ownership: Appliance Repair

Yesterday as I was home with my recovering pup (got neutered, poor guy!), I noticed the light was out in my refrigerator. Me being me, I assumed the light blew out and went on with my day. A few hours later, I went to get some ice and realized the ice maker wasn't working. I flipped fuses. I tweeted for advice (resulting in "check fuses" advice.) Nada.

So, I'm new to this home ownership thing. Normally, this is where I'd calmly call the landlord and let them handle it. Instead, I turned to Angie's List. I love Angie's List in theory, but I hadn't used it yet. I still find it a little overwhelming. It's kind of like Yelp, but specifically for home repair recommendations. When I searched for "appliance repair - large" near me, I got 22 recommendations. Each had great ratings and lots of positive reviews. I started by looking at the one nearest to me - he had raves for being honest and fast. (Yay!)... but didn't service Bosch. Next up, I checked the Bosch website for service recommendations and found 3 matches with Angie's List.


Which brings me to Wuerstlin's Appliance Repair, based in Highland, MD. They had 27 positive reviews from previous customers and also, if my refrigerator was under warranty, could provide the service gratis.  They scheduled me for a morning consultation with their tech specialist, Brian. My window was 9:00am -12:00pm. He called at 9:15am and told me he'd be there in 30 minutes... and was. He was professional, nice (even to Ike) and immediately diagnosed my problem... as... a... wait for it... hidden power off switch that I had somehow accidentally pressed. Classic, Tammy.

The good news is, Brian didn't mock me or make me feel stupid (I'm not sure I wouldn't have been able to resist a smirk.) He emptied my melting ice trays and showed me where to find my serial number. He then called it in to the office to let me know if it was still under warranty for future knowledge (it wasn't, but hey, now I know.)

While I had to pay for the travel and consultation, $129.00 wasn't too shabby for getting the refrigerator up and running when I thought it might be a $500 motor repair. In addition, if anything else goes wrong over the next 3 months, the will come out and waive that fee.

Ah, ya learn something new every day...

2.01.2011

Who's Got the Best Fried Chicken in DC?

When I asked this question on Twitter and Facebook yesterday, recommendations flew fast and furious. I'm no expert (thanks to my chicken issues) but my dude lives for it, so I was pondering where to take him for some pre-V Day dining.

Based on sheer numbers, Ooh's & Aah's of Washington, DC seems to be the winner, but I'm most interested in checking out Chef Gillian Clark's General Store in Silver Spring. Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan tipped me off to General Store - and I still regret that I never made it to Clark's Colorado Kitchen before it folded up shop. Plus, it's takeout so I can just pick up fried chicken, mac-n-cheese and bacon-y greens and be the couch potato that winter makes me.

Here's the full roster of recommendations in case anyone wants to do a Fried Chicken Tour of Washington, DC (and as always, let me know if I missed anyone amazing):
View DC Fried Chicken Map in a larger map