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Washington, DC, United States
I don't write here nearly as much as I should, but when I do, I'll try to make it count for something.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Travel Is My Religion

So it's been a few months, but I haven't given up on you yet, blog. Updating this thing is difficult in the spring and summer because I'm always out doing things and when I am home, I spend my time either catching up on my favorite shows (what up, Treme and Games of Throne!), sleeping, or trying to get rid of this beer belly that is refusing to go away (probably because I refuse to stop drinking beer?) - so! Here we are.

Well, here I am, anyway. Enough idle chit chat and let's get right down to it. What exactly have I been up to the last few months?


  • Went on a kickass trip to San Francisco in May
  • Went on a 3 day beach trip earlier this month to Chincoteague, VA
  • Attended a wonderful baby shower
  • Visited NYC this past weekend
  • Went to various movies & happy hours

So that's a lot for an older timer like me. And I don't want to bore with all the details of every event that has taken place so I'll point out the highlights:

San Francisco was wonderful. The weather was also a fantastic change from the humid sticky fog that is DC in the spring/summer seasons. I went for work, but through work was able to do some many fantastic things, like take a cruise around the Bay, go on a bike tour across the Golden Gate bridge, stay in a resort & spa in Sonoma Valley, attend cocktail events in City Hall, Alcatraz, and the California Academy of Sciences. Hung out around Haight & Ashbury (which was oddly disappointing, despite the engaging conversations I had with the locals and homeless citizen of the neighborhood) and checked out the Painted Ladies, which resulted in a lot of jokes about Uncle Jessee and the Rippers. I asked several people if they knew where the Smash Club was located.... I'm pretty sure I wasn't the first jackass tourist to make similar jokes as no one really found my comments hilarious.

I could go on and on about many wonderful aspects of San Francisco, but all I will say is the food was wonderful. I went on a foodie tour (of course) and had some of the best meals of my life. I let too much time go by before posting this so my memory of it all is fading but one place I could never forget about is Le Colonial. I had the Ga Roti XaoX (Lemongrass roasted chicken with shittake mushrooms and the most flavorful fried broccoli I have ever tasted) and shared it with my friend Sarah, who ordered the Thit Bo Nuong (a NY Steak in truffle sauce and caramelized onions). Join that with a couple bottle of a rich, bold blackberry-infused Cab Sav/Merlot blend, spicy roasted brussel sprouts (yes, they were YUMMY) and an apple crepe in mango sauce... and man, I was in foodie heaven. 

So the trip was a week long roller coaster - lots of work, lots of play, very little sleep. There was a piano bar where I rocked out to "Rocket Man." There was a Mexican cafe where I had the best spicy hot cocoa I've ever had in this country. Then there was the time I went on a midnight tour of Alcatraz and nearly peed my pants in fear. It was all very delightful.

As a SoCal girl, I was pretty much raised to hate all of those crazy hippy Northerners, but I gotta tell ya I couldn't have been happier with the city. 

And so I returned. And continued to be busy and live without sleep. And finally finally was able to relax with a beach trip with my girls - they know who they are - and had a blast. Nothing like the ocean and the sunshine and wonderful locals to make you feel right with Life. I drank too much, slept too much, laughed too much, and ate too much. So basically, I didn't everything I love in the world, and with a few of my favorite people in the world.

I LOVE THE BEACH.

Two more beach trips planned this summer. And then another trip to SD planned in the fall. See above comment.

Other upcoming trips: Salt Lake City, Austin, and Chicago. 

It's a hard knock life, you know?

But seriously, things are swell. Tonight I am visiting a newish restaurant and club in the Foggy Bottom area called Bayou - a New Orleans-style jazz joint that I have been dying to visit for weeks. Also, a plus - my favorite DC Chef, Rusty Holman, is the executive chef there! I will be eating/drinking/singing my heart out tonight. Hopefully I will remember to post about my experience there.

That's all for now, folks. Time to get back to work???? Or go for a walk around the block for froyo. Yep, the latter.

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