First Restaurant Recommendation - VAPIANO

I go out to eat a lot. Definitely more often than I should... I should be cooking for myself and saving money, but around here eating out at a restaurant is irresistible. There are so many places to try in and around Washington, DC...I would feel bad if I didn't check one out every now and again.

In honor of my love of trying out different places to eat, I've decided that I'll do a restaurant review every once in awhile on the blog. Here is my first recommendation: VAPIANO.













Vapiano is an Italian restaurant that has three locations in and around DC - one in Arlington, VA, one on M Street in the city and one out in Dulles,VA. I think they also have one in Chinatown in the city. They are a chain and have locations all over Europe but the only US locations are the ones I just listed and one in Florida and one in Texas. A few nights ago, I went to the Arlington location near my house with my friend Paul.

Vapiano is a casual restaurant with modern European decor. I walked in expecting to be seated by a hostess and served by a waitress but instead was greeted by a girl who gave us plastic cards - called "chip cards" - and the menu and told us that everything we ordered would be added to the chip cards and then we would pay her at the end, as we were leaving. Paul and I went up to the bar and ordered a couple of glass of wine to start and settled in by the fireplace in some deep red leather chairs.

After that we ordered our food - it was sort of a cafeteria style line. The food was made-to-order right in front of us. Paul tried some pasta and I order a pizza with mozzarella, proscuitto and parmesan (can't go wrong there!). After we had our food and wine, we went to sit in the main dining area. All of the tables were community style - you will end up sitting with other people that you don't know. There were potted fresh herbs at the table and olive oil and vinegar for seasoning. The food was excellent. Best of all, the prices are very reasonable - especially for a restaurant around here. I was able to have several glasses of wine and a giant pizza (I took over half of it home with me) for under $30!














I would definitely recommend trying Vapiano - it has a unique, fresh atmosphere and the food is great! It would be perfect for a large group of friends going out... especially because the chip cards make it easy to keep the bill separate! We went on a Thursday night and there were some good happy hour deals as well - discounted wines and beers on tap. I will definitely be eating there again!

Scribbles Part Dos

Apparently, these crazy wall graphics are already pretty popular - Boo to me for being the last one at the party.

After I posted earlier about ScribbleIt, my dear friend John directed me to Blik Surface Graphics. These selection of these graphics is much more extensive and they've even partnered with Threadless tshirt shop to do a line of wall graphics copied from popular tshirt designs! It is pretty intense.

There are also a ton of other outfits out there who offer wall art like this...so do a little googling and see what you come up with.

Here are some cool things I found on Blik (trust me there is a lot more to look at than this!):

Scribbles!

Remember when you were a kid and you got into MAJOR trouble for scribbling (aka: creating art!) on the walls? Well, now you can "scribble" all you want and even your mom will probably approve. I have been wanting to write a post on these little wall art gems called "Scribbles" for awhile but didn't get around to it until now. These matte vinyl sort of "stickers" will go onto your wall and instantly create a an interesting focal point/piece of art for a room. The best part is they come right off without damaging the paint - for all you people out there like me, who still rent and wouldn't want to hassle with painting and then re-painting when the lease is up! I think they are so great - definitely a different way to make a statement in any room. They come in a variety of designs and words and phrases. You can even get custom made Scribbles!

I fully intend to order some Scribbles for a wall or two in my next place! I especially like the idea of having one above the bed... just as a piece of art or even as a headboard.

To see all that they have to offer, check out their web site or visit their Etsy shop!

Re-learning to Knit

Nothing makes me more annoyed than having to re-learn something. Re-learning something means at one time in my life... I KNEW HOW TO DO IT and now I don't! How annoying that I forgot it and have to waste time figuring it all out again. Something to work on in the future, I suppose.

Back in highschool, I knew how to knit. I remember making a lot of scarves and hats... really simple things, but it was a creative way to keep my hands occupied while doing something mindless, like watching tv. I recently uncovered a giant box in my parents basement full of knitting needles, yarn and half-finished projects and realized I had actually forgotten all about my knitting past! Lately, I have been inspired by the "crafty" blogging community and have seen a ton of really chic and wonderful knitting projects! I adore sweaters and cozy socks and I would love to be able to make some on my own.

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone else who knows how to knit. So, I decided to check out the internet to see if I could find some video tutorials. The first site that I stumbled upon (thanks, Google!) is KnittingHelp.com. Their videos range from basic - casting on, knit stich, purl stitch - to advanced with tips and projects for experienced knitters. So far, I have managed to re-learn the knit stitch and have been practicing by making a bunch of rows for nothing in particular. I'm trying to decide what the best project would be for me to start with... maybe a scarf?!

Here's what I hope to one day work up to: This stuff is beautiful!

Valentine's Clue Mystery Revealed

This weekend was so much fun! We left on Saturday and as the day progressed, Mark found out what more and more of his clues meant.

First stop was Naked Mountain Vineyard & Winery in Markham, VA. Clue #2 (the wine dossier) and Clue #5 (the picture of the naked woman silhouette in front of a mountain) should have tipped Mark off to this part of the weekend! I have been there once before and I knew that not only is the setting beautiful but the wine is delicious as well! We did a tasting and tried all of the different types of wines - our favorites were the 2008 Chardonnay-Riesling and the 2008 Cabernet Franc Rose. We also liked their Merlot. We decided to each buy a glass of the Chardonnay-Riesling and some brie cheese and crackers and stay for awhile. It was a beautiful day and we sat outside for a bit...but it was still chilly (the photo to the right is of our delicious wine out on the porch!). Much better inside by the fire! We bought two bottles for later - the Chardonnay-Riesling and the Merlot. It was a wonderful afternoon and a nice little detour into the country.

Then we headed to our next destination: The Apple Blossom Inn in New Market, VA! It is a really sweet bed and breakfast that was built in 1806! When you rent it, you get the entire inn to yourself... two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, kitchen, dining area, formal living room with a grand piano! That took care of most of the other clues... Clue #1 (apple/apple blossom), Clue #4 (piano sheet music folio - for the piano!), and Clue #6 (the German food...according to the web site the house was built in German architectural style.)












After we met our hosts (they live in a separate house further back on the property and we only saw them when we checked in and then again when they served us breakfast in the morning), we settled in and then went in search of a place for dinner. I didn't make any reservations anywhere because I wasn't sure what we would be up for. We ended up heading down the road to Luray (only a ten minute drive) and going to local-favorite, Dan's Steak House. The wait was an hour and a half! Every couple in Luray and the surrounding area was trying to eat there for Valentine's Day! We put our name on the list and then drove around downtown Luray, which is actually quite a nice town. The atmosphere in Dan's was casual, to say the least (think everyone in the waiting room dressed in camo, sweatjackets, work boots)... it looked more like a country cafeteria/diner than a steak house but the food was delicious and we had a good time!

The next day, we got up early - breakfast was served at 8:30am! It was well worth it, however, because the food was delicious. After breakfast and packing up, we decided to go and check out the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park & Hall of Valor Civil War Museum. The museum was really great and I definitely learned a few things I'd never known about Virginia's role in the Civil War. We walked around the battlefield a little bit and visited the Bushong farm - where the battle took place and what later became the field hospital for all of the men wounded in the fight. After exploring the museum and park (Pictures of breakfast and the museum/park below) we headed home! It was a wonderful weekend and a great way to spend Valentine's Day!















Mark is ready to enjoy his breakfast.



















The fruit was so cute!



















The delicious french toast!














Mark and I at the Hall of Valor... You can't tell but my shadow is on the left. :)


















The gravestone of VMI Cadet Thomas Garland Jefferson (a descendant!) who fought and died at the battle of New Market.


















A statue of Thomas Jefferson (a copy is on The Lawn at UVA!) created by sculptor Moses Ezekiel, who fought in the Battle at New Market as a VMI Cadet















The Bushong Farm

A Valentine for Me!

The Valentine's Day madness is almost over! I made cupcakes and brownies for my co-workers yesterday and I'm packing up today for my secret adventure trip with Mark!

The cupcakes and brownies I made for work yesterday were both Martha Stewart recipes and I have to say (although it hurts me) I wasn't totally impressed. The one that turned out the best was the recipe for chocolate buttermilk cupcakes. It was easier than the other recipe and everyone at work said that the cupcakes were good. The recipe I DO NOT recommend is the recipe for brownie heart cupcakes. It required some annoying ingredients like "dutch-press unsweetened cocoa powder" and some ridiculous directions. The fact that I got up at 5am to start baking probably didn't help my patience with the complicated recipes, but I was pretty annoyed when one of the recipes assumed that I would be using some super expensive kitchen-aid esque mixer with a detachable bowl and a million settings. I had a fork and an old school hand mixer. Come on, Martha, not every kitchen has professional grade tools. The buttercream frosting that I made, however, was delicious... definitely my favorite part of all the baked goods!

The best thing about yesterday, however, was my lovely Valentine's Day surprise that I got from Mark: a beautiful boquet of a dozen roses, pink and white! (I am not a fan of red roses at all...wierd, I know.) Mark tried to sneak over in the afternoon and leave them at my house, but realized once he got there that I had taken back the key I'd given him because I'd lost my own. So instead he came over right before I left to go babysit and gave them to me in person... even better! Below are some pictures... aren't they beautiful!?

Birdlips

So, I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that I went to a show on Tuesday night and that it was really awesome... now I will elaborate.

At the invitation of my friend, Dan Barden, I went to see Birdlips at IOTA in Arlington, VA. They are a band from Charlottesville. The two members went to UVA and graduated one year behind us (2007). Dan was good friends with them at UVA and got a group of us together to check them out. They were opening for another band that I can't remember the name of (sorry, they weren't nearly as impressive as Birdlips.)

The twosome, Cliff Usher and Lindsay Pitts, used to be members of a now defunct band called the Business of Flies. I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw them...two skinny white kids with what I like to call "indie hair"...but my skepticism was wiped away the minute they began to sing. Cliff's voice is unexpected, deep and sometimes a bit ragged. Paired with Lindsay's sweet vocals, their folk rock takes on a haunting quality. Although simple and smooth, their sound manages to evoke a wide range of moods and emotions. When they first started playing I was reminded of Mates of State - but I think that was because of the dynamic of them as a musical couple and had little to do with the styling of their music. The played a lot of stuff off their current album and also a few new songs - I'm looking forward to their next release!

As soon as the show was over, I ran to an ATM and took out some cash (and paid the annoying fee because it wasn't a Bank of America ATM) to buy their debut album Cardboard Wings and a really cool print poster. I was a little disappointed that Lindsay didn't have a larger presence on the album... her voice melding with Cliff's is what really sends shivers down my spine.

All in all, an amazing musical night.

They are on tour this month and will be ending in New York on the 21st. If you have a chance to check them out, I highly recommend it. You won't be disappointed.

Check out their website, myspace or blog.

PS: The hot photo of the duo is by Greg Nash.

Clue #7 - The Final Clue!

For those of you who are really tired of clue posts... Never fear! This is the last one!

Clue #7 is slightly scandalous and therefore, only one picture of the contents will be posted on the blog!

Here is the wrap job (still coordinated with all the others!):

And here is the one thing that came in that tiny bag that you get to see:

Clue #6

Clue #6 couldn't be wrapped - so don't worry, you don't have to suffer through looking at pictures of my adorable wrapping!

I made Mark a German dinner last night... bratwurst, potato pancakes, applesauce, and a GIANT German beer!

It was delicious (Mark's roommate, Phil, and I got to eat some too!)

Pics:

Clue #5

Mark was really clever about this clue! I think he might be close to figuring it all out!

Here it is wrapped up nice, of course.

And here is what was inside: A photo of a naked woman silhouette in front of the mountains. For any family who may be reading this - Do not be alarmed! There is a hidden meaning to this one... it's not as straightforward as it may appear! :) Mark guessed that it has something to do with the "SHEnandoah Valley". Very clever guess! I'll never tell if he's getting close or not, though...

Last Minute Valentine's Day Cards

Last night during LOST (it was a great episode!) I decided to make a few Valentine's Day cards to send to my mom and some girlfriends who live far away. I had some red and white cards/paper leftover from my failed attempts to make Christmas cards and a heart stamp that I bought from a really great craft store in Madison, VA, of all places. I used a some white heart-shaped brads and some scissors with fun edges (which were actually a Valentine's Day gift from Mark a few years ago). That was pretty much all I needed to whip these beauties up:

My favorite card actually ended up being the last one I made with the red polka dot background. I used white stamp ink for the hearts and words but on the dark red paper (from Paper Source) it ended up looking kinda pink, which I thought was really cute. They are really simple and understated (I didn't grab the glitter this time) and anyone can make them!

PS: The craft store in Madison is The Handcraft House.

PPS: My new craft obsession are ZOTS! They are dots of glue (they come in a range of different sizes) that you can use to stick anything... ribbons, paper, photos, etc. I hate using glue in general so these are an awesome alternative - they are paper thin and acid free. Try them! (I got mine at The Handcraft House.)