At the start of each autumn I head out to the farms and pick up some cheap tomatoes. 20lb's of tomatoes for $20, that's a bargain if ever I saw one. The quality of tomatoes aren't the best, a few bruises here and there - it is the back end of the season after all, but they're more than good enough to make a hearty batch of sauce. Enough for a few meals, short-rib lasagna anyone?
Read MoreEvents: Dîner en Blanc
It's absurd as it is fascinating. A sea of white descended on The Yards Park on Thursday as Dîner en Blanc hosted its first event in Washington. A concept originating from Paris over 25 years ago, it requires all guests to wear white, dine white and drink white. In addition to lugging your own table, chairs and food to the picnic. Quite a sight, hundreds of people on Metro carrying tables and chairs. Did I mention you had to pay to do this?
Dîner en Blanc prides itself on hosting events throughout the world at some of the most beautiful and prestigious locations. Under the Eiffel Tower, check. Covent Garden, check. Bondi Beach, check. The Yards Park, wait, what? Part of its charm is its mystery, the 1200 or so guests who registered did so not knowing the venue, which isn't revealed until an hour before the event is to begin, it's a secret known to very few.
A rep for DEB explained their choice for The Yards Park, beyond the bureaucracy and permit applications of our fair city, "the reason we chose this location, aside from the fact that you cannot serve alcohol on federal lands, which constitutes many public spaces in D.C, is to highlight a neighborhood that has been a rising star in D.C. The Yards Park is a new development and has amazing waterfront views that will make tonight beautiful."
Washingtonians couldn't have asked for a better evening, the temperature dropped, the breeze rolled in and everyone played along - tables were impeccable and fashion was at its finest - the drinking and dancing carried on into dark.
A gallery of photos from the event can be found below.
Read MoreDining: Pop's SeaBar
It's a never ending summer over in Adams Morgan, at least that's what Justin Abad and John Manolatos of Cashion's Eat Place will have you believe. They've taken over the old Taan Noodle place next door to Cashion's and opened up Pop's SeaBar, which opens today. I got a chance at a sneak peak earlier this week, which means I can tell you all about it.
It's Jersey Shore meets Gulf Coast, the restaurant is super casual with few tables but plenty of red and blue bar stools reminiscent of a 1950's diner that align the impressively long bar and back wall. The walls are covered in beach-side memorabilia and a shelf lined with old school oyster buckets. The decor at Pop's certainly does pop.
Read MoreDining: Rural Society
I'm all about the happy hour menu. It forces me to leave the office at a respectable hour and still be home in time for dinner. For a restaurant that's on my walk home from the office I'm ashamed it's taken me over two months to check out. Rural Society in the Loews Madison Hotel at 15th and M is one of the latest streak house additions to hit DC. I've experienced Jose Garces' cooking before on past trips to Philly, notably JG Domestic, and always found it to be impressive, which Rural Society was too.
The happy hour at Rural Society offers a paired down appetizer menu along with the $5 wines we're accustomed to seeing on happy hour menus across town. With dishes including Chorizo Con Queso - a pork sausage stuffed with chimichurri, Empanada Tucumana - braised wagyu beef belly, and my personal favorite the Fugazza - a street food style doughy pizza filled with onions, mozzarella and oregano, which all manage to come together in one perfect melted bite. All three items were excellent, the empanadas especially so, packed with meat wrapped in a golden flaky crust - definitely worth the $5.
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