Looking Forward

Well hello again blogosphere! Yeah, I know. It's been awhile. That's life for ya. Let's just say I've been inspired by the arrival of fall. I used my rainy day off today to hang out in one of my favorite neighborhood spots, Azi's Cafe. This was exactly what I needed. I love this place and Azi herself (so sweet!). And I always know I can get a perfect cup of coffee. The Miriam Makeba CD playing made me realize what's missing from my iPod. I caught up on the latest haps by flipping through the City Paper and tearing out pages that interest me; it's one of my favorite past times. I began to think about all the things I'm looking forward to:

• Sade's tour this summer. First tour in ten years? Wouldn't miss it. How cool that she kicks off so close in Baltimore at the Mariner Arena!
• Fall boots, bags, and vegetables. I love fall vegetables: sweet potatoes, turnips, squash...farmer's markets here I come, sporting my new fall boots!
• The opening of Rogue 24 in Shaw. A great restaurant less than a block away from my place is very exciting.
• Shopping for a new mattress. It's official: I'm old. I've been sleeping on a pitiful mattress for years now and the effect is taking its toll. This irritable, body-aching, like I haven't slept at all feeling when I wake up has got to stop. Mattress shopping will begin this weekend.
• A vacation - anywhere. Ok, not anywhere. Visiting my family is not a vacation and the last time I was in Jersey, a bear was on the loose. Oh no!
• And last but not least, Derek's blow-out birthday party this weekend. He refuses to tell my how old he is (yes, he is gay) but I'm thinking, 39? All I know is that I need to prepare for a serious hangover the next day!

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Summer Produce from Mom

This past weekend was spent uncharacteristically at home, cooking. No, I haven't suddenly become a suburban housewife. I was actually really enjoying my solitude and being thankful for having such a great mom. My mom has been growing vegetables this summer and had an overabundance of produce. Even though she's only about four hours away, she knows how lazy I can be when it comes to packing a bag and getting on a bus. So, what did she do? She overnighted me a care package filled with beautiful tomatoes, basil, and zucchini! I've actually never gotten food in the mail, much less fresh produce! There was no way I was letting this stuff go bad so I immediately put my brain to work and hopped on the Internet in search of recipes. With an existing variety of staple pantry items, I now have no need to eat out or order delivery for quite a while. Of course, I will eat out but it's nice to have a fridge full of options.

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One of Those Days

This was truly one of those days when I am happy just to be home. It started off bad. Suffering from another bout of insomnia, I woke up late only to realize that I forgot to buy coffee beans over the weekend. This is not good for someone like me who needs to be plugged up to an IV of caffeine as soon as I wake up. I knew it would be raining but I forgot my umbrella of course, in my rush to get to work. And of course, when I left work it was pouring outside. I ran back in and asked someone in the office if there was a spare umbrella. The only one he could find was a child's mickey mouse umbrella with ears! Well, beggars can't be choosers. On my way to the train I get several funny looks and I finally yell at someone, "It's not my umbrella!" I got off the train at Dupont Circle to meet Mitch for dinner at Thaiphoon. I didn't eat lunch so I was starving. When I exited the train there was a burning smell in the station and we were told that the north side was closed because of a fire. As luck would have it, the escalators were not working so there's a massive crowd waiting to make the trek up. I finally made it out of the station only to notice that Mitch, being the hysterical queen that he is, has sent me a million texts asking where I am. At Thaiphoon, I ordered pad thai and as I began to dig in, to my horror I noticed a long hair weaved in with my noodles. What the hell! I completely lost my appetite. I was tired and just wanted to go home at that point. After Mitch dropped me off at my door and drove off, I shuffled through my purse and realized that I didn't have my keys. Hell no! The image of my keys sitting on my desk at work immediately popped in my head. And just as this realization hit, it also starts to rain again - hard. The umbrella with the ears? I left it back at Thaiphoon. Luckily, my landlord lives nearby so it didn't take too long to get in my apartment. There's a Mad Men marathon on and a bottle of wine with my name on it! Home sweet home.

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Things Change and Stay the Same

I'm now officially on vacation from everything and have had time to collect some of my thoughts. The last two months have revolved around my regular job, the freelance thing, travel, and figuring out what city other than DC this City Girl should be living in. The where to live part has required some ongoing introspection. I have also felt rather uninspired (and somewhat guilty) about the whole "city girl living in DC" yet writing a blog thing. I mean really, if I'm trying to get the hell out, what do I have to say? Well, as life goes, I end up experiencing all kinds of crazy things I only would in DC that make me question my quest to leave or at least the reasons why.
In no important order:

The Town and Country in the Mayflower Hotel: 5 years ago I worked 3 blocks away and this was a regular happy hour stop for me and several co-workers. Haven't been since then. I stopped in last month and Sam, the infamous bartender, is still doing magic tricks and mixing up the best martinis in town. I was greeted with, "Welcome back. We missed you." How is that for service?

What I didn't know before moving to DC: I love interesting things in a bowl, particularly noodles with stuff. Variations consist of: pho, curry laksa, gamjatang, congee, udon noodle soup....Well, DC Noodle has fed my craving lately with their spicy noodle soup complete with ground peanuts, cilantro, bean sprouts, scallions, and two types of tofu - crispy and soft. Delicious!

Acadiana and TenPenh have two of the best patios in the city - breezy and comfortable. TenPenh even has a Sunday night happy hour from 5:30 until close. This is great for those of you who want to avoid the 9 to 5 crowd and have cocktails and small bites like kobe beef sliders later in the evening.

Shopping Euphoria - The Denim Bar at Pentagon Row. As many women know, shopping for jeans can be a traumatic experience. This place takes all the trauma away - even for a curvy girl like me. And yes, the word 'bar' is for real. I walked in, told the salesperson my dilemma, and was immediately offered a glass of wine while he quickly found jeans suited for me. Jeff was amazing. He demanded (I love forceful men!) that I come out as I tried on each pair for an evaluation. I ended up with a pair of Paige jeans that were perfect for work and partying.

How does marriage and motherhood give women automatic entry into sainthood/super-significance? And why do women validate this craziness? Beyonce, half-naked dancing on a stage, dates a man who "puts a ring on it." Crazy groupies on Basketball Wives are supposedly in a special club all their own because they have gotten married to the lying, cheating athlete. My own past ex-Mr. DJ marries a stripper and all of a sudden I'm the whore because I fooled around with him. More recently, I had a man declare, as I was kicking his ass out, that he would have "wifed" me. Is that even a word we are accepting now? That is, of course, if I had not been such a bad girl. What the hell?

Don't ever date a townie. A rule I should have learned years ago. Absolutely no one who has grown up in and has immediate family in DC, Maryland, or Virginia. Hey, these are things college women learn.

Seems as if there will never be another Red nightclub. I appreciate U Street Music Hall but as a house music head, it just leaves me wanting more. And really, who are these completely uncoordinated yuppies who knock drinks and you on the ground as they so-call dance?

I would never advise a woman who wanted to get married and have children to move to DC. Odds are, you just won't find that guy here. You can go out on dates with men from 25 to 80 all day, everyday (as I did recently all in one night). But get married and establish a family? Not likely.

Amazing art/music events like AudioTrip two weeks ago. DJ Spinna, Rich Medina, and live art, right up the street from me? Come on!

I have never truly been bored in DC. There is always something to do - or drink!

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Are You There Spring? It's Me, City Girl DC

I was beginning to believe that this year's weather was truly going to signify the end of the world. With unprecedented snowfall, the start of summer in April was not looking good to me. Fortunately, spring has returned and it is one of my favorite things about DC - that is, except for my spring allergies. For all you people who claim to love your health insurance the way it is, explain to me why my allergy medication is not covered at all by a major carrier. I've had allergy problems all of my life and I'm allergic to just about everything in nature, which explains why I'm not living in the country and don't like camping or any other wilderness-related activity. I've tried everything out there and I'm happy that some of these medications are now available over the counter. But as allergy sufferers know, it is very common to become immune to some brands over time. The only one that works for me right now is Allegra D, and it is still prescription only. But $40 for 10 pills is ridiculous! Between my allergies and the heat, I got no sleep this past week. But I knew it was spring for sure when the tourists rolled in. Every year it's the same and every year I'm annoyed. They have their children playing on the Metro escalators like they're at an amusement park, clog up the streets during rush hour with strollers, and somehow wind up in neighborhood restaurants where I never see kids. Could someone please tell me what hotel is directing these Midwesterners to Logan Tavern? Derek and I almost fell off our bar stools laughing when a rather chubby dad walks in wearing an undershirt, what appeared to be boxer shorts, and slip-on crocs. He looked around and said, "let's go somewhere else." Shame on you hotel concierge! Popeyes is just up the street.

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Catching Up

I feel like the fog has finally lifted from the chaos that had become my life and I can actually breathe. The nice spring-like weather has certainly helped. And sure enough, the month of March has remained true to form. As I posted last year, the men are out and I'm juggling dates. While I haven't felt sparks with any of these guys so far, the good thing is that I'm getting a chance to try out a lot of places on my list. Yes, I know I'm late but I finally had dinner at Masa 14. We tried about ten different dishes and I can't say I'm a big fan of the food. The barbecued salmon and pork tan tan noodles were my favorites but they were just ok. This is not the place I'd go if I were hungry. But the atmosphere and bar list are great so I would definitely meet up here with friends for drinks. Last Saturday I met the same guy at Patty Boom Boom. I had been anxiously awaiting this place. I unfortunately forgot how much I dislike going out in DC on the weekend. At 10pm, this place was packed and I just wasn't feeling the crowd. The guy at the door suggested we come back on Tuesday when there's a live band. And that's exactly what I did. This time I was with a new guy and the atmosphere was much better. I loved the rum punch and the jerk goat patty but I thought the bass was just too overwhelming for the band. Don't get me wrong, I love bass but just not at the expense of enjoying the music. A few days later, I had a very relaxed evening with yet another guy at Room 11. I almost forgot how eager I was to try this place when I read about it a few months ago. I fell in love almost immediately. The place is indeed small but rustic and cozy - perfect for a date. I loved my food and the wine selection is great. We finished the evening at Passenger's Columbia Room. As I imagined, this place is fabulous. I can't even think of a better place to have cocktails. With all the activity lately, I am all too happy to spend this weekend catching up on laundry!

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LOVE

Love is:
My friends
My family - no matter how much they get on my nerves
Having my own version of gamjatang in the fridge
Sade coming out with a new CD just when I needed it most
A DJ who makes me dance my ass off
Letting go of old patterns/ways of seeking love
My Blog/Twitter connections - who knew?
Starting over
Accepting what is
This song: You Gave Me Love (Unreleased Mix), Kenny Bobien, Basement Boys Anthology Disc 2
A heart that has not given up on love

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Thankfulness and Hope

When tragedies like the Haitian earthquake take place, it's hard for me not to get sucked into a sadness that makes me cry whenever I turn on the news. Outside of donating in as many ways as I can, I also feel pretty much useless. But I'm learning this year more than ever that if I focus on being thankful for what I have, I do myself and those around me, a much greater service. One of my New Year's resolutions is to stop stressing and complaining so much, especially over minor stuff, and be happy in each moment. Given that tragedy can happen to any of us at anytime, it seems a necessity even. As an American, it's often easy to forget about how difficult others, like Haitians, have it every day. But the good thing is that this situation has pointed out and/or reminded us that things many of us take for granted like clean water, stable living structures, and emergency services don't exist for a lot of people. And as a result, we can begin to make things better. I'm also hopeful at the outpouring of support, help, and aid provided in all sorts of creative ways, by ordinary people. So, while I may be redundant, here are some ways the good people of DC are trying to help in the Haitian relief efforts:

Event Tonight: Haitian Relief Benefit, Monday, January 18th, 5-10pm, Liv Nightclub, 2001 11th St. NW, DJ KC, DJ Oji, DJ Louis P.
$5 Donation, all proceeds donated to the American Red Cross/Salvation Army

Lists of relief efforts around the city: Going Out Gurus , Adventures in Shaw , DC Fab

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Hello 2010

With less than a week into the new year, I'm exhausted already. My initial goal was to have all of my cleaning, de-cluttering, organizing, and re-grouping done by the first of the year. As life would have it, that didn't happen. I have to admit that I've gotten pleasantly off track with a hot new guy. Yes, I have landed back in Lovahville. And this is a welcome change given that I was recently reflecting on how 2009, while filled with dates, was enormously sexless. I was beginning to believe that I was no longer capable of liking anyone. Well, I can definitely circle yes for this one. This year I'll also be returning to my old job. I'm actually looking forward to it. And I can't wait to try all the new restaurants popping up. How is it that I haven't been to Masa 14 yet? I did check out Againn before the year ended. My bartender, Jessica, was fantastic. She let me try several small batch gins that I had never heard of. I think Leopold's Gin is now my new favorite. I only had an appetizer so I can't really say much about the menu. But with its perfect location between the metro and my apartment, I'm sure this will be a regular stop.
While I generally don't make resolutions, this year I plan on not stressing as much, less procrastination, and much more travel. Happy belated New Year!

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Wish List

I have pretty much let go of the whole commercialization of the holidays.  It's just so damn tired. Is this really what religious holidays mean?  Standing in line at Walmart? Stressing over gifts for people you don't really like? Staying up all night wrapping a zillion toys for kids who won't play with them after a few days and would rather just know you love them? But anyway, I do love sharing Wish Lists with my friends and family just for the fun of it.  This year I decided to include stupid shit I don't want. Here it is:
What I Want :
Mary Green Silk Boy Pants underwear
I discovered these a few years ago at Filene's Basement but they discontinued them.  Then I found them at Nana on U St. NW, but they too stop carrying them after a while.  Very frustrating because these are the only panties I've found that completely fit my substantial butt ( yeah, I do have a big ole butt).  They don't ride up, get stuck, or show, even with low rise jeans - not much at least and even then, the only thing that shows is a little bit of really pretty lace.  They are a bit expenisve, but worth it.  You do have to take care of these babies. I wash them then hang dry. I would wish for the Week of Undies set of 7 with the day of the week embroidered on them, but I'd get too freaked out about not wearing the right panties on the appropriate day - too much stress.
Cuisinart DFP-7BC Original Food Processor
My new love of purees and pestos has made it necessary for me to move beyond the mini-prep that I've had for the past few years.  I guess it's just a matter of cooking maturation.  I need a bigger, better tool for what I want to do. Before the year is out, I'm attempting to do a sage pesto recipe. We'll see how that goes.
Any Le Creuset French Oven
The thing that I feel is most missing from my kitchen and life. They are useful and beautiful.
Sade's new CD
I know it won't be released until February of next year, but put my order in now! I have always loved Sade and the new single, Soldier of Love, is the kind of emotional work of art I expect from her.  She says what you can't or don't want to say about wanting love.

What I Don't Want
Booty Pop Panties
Who has seen this infomercial?  Absolutely hilarious!  They are "the panties thay make your booty pop."  No, I don't need padded panties. I have enough junk in my trunk.  Hence, the life-long search for panties that fit (Mary Green description above).  And no, my name is not Kim Kardashian.
A Snuggy
We've probably all seen these infomercials. I saw a Snuggy box at CVS recently and thought, who's buying these?  Until I have completely given up and have 10 cats, don't get me this, please!  The side of the box even showed a woman wearing one on a plane and the web site says they're good for sporting events.  Lol.  Who's doing that?
A South Butt Product
While I love this concept created by a college student as a play on North Face, no thanks.  I think it's a good idea to challenge the establishment in this way though, and he seems to be doing well.  I heard that North Face is not happy with this. Wish I had thought of the idea.
A Gucci Mane CD
I recently heard a teenager listening to a song with incoherent lyrics and a repetitive beat. He told me it was Gucci Man, which turns out is spelled 'Gucci Mane.'  Never heard of it.  Guess I really am old.  The only lyric I made out was, "Can't nobody feel me like I'm feelin' myself."  That's going to be my new phrase. Ha!

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Fun With Root Vegetables

What does a girl do when she doesn't want to go out in all the snow? Make use of all the root vegetables in the fridge, of course. Roasting was the first thing to come to mind - it's simple and easy. That's what I did with the parsnips and carrots. I figured these would go well with the bluefish I was inspired to cook from a Last Night's Dinner post. Even without being smoked, it's a great tasting, cheap fish that's good for you.

And when it's cold out, what could be better than baking bread? The smell and the warmth from the oven are wonderful. I absolutely love sweet potatoes and had a bunch of them on hand. Again, this was fairly simple - a sweet potato quick bread recipe I found on the internet. I tweaked it a little, using yogurt instead of applesauce for moisture and freshly grated ginger instead of ground. I also didn't have dates but I added a little prune juice for fruit flavor. I was quite pleased with the results of everything and happy that nothing in my fridge is going bad. I've come to realize that months of penny pinching will make a girl rather creative in the kitchen.

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Dim Sum Has Arrived

Back in October, I mentioned my excitement about the opening of Ping Pong Dim Sum in Chinatown. I went to the preview last night with Derek and had a great time. The interior is attractive and subdued with lots of seating. While I can't say this was dim sum on the level of A&J, I was very happy with most of the dishes we ordered. We tasted dishes from each category but I was most pleased with the steamed items. This is definitely the place for dumplings. I wasn't a huge fan of the hoi sin duck spring roll and the choy sum seemed over cooked. Unfortunately, they were out of the valrhona chocolate bun so I'll have to try that next time. Most importantly, the service was impeccable. I will definitely be back next Tuesday for the Tweetup featuring specials on food and drinks from 6-10pm. The restaurant officially opens tomorrow.

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The Passenger

I finally wandered into The Passenger this past weekend. It's been on my to-do list since it opened recently. I've been longing for a real neighborhood bar in Shaw and was hoping Passenger would fit the bill.
I went early after meeting with a client and was one of a just a handful of people. That didn't last long but while it did, I had the full attention of the staff and those incredibly cute owners, the Brown brothers. Both Tom and Derek made drinks for me that were amazing. Who needs a cocktail list when you've got skilled cocktail craftsmen? My drinks were like adventures in a glass. I've never even heard of chocolate bitters and I would never expect this ingredient to go well with gin. The atmosphere is pretty cool too - no TVs, cozy, and intimate. Makes me think of a modern day saloon. I ran into all sorts of people I know and ended up staying way too long. I probably should have had the kimchi hot dog to soak up some of the booze. I ended up missing the celebration of Repeal Day the next day but I hear it was great.
One other thing I love is The Passenger's slogan, "God save the District." This little place is definitely saving the District from mediocre cocktails.

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Post-Thanksgiving Day Rant

Seems like every holiday I have the same issues. I've probably mentioned before how the holidays and all their hoopla annoy me. I just don't see the point in blindly following traditions that don't make any sense. I mean really, people do things during the holidays that they would never do any other time of the year just because that's what they've always done or that's just what people are expected to do. So once again, here's my roundup of holiday behaviors I don't get and/or get on my nerves:

• Getting up at 3am or camping out at a store to get some item you probably don't need that badly anyway. Consumer brainwashing.
• Sending out mass HAPPY HOLIDAY texts to people you no longer talk to and including women you've ended relationships with on a bad note. Clean up your contacts people!
• Visiting relatives you never see even though you've been living in the same city with them for years. Don't pretend we know each other only on a holiday.
• Giving out food to the homeless. Ok, this is nice but what are they going to eat for the rest of the year? How about a job.
• Cooking a whole turkey. Or, for that matter, cooking from scratch. Maybe if we did more of this throughout the year, some of these awful fast food chains would go out of business.
• Eating at 4pm. Who decided holiday dinners should take place this early?
• Treating people like freaks if they decide to spend a holiday like every other day of the year. If I want to stay home in my pajamas watching old episodes of Top Chef, order pizza, and drink beer all day, why not? No, I'm not just being difficult (as my mother would say) and no, that doesn't make me the sad, pathetic single girl. It's just my choice.

So, what did I do this Thanksgiving? Well, I did end up visiting relatives I never see any other time of the year and it was fun. But the point is, why not do this ANY time of the year? And don't even get me started on how this makes no sense when it comes to traveling long distance. As someone who went to school for years in another state from where my family lived, I have horror stories about traveling during the holidays.
But I can say that with all the people out of town during the holidays, going out in DC is a whole lot nicer.

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New Shaw/Mt. Vernon Square Farmers Market

My neighborhood is getting better and better. There's last week's opening of the cocktail bar Passenger and Liberty Market, the new outdoor farmers market on the grounds of the former Carnegie Library, former City Museum, now housing the Historical Society of Washington at 7th and K St. NW. I hate the grocery store but love farmers markets so I'm loving that there's one just four blocks away from me. It's open on Tuesdays from 2:30-6:30 pm. It will definitely come in handy for all the Thanksgiving shopping staples. I'm not a holiday freak but I love using it as an excuse to do nothing but cook, eat, and sleep.

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Is DC Worth the Cost?

As much as I love DC, there's plenty I dislike as well, especially the high cost of living. But is DC worth the high cost? Given the state of the economy, I think many big city residents have been asking themselves this question. I thought about this today on my walk home from the Dupont Circle Farmers Market (finally got a spaghetti squash) when I passed a guy wearing a t-shirt that said, "I Can't Afford to Love NY." Funny but sadly true in many ways for a lot of people. Of course, this whole issue of cost of living has a lot to do with lifestyle. The granola-eating green living hippie is certainly not trying to get the same thing out of DC as the social climbing attorney/party promoter. But some things, like the cost of housing, have an effect on everyone. I know I've always felt hugely cheated when it comes to housing in DC. Is a tiny one-bedroom ever worth $1200? When I had a car, did it make sense to pay almost $200 a month in car insurance? If I can get a good manicure in New York for $15, why am I paying $35 in DC? And while there may be more jobs in DC, does pay really reflect the high cost of living? I don't think so. For the kind of work I do, I could be paid the same in Columbus, Ohio and be living in a palace compared to my studio apartment.
I've recently talked to friends about this, who range in occupations from a well-paid accountant to a server whose income fluctuates, and their attitudes vary. Some say they wouldn't live anywhere else while others just feel stuck. I'm definitely closer to the feeling stuck end of the scale. I came here right out of grad school for a job and haven't left since. But at this point, I'm not quite sure where to go to get what I want in a city at a lower cost. I periodically check the Forbes list of best cheap cities but usually don't see places at the top I could see myself living. Do I want to be in a city that's cheaper but requires a car, where I can't walk to almost anywhere I need to go? But do I need to be in a city with a million different trendy restaurants with mediocre food? Can I live without being able to go out and hear the kind of music I like on a regular basis? I love the proximity via train to cities on the East Coast but have I ever taken that day trip to Philly like I said I would? Maybe there is something to be said for living in a big city where you know there's always something to do even if you don't feel like doing a thing but stay home. And this blog itself is a good example. I don't think City Girl Pittsburgh would be quite the same.

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Random Thoughts Thursday: Top Chef

The cold, windy, rainy weather has kept me inside for several days. I luckily had some consulting projects to keep me busy. But as usual, staying in has turned into much mindless internet surfing, experimental cooking (pasta con le sarde, tofu noodle soup, ...), and TV watching. I love Top Chef and have been a regular viewer since it started, but this season has been awfully annoying.
First off, I would bet my last dime that Eli has never gotten laid. That little troll actually lives at home with his parents. His bad attitude matches his looks. We really don't need him showing up on Iron Chef. Then there's the nasty snubbing of Robin. Eli even had something negative to say about her mentioning that she was diagnosed with cancer! While I agree that she's not as talented as some of the other chefs, big deal. Let the judges handle that. And the ageism is very apparent, especially from Mike Isabella. "I hope grandma goes home"?! I think every woman in DC over 40 should boycott Zaytinya or at least show up and taunt him. He's already been called out for sexist remarks. As I mentioned last week, what's up with Padma's tacky clothes this season? She usually looks great. At the beginning of this week's episode she had on this awful big white belt and tall white boots with her jeans tucked in. Does it have something to do with being in Vegas, like Vegas equals tacky? Last but not least, if one of those Voltaggio brothers wins Top Chef, the other one will surely snap and we will be in for the best reality TV cat fight ever.
On a more positive note, the episode has inspired me to learn more about food and wine pairings. A friend in the restuaurant industry recommended the book, Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food, as a good start. I'll keep you posted.

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Ping Pong Dim Sum

I was excited to learn that London-based Ping Pong Dim Sum will be opening up this fall in Chinatown. Like a lot of people, I joke that all we really have here is a Chinablock - that little strip along H street. But Ping Pong is located on 7th street, further away from all those dives I don't really care to patronize anymore. From what I've seen on their web site, the menu looks promising. Hopefully this place won't be yet another corporate chain that plays down the flavors to accommodate the palates of DC residents and tourists and hikes up prices.
The lack of good Asian food (or other authentic cuisines besides Ethiopian) in this city has been a sore spot for me. I love strong flavors and ingredients that many might consider odd and that wouldn't show up on most restaurant menus in the U.S., especially DC. And when you do find them, they are at outrageously expensive places. Since my budget doesn't allow me to hop on a plane to San Francisco or Saigon for an amazing, cheap, noodle dish, I've learned to be a voyeur of web sites and TV shows like Eating Asia (their photos are like food porn) and Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie on PBS. Come to think of it, now that Gourmet magazine has gone under, will the show continue?

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Half Off Dining

Why am I just now finding out about this great deal? Probably because I haven't been keeping up with DC's social scene lately. But when it comes to a great food deal, I need to keep my radar alert. Like most single people in DC, I eat out at least once or twice a week to socialize, relieve stress, or just not have to bother with cooking and cleaning up after. When I was in grad school I ate out so much that I had a mysterious case of missing forks. The culprit? I was accidentally throwing out my forks with the carryout containers my leftover food came in. These days I've wised up and put my leftovers on a real plate. The City Paper is making eating out a whole lot easier by offering $50 gift certificates for only $25 at some great restaurants around town. A couple of these have been on my "must try" list for a while so I can definitely see taking advantage of this deal soon.

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Insomnia Baking

What does a single City Girl do when she's battling insomnia? Apparently, bake. It's weird because I'm way out of practice with it aside from the sweet potato pie at Thanksgiving. There's just something about baking that goes so well with being up at 5am for no reason. Maybe it's all the waiting around - for dough to chill, for the finished product to be done, for the product to cool.... And it gives you a reason to sift through saved recipes that you've been procrastinating about trying and then figuring out if you have the ingredients to make any of them. What I've produced so far in the early morning hours have been gooey walnut brownies that I spotted on FoodandWine.com and a version of black forest cookies I saw demonstrated on the PBS show, Everday Baking. With dark chocolate bars, dried cherries and walnuts, I was good to go. I am now a huge fan of Divine Chocolate, a fair trade product available at Whole Foods and perfect for baked goods. I managed to escape a 10-pound weight gain by sharing these goodies with neighbors. So far I've gotten rave reviews. I figure if I don't get over the insomnia, at least I'll have a shot at a baking career!

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