barrel oak - best virginia winery for lingering

October is Virginia Wine Month. As if one ever needs an excuse to drive south into my favorite part of the DC-region.........

I went with some friends recently to visit an old favorite, and to check out a new concept in Virginia wine drinking...a seated tasting (read all about that over at my Fedscoop column!).  The day ended with dessert at Barrel Oak winery which has now officially become my favorite place to linger long time. 

There views are so nice, but the grounds....once there you just don't want to leave! There are plenty of tables and chairs for guests. Outdoor food is welcome, but there was a barbeque stand selling plates of food when we were there and a super fun band playing. People were dancing between wine tastings. It was picture-perfect fall!  There are firepits galore around which everyone sits and sips and makes friends. I can't wait to go back here for the John Marhsall Tasting Experience.  

If every you visit the D.C./northern Virginia area and you like wine, do not plan a trip this way without spending a day hopping from vineyard to vineyard. I promise you'll adore everything about it... even if it isn't Virginia Wine Month! 

new york never gets old

My parents came to Maryland back in August, and while they were in town we hopped a train in Baltimore to spend a couple days in Manhattan...

Waiting on the train at Penn Station

New York was especially "new" to PR and Danny because this was their first trip, so we hit up lots of token sights!

To maximize our time, we rode around on an open-top bus tour. 

We went with Gray Line and bought a package that included 48-hours on the bus,  a boat ride around the harbor (which, save for a close peak at Lady Liberty, was kind of a waste of tourist time) and tickets to the top of the Empire State Building. The Gray Line buses (which are actually red?!) are everywhere around the city and we never had trouble catching a ride. 

On Day 1 we hopped off the bus at Central Park. As you might imagine, these Beatles fans loved Strawberry Fields....

...and this pop culture fan loved seeing a scene from Gossip Girl being shot.

It was fun to watch the action, but there were no big star sightings. A few days later I did see a photo of Blake (nee Lively) Reynolds on that scooter pictured above in People magazine.  We channeled more Gossip Girl while staying at The Palace Hotel...

A slight hotel obsession with The Palace was born when I was in New York last Christmas, and I've been dying to stay there since. Its Midtown location on Madison Avenue is perfect! Our view of St. Patrick's was amazing - the nicest I've ever had staying in a New York hotel. I actually didn't know the hotel had Gossip Girl ties when I booked it...likely 'cause I don't watch Gossip Girl. But still...I love seeing television and movie shoot locations. Which is why one day we lunched here......

Did you know you can make a reservation at Serendipity 3? I didn't either 'til I decided to just call and ask - I guess it was just fate (wink, wink!)? We walked right in for lunch passing a long line of people, and I was so happy the food actually lived up to Serendipity's hype. Another restaurant that really surprised me was the Rock Center Cafe. We popped in there after our appearance on TODAY. 

HA!!!  We went in search of Hoda and Kathlie Lee, but tragically, they weren't in town; all their shows that week had been pre-taped. (Now, those are some gossip girls I would have loved to see!)  Rock Center Cafe has very reasonable (for New York) prices and the food was special without being too big city. It appeared lots of locals were there too for both breakfast and dinner, and we liked it so much we made a return trip!

We hit up Broadway and saw Rock of Ages!  It was fantastic - if you're into 1980's music and off-color jokes (which I am...). It's not a show for kids or prude grown-ups, for sure. 

We saw the 9/11 memorial, walked through old churches and with ice cream cones often in hand, peaked in different neighborhoods while wishing we had more time.  Though we missed having Dan with us, I think it rates as one of my favorite family vacations!

I don't know why New York is called New York, but I think the city is aptly named. No matter how many times I visit, it never gets old. 

q+a with hilary phelps

Her brother, Michael, may have some gold medals under his belt Speedo, but can he whip up sweet potatoes and recommend the best moisturizer for the changing season?  Hilary Phelps can, and does...then blogs about it with a true Genuine Joy! I shared some Q+A with this D.C. Lifestyle blogger. Find out where Hilary would take the First Lady to dinner in today's Social Studies column over at FedScoop!

fake fall

God help me if a food is packaged as "Limited Edition". I have a weakness when it comes to seasonal treats. I will justify the consumption of very unhealthy foods and drinks all in the name of it-only-happens-once-a-year. At Christmas time, it's hands-down cranberry or pomegranate flavored ginger ale. I drink it like water. 

This fall, it's fake candy corn and faux butter.

White Chocolate Candy Corn M&Ms.

If you happen open these while shopping at Target and feel the urge to impulse buy, let me suggest indulging. I know there are some candy corn purists out there (I'm looking at you JR and Cas) but I promise, you won't be tricked if you sample this treat. 

Country Crock Pumpkin Butter

In general, I'm a bit of a butter snob. I like the real stuff. But I guess since some of the flavors are natural I can turn a blind eye toward this spread. On toasted bagels, waffles and sweet potatoes it's just delicious. 

Are you helpless for seasonal treats, too? What are your favorites this fall? 

girls trips: then and now

 The last time I took a beach trip with my group of hometown friends we were only 18. Our travel style has changed a lot since then. Here's a peak at how different our trip to St Simons Island was  to mark our 35th year as compared to our week in Myrtle Beach to celebrate high school graduation. 


Getting Carded:

The Ocean Lodge at St Simons Island

Then: We passed around the IDs from those of us who were already 18 so we could get into {cheesey!!} nightclubs at Myrtle Beach. It was a brilliant plan.
Now: When we stopped in for a nightcap at  The Ocean Lodge no one was even carded. It was a tragic reality.


Rest and Relaxation:

Then: No one rose before noon. 
Now: At the spa by 10am. 


Food for Thought:

Dining at Halyards

Then: We ate a lot of tator tots. 
Now: We ordered spinach when dining at Halyards...

and not just because it was creamed with pimento cheese. 


Photo Opps:

1995

Then: It seemed like a good idea to stand on tables and accessorize with sand buckets. 
Now:  A marina makes for a much better backdrop. 

2012

Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner

The girls and Simon

Then: On the way home we made a detour to Lake Lure, NC, to see where the movie Dirty Dancing was filmed.
Now: On the way home we stopped to meet - and steal turns holding - our friend Melanie's new baby, Simon....

 Melanie missed out on our trip because she was due any day but the timing of her delivery couldn't have been more perfect for us. Seeing this little saint Simon was the highlight of everyone's St Simons trip! 

fine dining at smokehouse restaurant

As the highlight of last weekend's quick girlfriend getaway, (and because we're all wannabe foodies) I made a dinner reservation for our group at Smokehouse Restaurant at Antrim 1844.   

Dinner started with hors d'oevres (rosemary prosciutto tart = amazeness) in the main part of the mansion at Antrim.  Aperitifs (I'm sorry, I just like saying that word) are not complimentary for diners, but servers will fetch cocktails for guests as they linger in and out of the pretty parlors.   Once you sit for dinner, if you've mentioned that you're celebrating a special occasion, you will find custom menus signed by Chef Michael Getteir.  

It's easy for the staff  who, by the way are SO polite, helpful and well-versed in the food and wine, to whip up personalized menus because the restaurant's offerings change daily. Guests can choose one appetizer (options range from fruit & cheese to fois gras) and an entree (there is a vegetarian dish). Everything else that comes to the table is the chef's choice....

onion cheese tart; 'barbeque sandwich' appetizer- beef rib and poletna;  pea salad; iced burgundy wine

Diners with special dietary needs fear not - an alternative to one of the chef's offerings was quickly adjusted for a food allergy at our table. 

For the entree, I chose the rosette of salmon & morels, and the fish was, indeed, shaped like a flower...

And I mean, a rose by any other name would be....sal-man, no? Hee.


The filet and the lamb entrees were ordered from our table, and met with rave reviews. After dinner, dessert....

Every last bite was incredible. I would rate Smokehouse as one of my top dining experiences in the region, and if you're a regular reader of this blog you know....I eat a lot. 


As a piano man played contemporary tunes, three hours slowly passed. The food was fantastic, but the special touches offered inside the cozy but sophisticated Smokehouse really made the time, money (and calories!!) spent worth every last penny....and bite!

Pool, Shower, Grill, Eat, Sleep....and Repeat.

Spring was....a little exhausting at our house. That's why I'm welcoming a very slow, simple start to summertime! I love that since Memorial Day we've done little more than eat pimento cheese sandwiches for lunch....

sing along with friends at outdoor concerts....

Chicken Fried Bromance - Dave and Dan at the Zac Brown Band concert

read books bought at the grocery store...

Nora's The Inn BoonsBoro trilolgy is set in Maryland - I sort of love it!

and disregarded all to-do lists at home for spending the bulk of our weekend days at the pool. 

Having no real plans on the books is especially handy when on Friday, flooding and tornadoes leaves one stuck in the District....

Though you can't make it out in the photo I sent to Dan, the sign I'm holding says "Stranded Since 6pm"

I don't know why the center of the free world shuts down every time there is inclement weather, but the Beltway was flooded and the news in Maryland was, "If you have loved ones in DC, tell them stay put!" So, after about two crazy hours sitting in gridlock on Capitol Hill, I called my friend Julie to see if she would be my shelter from the storm. The street I was stuck on is the street where she lives, so if you believe in predestined slumber parties.....which I do, then you guess correctly that pizza was then ordered, Easy A was watched and lots of girl talk was passed while the rain poured. By Saturday morning, though, the sun was shining again and I quickly fell back into the rigid schedule of pool, shower, grill, eat, sleep...

and repeat! 

March Gladness

The wine and horse country in Northern Virginia is really no farther a drive from my house than my daily commute to and from Capitol Hill, but is it ever a world away......

I went this weekend with my friend Jocelyn.  The weather was just perfect, and we discovered a new winery, Delaplane Cellars, which now stands as my most favorite vineyard in the region. This day of March Gladness could not have been a more perfect alternative to March Madness!

Here's what we loved about Delaplane Cellars: the homemade breads and local farm cheeses served up from a kitchen behind the tasting room; a help-yourself olive oil bar; a large, beautiful tasting room with floor to ceiling windows offering a perfect view of the mountains; and of course, the wine - it was fantastic. I could have stayed there ALL day on the patio, listening to live music, but...we had a reservation for dinner at The Ashby Inn.

This Inn could not be more charming. It's a good country mile from the Delaplane Cellars (and a few other winery favorites like Three Fox). The next time we plan a day trip I see no reason not to just plan an over-night stay. That would allow for a few more tastings at some other wineries (I want to try Naked Mountain - in clothes) along with trying the selected wine pairings from the Ashby menu. The food there was as tastey as it looked....and it's clear why this restaurants made the list of Washingtonian magazine's Top 100 places to dine.


Every time I take a day trip out to this part of the region, I beg the question, Why don't I come here more often? I already have an April weekend planned, and I'm hoping a certain someone makes a visit from Alabama soon for another valid excuse to wine and whine. 

A Dinner Date With My Husbands

When I was in my late twenties/early thirties and still single, I confess that I would often get a tad bitter when I'd hear about a woman my age or younger who was on her second husband. To nurse the sting, I’d often turn to the bottle…

Kidding about the bottle part. But Photojournalism 101 - Write to your pictures. I digress...

Not that anyone should be denied a second-chance at love, but I wasn't processing the news with that kind of mindset. Selfishly, I was questioning how some people could land two husbands when I couldn't even find a good boyfriend. Silly? A little. Human? I think completely.

Years (and hostility) have since passed as I now find myself with two husbands of my own...without the drama of divorce, AND at the very same time!

Now, I rarely drink alone....

That part is actually true.

Friday I went to dinner with the husbands at Aqua Al2, a new-ish restaurant in the Eastern Market neighborhood of Capitol Hill.

You know Dan, of course, the first and primary spouse. We happily share all the good and the bad that comes with a legal union. He cringes when forced to wach One Tree Hill, still feigns interest and amusement when I plan a party, and says he thinks I look pretty without any make-up. We like to hold hands while sitting on the couch. And introducing (said in the same TV voice as the Smash commercial) Patrick...

Patrick is my work husband. We share all the good and bad that comes with a job in politics. With me, he never tires of making reference to when that dog ate Dan Scott's new heart, is very vocal about how ridiculous he thinks my party planning can be, and tells me that I’m in high-def when I come to work without my face on. We like to gmail chat while sitting six feet from each other.


Disclaimer: I'm not mocking real marriage here, and all parties involved in this little dinner trifecta (i.e, the Brother Husbands and I) know there's no divorce trajectory in motion. Our husbands jokes are all in good fun, even if a tad cheesey...


With them, I had a grand time putting the "2" in Aqua Al (where we went to celebrate Patrick’s birthday!).

Two dapper dates, two bowls of homemade pasta...

...that makes me one happy girl!

Super Bowl Fumble - Trader Joe's Chocolate Cheddar Cheese

I rarely meet a cheese of any kind that I don't like, and lately, I've had so much luck with the speciality cheeses from Trader Joe's. The Cinnamon Toscana? Obsessed! Mostly recently, I bought a white stilton cheese with apricots that was really tastey.  I've tried a handful of other Trader Joe's cheeses that blend an odd fruit or flavor,  and always I go back for more-usually to find that the cheeses were a limited edition and are all sold-out.

When I'm sipping on a red blend, I want nothing more than cheese and chocolate for my nibble. That's why when I stumbled upon a chocolate cheddar I was so confident that it would be amazing that, after sending a picture of my find to my friends, Mary + Jocelyn, I bought two blocks - one for the Super Bowl and one for a little pre/post-gaming when my friends gather to watch The Vow (oh yes we are!) this Friday.

I'm so sad to report that this cheese is not good. No matter how much you enjoy pairing cheese and chocolate when you're enjoying wine, the full-on blend of it falls short.    

If you're an impulse buyer like I am, if you've got a weakness for cheese and chocolate...if you see this in your store and think it will be so perfect for Valentines, it makes me feel like I'm cheating on my boyfriend Trader Joe to say this, but...I wouldn't recomend it!

A Favorite Weeknight Meal

A few things will make a recipe a repeat offender in my house. Obviously it has to be tastey, moderatly healthy, and easy to prepare after a long day's work/commute.  Roasted Potatoes, Chicken Sausage and Peppers from SkinnyTaste.com is slowing earning the top spot for my favorite weeknight meal. I made it last night for the third time since I found the recipe!

It's hearty, inexpensive, and it requires only one pan. The chicken apple sausage is so good, too!  I serve it with a green salad. So...if you are into processed, fruit-flavored meats {which I clearly am} you can find the recipe here.