The quick and dirty on B. Too, one of the new hot spots on DC’s 14th Street Strip:
•It nails the Belgium farm scene, complete with cow illustrations in the bathroom
•The food is delicious. From the steak tartare to the Pumpkin Cappuccino (soup, not coffee) to the Belgian Mac n Cheese, it was perfectly prepared.
•You had me at waffle. Sweet or savory, they’ve got what you need even if you didn’t know it.
•A beer list for the snobbiest of beer snobs.
What more do you need?
While the origin of the Jucy Lucy is a long standing debate in the Twin Cities, you can find this cheese-filled burger at bars across the area. For my taste test, I ventured to a newer version at Groveland Tap.
On first bite, the cheese is bubbling hot, so the JL is usually severed with a warning to let it cool while you enjoy the fries. Believe me, it’s worth the wait.
While the Groveland Lucy was good, I’m still a fan of Matt’s. next time, proximity may not win out.
Full disclosure: Chicago is my favorite city and the food is definitely part of that. I don’t make it there nearly as much as I’d like to so I’m always torn between going to old favorites or trying new places. Last weekend was a new place, the new-ishly opened Kanela Breakfast Club in Old Town. As someone who swears by The Bongo Room, I love a breakfast that can double as a dessert. I promise a review on that later.
For now, Kanela. First, the most important thing to know going in: it is BYOB. There’s a liquor store across the street and a Walgreen’s a few doors down (Chicago side note: Walgreens and CVS have full liquor selections) so you can pick up on your way or while you wait.
Now, the food. I was won over when I saw Chocolate Bacon Bourbon Waffles. They were as good as they look. And who doesn’t love chocolate bacon? There are waffle and French toast flights so you can try a bit of everything. One of my dining companions had the Red Velvet French Toast. It was amazingly decadent and too rich to finish. We also had a side of pork belly and grits. It was a perfect fat kids brunch.
If you are healthier than us, they offer fresh-squeezed juices and smoothies and have both vegan and gluten-free options.
If you ever find yourself in the Bay Area, it’s worth the drive to Half Moon Bay. The 60 degree weather was a welcome respite from the heat wave scorching the rest of the country and the quaint downtown seems worlds away from the city.
There aren’t a ton of options if you’re looking to belly up to a bar, but Sam Benito on Main (which also hosts a guest house and full restaurant) was my pick for the day. Between the house-cured meat and 20 beers on tap, I’d be a happy girl. But the hospitality of Walter the bartender made this a must return spot. The beer was pricier than I expected (around $7/pint) but the homemade pizza was only $3.25 and the locals made us feel welcome.
The nation’s capitol is sweeter than ever. Meet Co Co. Sala, a restaurant devoted to chocolate. Seriously.
They take chocolate so seriously that they offer multi-course dessert experience. And chocolate drinks. And more chocolate.
Here’s the “Chocolate Onyx,” a taste explosion of dark chocolate, salted caramel, and brownie with sides of dark chocolate sorbet and a toffee bonbon.
And if you need a little more than something sweet, be sure to grab the lamb sliders. Bigger than bite-size, flavored with curry and coconut and complimented with potatoes and a lime yogurt that works to bring out every possible flavor.
Do yourself a favor and check it out next time you’re in DC.
It’s rare that I fly through Philly, but I was recently pleasantly surprised by the PHL Airport. Let me count the reasons:
1. Shopping! It’s not limited to Brookstone or the men’s travel staples of PGA Tour Shop and Johnston & Murphy. For the casual chick (or dude, I suppose), there’s a Gap. I was able to pick up an extra pair of jeans to make up for drunk packing the night before. For that reason alone, it was near and dear to my heart.
2. Beauty/Relaxation. Every airport should offer a quick mani/pedi/massage spot. If you have an hour or more to kill before flights, you might as well put it to good use doing something other than work. You work too much anyway. I was unable to partake on this trip (see drunk packing fix shopping above), but it’s a good option to have for all of those times you can’t squeeze it in before a trip.
3. Food. I’m a junk-food junkie as much as anyone, but one of the things I’m trying to do is find healthier airport options. This over 30 body just isn’t what it used to be. I opted for Burrito Elito. Not only is it fun to say, it offers freshly squeezed juice, the salsa was made with real vegetables, and the chicken salad was much better than typical airport fare. Apparently, they are a subsidiary of California Tortilla.
If Mexican isn’t your thing, Terminal C also offers Sky Asian Bistro for sushi lovers. And there’s the more typical airport food court in the walkway between terminals with a Chick Fil-A.
4. Taking a page from CLT, PHL also offers rocking chairs throughout the terminal. It’s not my thing, but judging from the crowd, people dig a good rock between flights.
Traveling With Myself 