Breakfast at Ted's Bulletin

I am so happy to be marrying a man who knows the importance of researching and planning out meals before traveling to a new city. Or heck, even on a weekend. You never know what you could be missing if you just grab a bite at the closest joint.

So when D was planning our day trip to Washington, DC, he had one thing set in stone- the meals. After a series of Google searches, he found the perfect place: Ted's Bulletin. With its old-timey feel and fresh, fun menu- this was the perfect place!

The first thing you'll notice when you walk in the door is trays of homemade toaster pastries complete with sprinkles. That's right, you heard me. On the menu that day was strawberry, cherry, brown sugar, blueberry cheesecake and none other than peanut butter bacon. Doesn't that just make you smile??

Making your way to the dining room you pass the amazing bar with authentic Art Deco details that the restaurant salvaged from the Philadelphia Civic Center from 1928, along with the rest of the restaurant's decor. It looks like it belongs in the lobby of an old New York sky scraper. The only detail that keeps you from believing you've stepped back in time is their list of adult, liquor-spiked milkshakes, as well as ones for the kiddos. If only it hadn't been breakfast!

The dining room was equally as charming with an old Shirley Temple movie playing from the projector and the wait staff in crisp, white shirts and ties. My favorite touch was the menu.

Made to look like an old paper from 1928, it showcases not only the menu but clever articles about the restaurant and even old advertisements. So clever!

Now for the good stuff- the food! D decided on The Walk of Shame Breakfast Burrito stuffed with sirloin steak, eggs, hash browns, cheese and green chili sauce. Putting the green chili inside the burrito made all the flavors meld together and gave it great texture. This baby definitely lives up to its name- it would be great after a late night! 

And yes, that is a blueberry cheesecake toaster pastry. It was delicious! The pastry was super buttery and flaky and the not-too-sweet filling was still warm from the oven. Puts Poptarts to shame. I wish we had gotten one in every flavor!

I had the T.U.B.S.- the Ted's Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich. And it was ultimate- I could barely eat half! The crispy Texas toast housed crunchy bacon, sweet and savory sausage, cheese, scrambled eggs and a fried egg. It was huge and tasty! And for my side, I couldn't help ordering the cheese grits. So creamy and cheesy, I didn't dare leave any behind. 

The next time you visit DC or are on Capitol Hill, I highly recommend you check out Ted's Bulletin. Their lunch and dinner menus look awesome and they serve breakfast all day! We made a reservation just in case and quickly got seated, even when the Metro put us an hour behind! 

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A Visit to the Washington, D.C. Zoo

This weekend, D and I celebrated our two year dating anniversary (and our negative one year wedding anniversary!) and he surprised me with a day trip to D.C. In about an hour and a half we can be in the middle of Washington- one of the big perks to moving here! We visited D.C last year during the Cherry Blossom Festival (see it here) so we bypassed the monuments and headed straight to the zoo.

I've been longing to go to the National Zoo and it was even better than I expected. First off, it's HUGE! We were exhausted after looping through the whole park- and we didn't even see everything. The paths are very well done, there are plants and trees everywhere making you forget you're in the middle of a big city. And they have a ton of animals, many of which I had never seen, and all those you expect. But the best part- it's FREE! That's the great part about D.C.- almost all of the places you want to visit have free admission.

My favorite part of the zoo was the birds. You can always find the birds in their cages, unlike some of the animals. And even if they're asleep, they sleep where you can see them. There were so many kinds at the National Zoo and D and I had fun deciding what they were saying and/or thinking. That's my favorite thing to do at the zoo!

Not all the birds there were cute and cuddly- this guy looks absolutely prehistoric. I would be freaked out if this wound up in my backyard!

Much prettier were the flamingos, their long necks contorted for sleep. 

By far the best part of the bird exhibit was the outdoor aviary- I've never seen anything like it.You walk into this huge, net-covered structure and there are birds on land and water all around you. Even peacocks. 

We turned the corner at just the right time to see this one showing off it's feathers. Just amazing!

The peacock was gorgeous but my favorite bird was this little duck. This pint-sized guy was just so cute that I wanted to take him home in my purse, especially when he was swimming in circles trying to scratch his tush. 

Darren's favorite part was the orangutans. Their faces are so expressive, we had fun putting words into their mouth. And that hair! Surely they were the inspiration for Chewbacca.

The most surprising animal for me was the Komodo dragon. I knew they were deadly but I didn't realize how HUGE they were. I'd hate to see one of those coming after me!

Over all, it was a great park though we didn't see all of the exhibits. I would suggest skipping the Amazon and Invertebrate exhibit or at least saving them for last. They were a bit of a let down and I wish we would have seen some of the other animals instead.

So next time you visit Washington, D.C., remember that it's not all monuments! There are some great animals waiting to see your happy faces.

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Travel Lust: Washington, D.C.

I no longer have to lust after visiting this local- I was there at the beginning of the month just in time for the cherry blossoms to be out! Check out some of the photos from my trip!

The first stop on my trip was to the National Museum of American History- I had to see Julia Child's kitchen as soon as possible! Click here to check it out!

I also stopped by to see Dorothy's ruby slippers and a great exhibit of beautiful gowns worn by the First Lady throughout history. Here is Martha Washington's gown in the forefront:

Another must see was the Star-Spangled Banner, now in a large, protective case away from harmful light with the lyrics to out national anthem projected above. It's amazing that it is still so well preserved!

Next, we made our way to the National Museum of Natural History to see great displays of creatures from around the world and a great orchid exhibit:

I gotta say, the dinosaurs were my favorite- they bring out the kid in you!

A must see museum when visiting Washington, D.C. is the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. To get tickets to the permanent exhibit, you have to arrive around the opening hours. It is a quick line a more than worth the effort to get there early.

We spent over six hours in that museum pouring over all of the displays and videos- it was such a well done and tasteful exhibit. I went in expecting it to be almost graphic, however, the exhibit did not focus on the shock and awe of the horrible physical condition in which prisoners were found, but instead emphasized all of the gradual changes that happened within the society and how the Nazis achieved their terrible goal. It shook you straight to your core in a deep and profound way. I will be returning to this museum the next time I visit- it is eye opening.

Did I mention that all of these museums were free?! D.C. is awesome!

On a lighter note the cherry blossoms were out which made it a great time to visit all of the monuments.

The Jefferson Memorial was picturesque, surrounded by blooming trees all around the Tidal Basin.

Standing on the other side of the Tidal Basin affords you a breathtaking view of the Washington Monument. If you look closely to the left of its base, you can see the back of the White House!

We made our way to the National World War II Memorial:

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall:

And the Korean War Veterans Memorial:

We went up to see ol' Abe Lincoln:

And of course, we saw the White House complete with an interesting bunch of protesters.

 

Of course, we had some great food. Without even realized it I made it all weekend only eating seafood! So easy (and delicious) to do on the coast! Check out my post here to see where to get a great lobster roll. We also tried out some great places on U Street. Amongst them was Marvin, a dark and cozy bistro inspired by Marvin Gaye himself. The roasted halibut was to die for. Another great eat place was Eatonville- who knew Southern cooking could be so good so far north! Catfish and grits and fried chicken were our choices- we couldn't get enough of it!

I've only hit the tip of the iceberg with what Washington, D.C. has to offer. I can't wait to go back and see even more!

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Bon Appétit: Inside Julia Child's Kitchen

Before my recent trip to Washington, D.C., I began planning what sights I wanted to see. Besides the obvious landmarks and cherry blossoms, I wasn't sure what museums the city had to offer. And then it hit me- Julia Child's kitchen is in D.C.! I immediately started jumping up and down and telling anyone who would listen. I would be seeing my gastronomic idol's workspace- the place where Julie Powell made her pilgrimage after working her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking in Julie and Julia and left her offering of butter.

Julia's kitchen from her Cambridge, Massachusetts home- along with plenty of pots, pans and kitchen gadgets- were donated by Mrs. Child herself upon her move to California in 2001. The exhibit also features footage from her cooking show The French Chef, and other great memorabilia.

It is pretty amazing to think that this is where that firecracker of a woman once stood. On her butcher block counter tops, built to her height, you can even see rings in the wood where maybe she set down a cup of tea.

Looking through the exhibit, you couldn't help but notice that Julia was a cat person! Throughout her kitchen, cats showed up in paintings, cartoons and magnets. 

I was amazed by how utilitarian her kitchen was. There is no doubt that at this point in her life she could have had whatever fancy finishings she wanted but instead she has very simple blinds on her windows, practical kitchen counters, and pegboard walls to organize all of her goodies.

Here is a drawing of the layout of her kitchen. It included a food pantry, a butler's pantry and even a pantry dedicated to pastry. I can just imagine what great ingredients she kept there.

Julie Child loved her kitchen gadgets! Thankfully the exhibit labeled each one- many I did not recognize and would not know what to do with. Have you ever needed a bone holder? Julie obviously did, she had several!

Here is her enormous mortar and pestle. I wonder what great things she has pulverized inside of it!

Anyone who has read Julia Child's My Life in France or has seen Julie and Julia will recognize some of the great memorabilia in the exhibit. Displayed was her patch from L'Ecole des Trois Gourmondes (The School of the Three Happy Eaters) that she started in Paris with her Mastering the Art cowriters and her diploma from Le Cordon Bleu.

I learned some interesting tidbits about Julia through the exhibit. Having lived in France, Julia and her husband Paul enjoyed having a glass of wine to complement their meal as was typical in the country. At the time she went on TV with The French Chef, American society was unaccustomed to seeing public figures drinking. By enjoying a glass of wine during her cooking lessons, Julia helped make Americans comfortable with drinking with their dinner ₍₁₎ .  I think she deserves a round of applause!

Here is the Child's listing of the contents of their wine cellar:

If you ever have an opportunity to visit her kitchen- do it! You will be inspired! If you can't get there soon enough, you can visit the online exhibit: Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian



1- http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/juliachild/flash_home.asp

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Red Hook Lobster Pound: Where DC Gets Its Lobster Rolls

Popping into the airport newsstand on my way to Washington, D.C., I debated whether or not to pick up the latest issue of Bon Appetit magazine. In the end, I decided it was a good way to spend my $5- and I am sure glad that I did.

Settled into my window seat, I pull out my crisp, new read and start flipping through the pages until something stoped me. The most beautiful of lobster rolls- a food I had yet to try. Looking closer at the photo's caption, I saw that this beautiful creation belonged to none other than Red Hook Lobster Pound food truck in Washington D.C.

This was obviously an act of God. Once we deplaned for our connecting flight I immediately started looking up this great food find to see how to get my hands on one.

Begun in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, the hubby and wife business owners drive to Maine weekly to bring their customers the freshest Maine lobsters and the tasty JJ Nissen buns in which they serve their catch. That is dedication you can taste!

To get your hands on one of these tasty rolls, you first have to find the truck. It helps to have your smartphone on you- Red Hook shares their latest pit stop on their Twitter account!

After getting some culture in at the American History Museum my first day in town, I decided I couldn't wait anymore- I had to have a lobster roll now! I whipped out my phone to see where the latest stop was. Alas! Precious lobster rolls stood only a mile away! The walk would be a breeze!

Or so I thought. Making our way past the Capital Building and the Washington Monument we noticed some storm clouds rolling in, but we kept on walking. And then it started to sprinkle just a little. And then... ouch! Yep, it hailed on us.

Nothing was going to come between me and my lobster roll- after all it was fate that I have one! We forged on- wet, cold and with a few dings here and there. Finally, as the sun was starting to peek from behind the clouds we found what we had been searching for.

You would think that the weather would deter customers but in fact there was a long line of equally damp patrons waiting for their piece of Maine. That means it's gonna be good.

The truck offered your traditional lobster roll Maine-style (with mayo) or Connecticut-style (with warm butter) as well as shrimp rolls, clam chowder, and whoopie pies. They also dispensed Maine Root soda from the side of the truck with flavors such as orange creme, sasparilla, and root beer. If you find it in your local Whole Foods- buy some! This all natural, handcrafted soda is really something special!

Now to the Maine event, if you will:

Big chunks of sweet lobster- including claw meat- tossed lightly in mayo, seasoned ever so slightly and complimented by a perfectly toasty, buttery bun. I practically died. If they weren't $15 I would have had another!

This was well worth taking an ice pellet to the head.

In D.C. anytime soon? Whatever you do, don't leave without tracking down this food truck. Who knows, you might even see some historic monuments in the process!

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