4 Ways to Laze Away the Day at the Georgetown Waterfront

How thrilling is it that Georgetown has embraced its waterfront? When we moved to nearby Burleith in 2000, the stately neighborhood definitely had its back to the mighty Potomac. But with the arrival of an AMC Loews movie theater in 2002, people began to wander down there for more than an expensive meal at one of the river-facing restaurants. During a recent lazy stay-cation, my husband and I decided to cross the river to our old ‘hood to relax the day away.

Stop 1: The Georgetown Waterfront Park

Nothing could herald the fact that the waterfront has arrived better than this gorgeous 10-acre park. This stretch of green space from the Washington Harbor development to Key Bridge offers incredible views of the river, Key Bridge, Rosslyn, Roosevelt Island and the Kennedy Center. But you can also find the pretty right under foot: the park has a large fountain kids can play in, benches, river steps for lounging and duck feeding, and images etched in granite telling D.C.’s story.

Stop 2: Farmers, Fishers, Bakers

Uncle Buck's Beignets with Raspberry Coulis, Hot Fudge Sauce and Bourbon Caramel Sauce at Farmers Fishers Bakers

I’ve always loved eating on the waterfront on a beautiful day. Sure, the food was expensive and the restaurants were pretty indistinguishable, but the sun-and-water languidness of it all made it worthwhile. Then along came Farmers Fishers Bakers. This farm-to-table-focused restaurant has a beautiful-yet-quirky design, a playful and bizarre cocktail menu and food that makes you want to order a little bit of everything. Yes, I'd like some Duck Fat Chicken Wings, a Bacon Basil Blue Cheese Mussel Pot, a couple of Beer Braised Beef Field Tacos and an AWESOME Grilled Cauliflower Steak. Too much?

Stop 3: AMC Loews Georgetown theatre

We saw the 2:30 showing of "John Wick". There were four people in the theater with us. Is there anything more decadent than seeing a Keaneau Reeves shoot-em-up in the middle of a weekday?

Stop 4: The Observatory at The Graham

We had every intention of going home after the movie. But did I mention that it was a GORGEOUS day? We walked a block up from the waterfront to M Street, wasted time until 5 p.m., and then took The Graham Georgetown hotel's elevator to The Observatory, Georgetown's only rooftop lounge open to the public. Or at least it was when it opened in 2013. Feel free to correct me. With cocktails in hand, we lazed on turquoise settees, watched airplanes squiggle contrails across the Georgetown skyline and toasted a successful lazy day.

Apply for Your 1 Minute of TV Fame on DIY Network

I get as gaga over being on television as anyone; my husband and I were essentially the wallpaper for a news segment filmed at Catoctin Creek Distillery, and I took pictures of myself and spread them all over social media.

So I thought it was fun when I got an email from a producer looking for DC/Virginia/Maryland homeowners to feature on the DIY Network TV show, "I Want That." The show feels like a turbo-charged catalog, with 1-and-half-minute segments of homeowners trying out products for the home and garden. Apparently, you get to keep what you try!

Click here to find information about how to apply. 

We might go for it; my son is an amateur (but award-winning!!) filmmaker, and I know he would get a kick out of watching the filming process in our home. Who knows? We might get a nifty bug zapper out of it or something.

10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Catoctin Creek Distilling Company

Photo by Rick Martin

Right now. You should take the day off (or embrace the day off you may already have on this Veterans Day), call a babysitter for the kids, and head out to the Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Purcellville, Va. Here are 10 reasons why:

10. The drive is gorgeous. I'm sure the drive out to Loudoun County is beautiful the rest of the year (it takes about 50 minutes from inside the Beltway), but right now, an explosion of fall leaf color joins the long horse fences and old stone buildings that make the drive so scenic.

9. Purcellville is hip, historic and still seems undiscovered. The couple of blocks of downtown Purcellville, with the Distillery right at its crossroads, are rich with great restaurants, interesting yet functional shopping, and a nice mix of locals and tourists exploring Virginia's wine country.

8. The Catoctin Creek Distilling Company building is on the National Register of Historic Places. The brick building, built during the second year of Prohibition, once housed a bank then a Buick dealership. Large windows that were once garage doors show off views into the vintage tasting room and the distillery room with all of its steam-punk cool stills.

7. The stills are so steam-punk cool.

6. The tour will give you a great 20-minute understanding of how spirits are made. At the top of every hour, friendly tour guides lead guests on a tour of the distillery and discuss how Kansas rye (rye doesn't grow well in Virginia) becomes Virginia white whiskey, rye whiskey and gin.

5. Scott and Becky's story is inspiring. Owners Scott and Becky Harris made a midlife-left turn to create the Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. Scott was looking for a escape hatch from his software career; he was lucky he was married to Becky, who was a chemical engineer and is now Catoctin's chief distiller.

4. The horseshoe bar in the tasting room invites bellying up. The large bar in the vintage tasting room provides lots of seats, encouraging conviviality with the friendly tasting hosts and fellow imbibers.

3. You can try Catoctin Creek's spirits. For $5, you can sample three half-ounce pours of Mosby's Spirit (white whiskey), Roundstone Rye, and Watershed Gin. For $10, you can sample flights of brandy and higher-proof rye.

2. If sipping straight spirits is not your thing, you can sample Catoctin Creek's spirits in cocktails. For $10, you can choose three mini-cocktails from a menu created by guest mixologists. For October, an Apple Cinnamon Sazerac, a Bloody Mosby and a drink called a Relaxing Rita were three of our options.

1. You can be on TV!! No, this is not the number one reason to visit the Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. But I couldn't figure out another way to mention a topic dear to the Harris' heart: a proposed tax hike on Virginia spirits. Local TV news was at the distillery on the day we visited to film a segment with Scott. Click on the photo to learn more about this issue, and contact your local state representative!

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Catoctin Creek Distilling Company

 

120 W. Main St., Purcellville, VA, 20132

Hours; Monday-Friday, 1-5; Saturday, 12-7; Sunday, 1-6

Tours offered for $5 at the top of every hour

An Evening at Komi

Photo courtesy of Renaissance Hotels website

An evening at Komi is everything you expect a four-course, $135-per-person, James-Beard-awarded, impossible-to-get-into restaurant to be. My husband and I went recently to celebrate our anniversary, and the service and the food captured the essence of a “special occasion.” The only thing I wished for was a dance break between the courses (more on that below). You can’t take pictures at Komi, so you’ll just have to read about our experience at this magical restaurant:

The Setting

Eleven-year-old Komi is located in a row house on stretch of 17th Street ripe with bars and restaurants, almost directly between Dupont Circle and Logan Circle. The dining room is simple, low-lit and intimate, which made for a fun contrast with what was going on outside its large front window on the night we were there: The High Heel Drag Race. Inside, we were couples and foursomes (you can’t make reservations for more than four) enjoying candlelit meals; outside decked-out beauties in heels paraded down the street. Komi’s small dining room provides a simple jewel box for a special occasion; it also provides plenty of room to feel urban, youthful and fun.

The Atmosphere

Komi’s announcement on its website – “No pictures, please” – had me concerned that a certain level of pretension would accompany our meal. I was 100 percent wrong. The wait staff was warm, funny and friendly. Even their “uniform” was approachable – the women wore 50s-style shirtdresses and the men wear sharp suits and colorful ties. Nothing could have tested the pretension factor better than my friend who wandered in looking for me: He’d participated in the High Heel Drag Race and was in full regalia, wearing a wig, spooky contacts, a dress and heels. And then he whipped out a camera. What did a passing waiter do when he saw us grinning into the phone for a selfie? Offer to take our picture for us.  

The Food

When I made reservations, the hostess asked if we had any food allergies or preferences. Komi is a no-menu restaurant, and I knew their contemporary Greek-inspired offerings were sometimes exotic, so I specified that my husband was not a fan of raw fish or meats. At our table, a waitress asked for more specifics about his likes and dislikes and then discussed substitutes. Although the hubby was a little self-conscious, she asked questions with kindness and a complete lack of judgment. I really respected their willingness to make sure us both of us enjoyed our meals.

The meal began with three one-bite plates served one at a time: a brioche topped with roe; a tiny, delicate scallop; and fried, crispy sweet breads. Next we were served two pastas. The main was pork served with bread and sides. I think we had two desserts. I’m sorry I don’t have more details -- I couldn’t take pictures, we had no menu, and, most importantly, I was actually spending the evening enjoying my husband’s company. I am NOT a trained food critic, so I won’t even attempt to go into the intricacies of the food we were served. What I can tell you is this:

• Each bite caused us to stop, savor and think. Not one plate was boring or even just plain good.
• The presentations of the food were beautiful but not overwrought. The simplicity of the plating, décor and staff shines the light on the food.
• Each serving was small. We were still stuffed by the end of the night. Come to Komi starving.

The Wine

Because it was a special occasion (and because my parents had provided a gift certificate for the meal as a birthday present – thanks Mom and Clay!!), we decided to splurge and get the $70-per-person wine pairing to go with our meal. And while the meal without the wine pairing would have been wonderful, the variety and uniqueness of the wines we were introduced to put it over the top.

Our sommelier was the best sommelier I have ever encountered. With every new wine he brought, he painted a picture. Rather than focusing on “notes of this, that and the other” (I can find my own notes, thank you), he told a story: an interesting tale about the French grower, a bit of history about a Countess, what makes the grapes of Lebanon unique. We had wine from France, Germany, Spain, Lebanon, a sour beer from I can’t remember where, a cider from Vermont. Some were great on their own, but all were perfect with the food they were paired with.

The wine pairing and the storytelling truly transformed the meal into an experience. We were shocked when, near the end of our meal, we realized three hours had passed. I mentioned to my husband that all the night was missing was an activity. What if they took a break after the first course, had a live band play beginning-of-the-night music you could dance to, a little Donny Hathaway or young Stevie Wonder? Then another break after the main course, slow music to help you digest progressing into a stuff a little harder, maybe a little James Brown? And then at the end of the night, the band breaks out into a full-on Prince-Aretha-Marvin "Let's Get It On" dance party?

I'm sorry. Dinner at Komi makes me wax rhapsodic. I've had some wonderful meals, but it's rare that a meal turns into such a transportive event.

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Komi

1509 17th Street NW (between P & Q Streets)Washington DC 20036

Open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner; Call (202) 332-9200 for reservations. 

 

In-Between Tip: The only difficult part of the Komi experience is getting the chance to step through the door. You have to call to make reservations, the reservation line is only open from 12-4 pm, Tuesday through Saturday, and you can only call a month in advance. I was on hold for at least 30 minutes each time I called. I called at noon on the dot in an attempt to get a Saturday reservation a month away -- forget about it. Folks wiser than me had already filled the spots by the time they answered my call. So how did we get in? We chose the path of least resistance and went on a Tuesday.

NYC Wine Bars

So my aunt in Kansas sends me a email here in D.C. about possible wine bars to visit in New York City. Isn't that just the sweetest thing ever? Especially when the wine bar list is accompanied by the following words:

"I thought you’d like this info for your terrific blog.  I’m enjoying it so much! Love, Aunt Cathy."

So, in honor of my aunt Cathy, who's hoping I get a weekend away soon for wine-bar hopping in NYC (I hope my husband is reading this), and who also thinks my blog is "terrific," I share with you a useful little summation of wine bars to visit in NYC from Bottlenotes.com.

Click photo to see the full list

A Fall Walk at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve

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In the early past of the 19th century, a farmer was traveling home on a dark and blustery night after a nip at a Leesburg tavern when he heard the wind shrieking over the hills of his property. His animals became as unsettled as their owner. When he got home, the Irishman claimed there was a “banshee on the reeks,” a wild witchy spirit screaming across his Virginia hills and dales.

His frantic report established the name for what would later become the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, 725 acres of public grasslands, forest, creeks and ponds in Loudoun County south of Leesburg. The spooky story, the blazing fall colors and the fact that there’s a warming tavern meal and a cold beer just around the corner in Leesburg convinced me that there is no better place to take a walk during the stretch between Halloween and Thanksgiving.

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Banshee Reeks has over 20 miles of trails. Our two hours of exploring took us over easy trails that ran across meadows erupting with cotton-topped stalks, through shadowy forests, in between breaks in overgrown blackberry bushes and alongside ponds with small memorial benches for relaxing. We didn’t see much wildlife at the nature preserve – an occasional caterpillar or symbiotic bug on the cotton plants – but we didn’t see any people either. That was the best; having these wide vista views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and all that fiery leaf color and the quiet pathways all to ourselves.

Autumn view

The Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve offers beautiful views of the fall colors and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Manor House

The Manor House is where the visitor's center is located.

Trail Markers

Lots of trail marker help you find your way around the property.

The Dudes

We made it a family affair, taking a walk with our two teenaged sons and their visiting grandfather

Lots of Color

Me

Cotton Stalks

Stalks of this silky-soft cotton were all over the Preserve.

Symbiotic Bug

This Halloween-colored bug was on all the cotton plants.

Caterpillar

The only other wildlife we saw -- this caterpillar -- was also Halloween colored.

Walnut Tree

Well-Tended Trails

Benches

Ticks!

Apparently, ticks can be bad here, although we didn't notice any on this cool fall day. But if you're visiting during the warmer months, come prepared with bug spray and skin-covering clothing.

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Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve

21085 The Woods Road Leesburg, VA 20175; Open Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

In-Between Tip: After your exhilarating fall walk, head to historic Downtown Leesburg for a great meal in the same area where the Preserve's original owner would have enjoyed one. We've had amazing meals and unique experiences at The Wine Kitchen, Tuscarora Mill Restaurant and Windy City Red Hots with their authentic Chicago-style hot dogs. For dessert, go to the West Loudoun Street Cafe for ice cream and milkshakes or pick up an incredible pie at Mom's Apple Pie.

Last minute addition: I just discovered this great video about the Preserve created as a community service project by the DC Area Drone User Group. How cool is that?

Halloween Fun for Adults in the DMV

Ghosts of Halloween past

Halloween seems to be dead at my house.

When once we would have been frantically checking off lists for our annual Halloween party and scouring eBay for authentic additions to our costumes and dragging our kids’ costumes through the mud – they’re always some form of zombie or monster; they always need mud – this year, nary a pumpkin has graced our front stoop. No candy has been bought. My youngest is still deciding whether he will go trick-or-treating.

I know I should let it all go gracefully, but part of me is stomping my foot. I like Halloween. I like the dark and the costumes and the witchy atmosphere that accompanies the evening. I’m not seeking the wild, hoopla Halloween parties we used to throw, and I’m not going to drag my teenagers to pumpkin patches. 

But I am hunting for way to put a little creep in the season. So I’ve put together a list of a few ways that my husband and I can have some adult Halloween fun that won’t leave us haunted with hangovers the next day:

- Carve pumpkins at my favorite coffee shop/wine bar in Arlington, Northside Social (10/27, 7pm).

- Dress up in spooky historical costumes and tour the historic burial grounds of Congressional Cemetary in D.C. during Ghosts and Goblets (10/25, 8pm-12am).

- Shop and sip Halloween-inspired cocktails during the Mosaic District’s Bootique in Merrifield (10/30, 6-9pm).

- Relive those wild and crazy days with a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the University Mall Theatre in Fairfax (every Saturday), or a live interpretation from Spotlighters Theatre in Baltimore (until Nov. 8, various times).

- Enjoy a wine and Halloween candy pairing, tarot card readings and wine hosts in costume at Fabbioli Cellars (10/26).

- Play glow-in-the-dark lawn games, check out the Naked Mole-Rat and try local food trucks at the National Zoo’s Night of the Living Zoo (10/30, 6:30pm-10pm).

- Go tree-climbing and ziplining, which is terrifying enough in the daylight, in the dark at Harpers Ferry Adventure Center’s Harpers Scary (10/24, 10/25, 11/1) and the Adventure Park at Sandy Spring's Halloween Night-Crawlers Climb (10/24-10/26).

(You’ll notice I’ve skipped all events on the actual holiday, Friday, Oct. 31. Many of us need to keep our eyes on our kids; the rest of us would rather stay out of the crush of too many people trying too hard to have fun on a Friday Halloween.)

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I'd love to see photos of your favorite Halloween costumes!

Go to my Facebook page, check out my past pics and post your own. 

Happy Halloween!

Little Dancer at the Kennedy Center

Little Dancer, a musical about the young and strong-willed ballerina Edgar Degas immortalized in his famous sculpture, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, opens this weekend at the Kennedy Center and tops my list of "I hope to I get to it," before the show ends Nov. 30. Ballet doesn't usually lure me, but the fact that this is a musical about this beautiful statue, about a place and time that wasn't easy on a young girl, certainly does. If nothing else, I'm making a goal to see the statue, which is on display at the National Gallery of Art until Jan. 11.

How to Throw a Comfort Food Dinner Party

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In the spring and summer, I advocate easy entertaining. Throw a six pack in the cooler, some chicken and zucchini on the grill and you're good to go. But the advent of fall beckons us indoors. Lures us into sweaters and snuggling into the couch and eating foods that are oh-so-bad for us. So I find myself wanting to take my time with a fall dinner party. I want to create a setting that makes my friends want to linger; cook foods that will compel us to stick around the dinner table while we digest.

Fall, then, is an ideal time to prepare comfort food, the fatty, buttery, bacony dishes our moms made that now occupy the menu of every hip restaurant in the country. While I champion taking your time with this Comfort Food dinner party, I also offers ways you can shave a little time off the top. I'm not responsible for what happens to your waist.

1. Prep and planning

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Apron by Dr. McNinja creator, Christopher Hastings

Fall is a good time to begin using the dining table again, so limit your invite list to the number of people you can fit around it. Sending everyone an email is fine. Do your grocery shopping the day before the party. Try to reserve party day for just decorating and food cooking. Sounds extravagant? Trust me, if one partner can be responsible for driving kids to baseball, walking the dog and grabbing lunch, and the other partner can get Zen with the party duties, both partners will be less flustered when guests start knocking at the door.

Time-saving tool: Peapod. I let this grocery delivery service deliver the bulk of my groceries and then head to a specialty market for items like fresh-baked desserts or stand-out salad fixings.

2. Decorating

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I used to go overboard decorating for dinner parties, but now I have three secret weapons: Candles, flowers and white plates. White plates create a clean canvas for all that delicious food. Candles can be used in the middle of the table (judiciously so they don't get in the way of food passing or conversation) and in the living room. And inexpensive grocery store flowers in appropriate fall colors add a touch of pizzazz. I know it doesn't sound like much, but taking your time setting up these three details before guests arrive will enhance the sense that it's a special night at your house. 

Time-saving tool: Placemats are an inexpensive and quick way to add flair to your table. The ones I use are from Ikea and cost $3. I also have them in black and silver.  

3. Menu

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Cocktails

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Appetizers

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Main Course

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Dessert

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What are your favorite Comfort Foods? Let me know in the comments below or on my Facebook page. I'd love to add to my Comfort Foods menu.

Tysons Fall Harvest

Today I'm introducing a new category to my blog: "I Will If I Can," a Thursday post about a fun event or activity I hope to get to on the weekend if my busy life allows it. Maybe you'll have better luck than me!!

This Saturday and Sunday, in a continued effort to make the Tysons Corner area livable as well as workable, the Tysons Fall Harvest Festival will offer kid-fun activities like a hay maze, a petting zoo and pumpkin carving, and an adult-fun wine and beer garden offering 75 beers and wines. Horton Vineyards, Arterra Wines and Willowcroft Farm Vineyards will be there, as well as Mad Fox Brewing and Woodchuck Hard Cider.

If you haven't tried out the Silver Line yet, this will be the perfect opportunity to do so. The Tysons Corner stop lets out right at the event space between the Tysons Corner Mall and the Galleria.

Image from Tysons Fall Harvest website

Heading to any fun events this weekend in the D.C.-metro area? Any events you'd like to promote or support? I'd love to hear about them on my Facebook page. Let's create a list of fun weekend "to-dos" for folks!