“L'automne est un deuxième ressort où chaque feuille est une fleur.*” ~ Albert Camus * "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." ...
Better know the district
Art All Night Returns September 27, Expands Across the District
I've given up on D.C.'s Art For All ever being a cultural event of the scale and caliber of Paris' Nuit Blanche, but that doesn't mean that I'm not looking forward to it. The main event, Art All Night/Nuit Blanche DC, now in its fourth edition, will take place Saturday, September 27 and go beyond the Shaw neighbourhood to all four quadrants of the city. Art All Night uses art to cast a new light on the city and one of the things I love the most about the DC version is that it allows me to explore both established art spaces and discover more underutilized venues. This year is no exception. Here are some of the highlights: Activated! Art4All Launch Party ~ If you haven't walked through ...
The Big Maze at the National Building Museum
Have you checked out the BIG maze at the National Building Museum yet? I dropped by over the long July 4th weekend to see the new playful indoor installation – and learned the difference about mazes and labyrinths in the process (labyrinths only have one path apparently…). The BIG maze is the first large scale installation in the National Building Museum since Frank Gehry was commissioned by the SMWIA to build a metal structure for their 100th anniversary back in 1988. And it's not actually that big. BIG stands for Bjarke Ingels Group, a Danish architect firm, and the maze serves as a preview for amBIGuity, an exhibition of the firm’s work that will open in October. And while I kind of ...
Negroni Week: 7 days, 3 ingredients, 1 simple way to give back
Italians celebrated their national holiday, Festa Della Repubblica, yesterday but the party continues through Sunday thanks to Campari and Imbibe. Or should I say grazie a Campari and Imbibe. Participating bar around the country get to decide which charity the'll donate a portion of the proceeds for each Negroni sold so the event is being promoted as “a drink for your cause.” This is the second time that Imbibe and Campari have teamed up for Negroni Week. Last year, some 120 participating bars raised more than $10,000. I'm not a huge Negroni fan (I'm not a huge Campari fan I should say...) but after toasting the 68th anniversary of the Italian Republic at the Italian Embassy last night, I'm ...
Urban Stems Teams Up With Olivia Macaron for Mother’s Day
I can't think of two things that go more perfectly together than flowers and macarons. Ok, maybe bubbles would make a perfect trio! Urban Stems is a new DC-based flower delivery service For Mother's Day, they're teaming up with one of my favourite also new DC business, Olivia Macaron, and introducing the perfect Mother's Day Package: "Blooms 'n Macarons." The $45 combo includes a box of 6 macarons from Olivia Macarons and Urban Stem's signature Spring Mix. It's available for pre-order already at www.urbanstems.com and will be available for local delivery and in-store pick-up through Olivia Macaron (202-965-1000), starting this weekend. Now I kinda wish that my mom lived in ...
The Sweeter Side of Red Apron Butcher
Red Apron Butcher is a meat-lovers' heaven and I gave up meat for lent. So, understandably, I was a little hesitant to check out their newest location at 709 D Street, NW. But then the tweets and instagram posts starting coming in. About their tigelles breakfast sandwiches, their scones... and their macarons. Now I had to go ;-) Tiffany MacIsaac, executive pastry chef for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, not only bakes all the bread for Red Apron's lunch sandwiches, she also bakes pastries for the shop, including scones, a raspberry jelly filled beignet and macarons. What makes the scones and macarons special is that they're made with lard from pigs butchered at the Red Apron ...
Malmaison Now Offering BYOW Monday
One thing I loved about living in Montreal was how many BYOB (AVV en francais) options were available to diners. I was a college student and pretty shameless at the time about bringing the cheapest bottle of Malbec from the nearby Depanneur to Amelio's, the cute cash-only little Italian joint tucked on a quiet street in the "McGill Gettho" (a quiet street where I happened to live for a year conveniently.) My taste in wine has changed, of course, since then. As has my ability to afford better bottles of vino too. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good BYOW. Like the one currently offered at Malmaison. Every Monday nights, you can pair your favorite bottle of wine with Malmaison’s ...
“Season’s Greetings” at the U.S. Botanic Garden
I love visiting the U.S. Botanic Garden in the winter. The 75+ degree rain forest is a pretty great spot to be when it's cold and grey outside. I love it even more when it's all decked out for the holidays. This year, in addition to the usual poinsettia showcase (there are 17 different types of poinsettias on display at the U.S. Botanic Garden), a stunning Christmas tree and replicas of Washington landmarks made from plant materials, the fantasy train display in the East Gallery explores "the world's fair." That means the little trains zip around miniature plant-made versions of Seattle's Space Needle (built for the 1962 World's Fair,) the Unisphere (1964–1965 New York World's Fair,) the ...
5 French Menus to Check Out During DC Restaurant Week
August in the District is a little bit like Paris this time of year: easier parking, less traffic, fewer locals, and more tourists. The restaurants don't close like they do in Paris though... instead many of them here are even reducing their pricing and offering special three course menus. That's right... it's Restaurant Week time! From August 19 to August 25 (and sometimes a week or two after that) some 240 dining establishments are trying to entice us to eat in by offering 3-course lunches for $20.13 and 3-course dinners for $35.13. And if you can't make it to Paris again this summer (thanks a lot expansive airline fares!) may I suggest a few local alternatives that will transport you to ...
5 New (Delicious) Reasons to Visit Union Market This Weekend
It's been a few months now since I published my "10 Delicious Reasons to Visit Union Market This Weekend" post. Some of the reasons I listed are still relevant. It's still great to support local food artisans, Gina Chersevani still makes a mean egg cream and Rappahannock Oysters still has the best crab cake in the city (the lamb and clams is pretty standout as well!). But I'd like to add in a few more reasons, delicious or otherwise, why you should visit Union Market before the end of the summer. 1) Gin and Tonic on Tap at Red Apron Butchery - Cocktails on tap are popping up all over the city (Sangrias at Hogo, Margaritas at Bandolero, Rickeys and Americanos at Teddy & the Bully Bar ...
