Food – Get Elod(ie) of This

Louisville, Kentucky

Perhaps one day, I’ll have cute titles for my posts. That may also be the day I also post consistently… so maybe that’s not happening anytime soon.

You’re probably wondering “Hmm, so what’s in Kentucky outside of derby season, sis?”

Here’s 5 Things You (Yes, You!) Can Do In Louisville, KY:

Go to Museums! Louisville has so many fantastic museums you can visit including: Kentucky Derby Museum, Louisville Slugger Museum, Science Center, Muhammad Ali Center, 21c, Conrad-Caldwell House Museum… A lot of museums.
Visit Churchill Downs! The renowned race track that hosts the famous Kentucky Derby. What to do outside of derby season? Unsure! I didn’t go, but I hear it can get rowddyyyyy, and fun 🙂
Visit Louisville Waterfront Park! Lots of things to do here in the great outdoors, located right by downtown Louisville. You can even cross the Bridge into Indiana via a series of bridges that will take you from Kentucky to its bordering state. One of them is a walking bridge, over the river that divides the two locations. You can also take the Belle of Louisville to travel down the Ohio River. Skip the pre-dining events for the Belle, though.
Go Distillery Hopping! Kentucky is known for the derby… but it’s also known for Whiskey Row and the Bourbon Trail. Even if you aren’t a bourbon enthusiast, learning about the history of alcohol, and tasting it, is very very cool.
EAT!!! The hub of UPS is local to Louisville, which means… Louisville gets fresher food than most places since most routes go through KY. And with a cute food scene… definitely take advantage of eating at some fan favs. The food will not disappoint.

Now you’re probably wondering, “Okay, but why did you go, especially outside of derby season?”

10/10 badge icon, all future identification pics must look great too

I never told y’all my remote job is based out of Louisville? Which, btdubs, is pronounced “Lou-uh-vuhl.” I def felt like a local pronouncing it correctly and stuff. Spent a whole 8 days, 7 nights as follows: wake up, get ready, go to work, kiki with my chain of command, cry in the work bathroom, cry at my desk, go back to the hotel, eat food, sleep. Rinse and repeat (well, from M – F). Saturday, I just drank all day, self-moped, and ate a whole lot of food.

But let’s back it up a little to fully appreciate the rise and fall and my week in Kentucky.

The story starts a bit over a year ago when I decided to switch from in-house pharma to in-house healthtech. That is a whole other story/drama/complaint/saga in and of itself. As y’all know, I’m Maryland based, so being able to be remote, or find a Maryland-based job (but also still being remote, lol) definitely sat high on the top of my list for jobs. The culture switch was honestly shocking, like someone dumped me in freezing water. It absolutely took a whole while for me to finally start warming up. For anyone who has had the [pick one: sad/unfortunate/fortunate/honorable/joyful] opportunity to hear the work saga x career crisis x drama… you’ll know how rough that transition was.

And then to top it off… I’m remote, away from my managers and colleagues (like, duh, what did I think would happen choosing a company outside of my state and being remote?) So career crisis also felt like professional development crisis. ALL DURING A PANDEROSA WITH MS COVID. LOVE!!!

When the opportunity to visit Louisville arose, I absolutely jumped on it. I was giddy! Excited! Then I got covid. And had a string of bad luck in Montreal. Then that luck carried over… Into Louisville.

First 3 outfits I tried… boob issues because what is the beef between boobs and buttons? This dress… great… until I sat. And the crinkles STAYED.

I started off my first day in-office with several wardrobe issues and an IT issue. Natural response? Cry! But everything was able to be fixed. Didn’t do much on Monday because, well, there was nobody in office. Got lunch with my manager and found an isolated work cubby (crying in private is so much better than crying at your actual cubicle) to finish my day.

It’s the type of cry that starts off because you’re frustrated and can’t seem to verbalize your words. Where you feel people are blaming you for events that are outside of your own control. The cry that begins behind your throat, growing bigger and drier as you start grasping for your breath.

In plain words, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. It felt like something shattered inside of me that I‘ll never get back. And it was tough already verbalizing this, but I can’t seem to verbalize the deeper feeling inside. But I suppose that’s for another time, hmm?

Cheered myself up at Proof on Main, because food always makes me happy. I don’t mind doing things alone, but I really did feel lonely after such a mentally tough day, and then just going out to eat on my own. But the octopus??? Best thing I’ve ever eaten. Unfortunately, would not endure another tough day just to end it with super amazing food. I want my cake and I want to eat it, too! Back to this octopus though… perfectly charred, melt in your mouth, tossed in some pesto and lime… Best octopus I have ever eaten in my whole entire life, and ya girl LOVES octopus. And it’s connected to the 21c hotel, which has a museum inside of it! My lil dose of culture in the 5 minutes it took me to walk to and from the bathroom hah.

You’d think the second day would be better… My laptop decided to stop working. And this follows my laptop breaking the week before, too. AND we were moving work stations. This time, I cried in the bathroom. Four times. And once at my new station. By the end of the day, I really started feeling better because I had been chatting with my chain of command and met some people in office. But then, we had a little group meeting, where I felt absolutely and positively horrrriibbbllleeeee. I was sitting there and I felt stupid and I couldn’t even figure out how to even feel better or become more of a value add.

It was the type of cry where you genuinely feel you won’t amount to anything and you’ll just be stuck in your situation, forever.

I make rash decisions when I’m absolutely upset and feel utterly devoid of all future hope. Almost really quit. Almost called up old connections to help me get placed elsewhere. Like I said, I felt horrible; stuck in the middle of a dark tunnel with nowhere to go.

I might have felt lonely the day before eating out alone, but I felt hopelessly lonely on that second day, eating out alone (again). But hey, at least Louisville was killing it with the food. Day 2, went to Seviche, and had some amazing chimichurri sauce. Words cannot explain how everything in the dish went together so perfectly. I’m not a mashed potato girl, but goshdarn, it was really hitting the spot. The steak was good, not the best I’ve ever had, but something about the steak with that chimichurri sauce… Match made in heaven. Heaven! And the avocado ice cream? Genius. The avocado-lemon-chocolate truffle combo? Mmhmm.

By day 3… I was definitely chanting to myself in the mirror “Honestly, it can’t get much worse :)))))))))).” While, mentally, I felt better, because I decided to do makeup and curl my hair… My direct supervisor said something funny… while I was drinking a green smoothie… and I spit it out in his supervisor’s office. Yes, I cried. Stayed to myself all day, except when I was running around looking for blankets because I was so cold?? I found some.

look good, feel good, fake it til you make it, or whatever they say

OF COURSE, I got to treat myself, and this time I went to La Bodeguita de Mima, and had what is possibly the strongest pina colada I have ever had. I couldn’t even finish it! The food was good, but what really made the restaurant was the atmosphere. I couldn’t explain it, but I really did feel as if I was in a Cuban bodega sippin’ on drinks. The “escape” really felt nice.

Luckily, by day 4, I had completely given up on having even an okay day at work. I went in. Did work. Got lunch with a coworker and had a therapeutic rant session part 1. And left early so I can go to Old Forester and the Repeal with my team.

While no pics were taken (I didn’t want to come off as being a weirdo, so I didn’t take pics. I really was just trying to survive), I did feel a smidge better, just being able to hang with my supervisors and… observe. Old Forester was fascinating to visit — it was the first bottled bourbon, and because of the Dr backed marketing, it was also one of the few alcohols that were allowed during the prohibition, as medicine! Work depression? Go get your Rx for bourbon, and the doctor knew just what I needed, because I really was feeling a bit better. Repeal is an amazing steakhouse. Absolutely try the NY Strip. It’s grilled over some oak and… *chef’s kiss.* It won’t disappoint.

Day 5… I wasn’t even planning on coming in, but my supervisor scheduled a meeting, so I felt I should go in person, considering I was in proximity and all. I came in, did the meeting, and left. I actually got lunch with a coworker, who is also a foodie! I also had a therapeutic session part 2. I really had a lot to get off of my chest, hah. But, I really was feeling better by the end of the work week.

I was superrrr excited to go on the Belle of Louisville for a Bluegrass and Bourbon dinner and then tour on the Ohio River. Y’all… Not me stumbling onto old people’s heaven!! Not me also being the only single person there, either! I barely ate (the food sucked) and then I went upstairs to the boat deck to sit and enjoy the views of water, the bridge, and Indiana. Hated the pre-dinner portion. Didn’t hate the boat tour. Would do it (the tour) again, but with a friend, partaking in shenanigans.

life hack: take a video and then screenshot frames

By the weekend, I was utterly exhausted. Drained. Fatigued. I wanted to go out and visit the museums and hang out by the water. I wanted to go try out more restaurants. I just wanted to enjoy myself outside. But I found enjoyment in staying at the hotel and starting, and finishing, The Lincoln Lawyer (TV series), while eating food and drinking.

By that Sunday? I was ready to go home. And home was much needed by then.

The week had started off hopeful just for it to turn hopeless. And I’m definitely a person who likes to sit in the sadness for a bit before shaking it off — but it’s always easier said than done. Each day felt mentally more challenging than the last. I wish I had that aha! moment that would have changed my whole life, that moment you see on TV when the protagonist decided to take fate in their own hands. While I definitely felt like I reclaimed that journey, it surely was not as profound as I wish it was — but hey, that’s life.

All in all, it was an okay week. A lot of reflecting, but also a lot of food, and whew was it GOODT! Of course, I’ll be back, but that week surely did put a whole lot into perspective.

Panamá: Days 1 and 2

Nobody: …
Nobody: …
Nobody: So how was Panama?
Me: Pah-nah-MÁH was glorious!

Enjoy 48 hours in 30 seconds. Yes, I will be submitting for an Oscar nomination!

Panamá was an absolutely fun time — even with all the humidity and rain. But, hey, that’s what happens when you travel so dangerously close to the rainy season in the tropics.

I always enjoy listening to what led someone into picking their travel destination of choice. While I picked Panamá because I used Google Flights to see cheap flights during the month of May, Panamá popped up, and I thought “Hmm! Why not? Let’s see the canal,” I’m hoping that you will be choosing Panamá based off of the amazing time I had there — even during the rainy season.

DAY 1

The first thing that struck me about Panamá was how tall it was. Juxtaposing the tallness of the white buildings with the lush green rainforest… I do wish I was able to capture the contrast from my grainy little window seat, but these airlines do not want me to be great!

And speaking of airlines… y’all Delta almost PLAYED MY LIFE. Our (as in, my and my sister’s) flight journey started at 3:45A. To set the scene for y’all, neither of us has had any sleep. Our flight was on a Friday, the last time I slept was Wednesday night. So from Thursday at 6A (when I woke up) to Saturday at 2A, I probably slept a total of 2 broken hours. So needless to say, I was mildly irate. Anywho, our Lyft driver came early (we tried scheduling a ride), and my sister and I were RUSHING to finish packing and head on over to the Lyft before miss ma’am cancelled our trip! And to think Coralie (my sister) almost forgot her passport… hah… ha… ah……….. Imagine. Literally, just imagine showing up at the airport without your passport for an international flight. I’d be ready to cancel and just stay my ass home.

We make it to the Lyft and it’s raining! Happy Friday the 13th!! RAIN to forebode our impending rainy trip. But let me reiterate that it was raining, because miss ma’am was ZIPPING through the empty, dark roads like Dominic Toretto was tryna catch her ass! At one point, so was horizontal in a 3 lane highway because she had to make the exit with a truck coming. Ma’am, all roads lead to Rome. Miss the first exit and the exit 4 miles down will loop you back around to the airport. It’s okkaaayyyyy. Said my prayers and closed my eyes, I did not want to see my death. We did, eventually, make it to the airport, in one piece. We make our way through check-in, show our Panamá pre-customs validation QR code, check our luggage, and make our way to our gate for the first leg of our flight. I even started my nails (while eating a Quiznos sandwich, which I later ended up regretting hardcore), while waiting for boarding.

We board and I promptly take a little 10 min nap, hoping that when I wake up we are in the sky on the way to our next step. Apparently, Delta did not have any direct flights into Panamá that week from the DC area. Our layover was 50 minutes in ATL… So we’re already racing against the clock. So tell me why I wake up, look at my watch, it says 7:30A (our flight was at 7A), and we are still on the tarmac finally lifting off! If your brain is mathing and seeing how we already lost 30 minutes… and our layover in ATL is 50 minutes… I open my Delta app and it tells me that our flight is delayed and that they’ve moved us to a different flight. IT WAS THE WAY I WAS INTERNALLY SCREAMING AND CRYING ON THE PLANE I WANTED TO PUKE!!! That Quiznos really was not sitting well. My sister was knocked out, so I had nobody to real-time cry to. So here I am texting my friends and family, asking them to contact Delta and to check flight itineraries for me. After some kerfuffle, the Delta app finally fixed itself and it showed our original itinerary. We gained some time in the air, but we still only had 30 minutes to run through the ATL airport to get to our new gate. And guess what? We got flagged when boarding, so we had to wait to get our facial recognition, error code, passport issue fixed? No, we don’t know what happened. Yes, it did get sorted.

A small sidebar about airplane windows turned into a whole rant about my adventure. Love to see it! But yeah, Panamá is very tall! We finally land and get off the plane, and I almost suffocated in the humidity. I am not even kidding. Hustled through their immigration and customs so that I can grab my suitcase and change from socks, slides, and a hoodie, to just slides and a sports bra. Was still sweating and breathing hard! But part of that was just from all the moving around. Once I finally sat still, I started feeling better. Our other two friends joined us from NY as we made our way on over to our AirBnB.

I wish I took pictures, it was such a pretty place, but the AirBnb link will have to suffice. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, can accommodate 4 people if everybody wants their own bed, or 6 people, if there was some bed sharing involved. The newly renovated condo has a little pool (that we never got to use!) that is shared with the other condo residents and some of the architecture is outdoors, such as the stairs and the pool, so definitely keep that umbrella handy from the minute you walk out the door.

We had plans to go to dinner and then salsa dancing. We only made it to salsa dancing. We had a small meal when we got to the AirBnb.

We stayed in Casco Viejo, Panamá’s old town, filled with glorious rooftops, cobblestones, historic walls, and a whole lot of restaurants. We got ready and headed out to find our instructor for salsa dancing. We booked through AirBnB experiences to go salsa dancing with Marta and her salsa safari crew. We met Martha and two of her dancers, Nelson and Miguel, who taught us the basics of salsa and took us to different bars with live music where we literally danced the night away. Ya girls were sweating. And guess what? My convertible heels BROKE!!! Imagine me trying to do a cute little salsa turns and I feel my heel twist out from under me. Which reminds me… I need to buy heel replacements for my shoes. At least just the heels broke and not my heels.

Martha’s Salsa Safari crew tearing up the dance floor!

Hannah and I dropped Coralie and Karla off at the AirBnb before we went back out to another live music place, where we just got some Panamanian beer, before we decided to go back and walk around to find some food. Word of advice: do not walk around in Casco Viejo (or any city) at like 2 in the morning. A quiet city, stray animals walking around, groups of men lurking in a corner, and taxis following you around to see if you need a ride. Historic buildings being renovated look gorgeous in the daytime… not as glistening in the night when you can see the dilapidated areas.

We finally got back to the AirBnB. I hit a j, washed my face, and took a quick shower. The minute my head hit the pillow, it was lights out…

DAY 2

… until like 6A when my body decided to auto-wake itself up. Panamá is in the central timezone, so it was 7A back home. I tried so hard, I even begged myself, to go back to sleep to even get an extra hour of sleep. No, nay, never. I got up, and just watched some Netflix. When my friend Karla was up and at it, we walked around Casco Viejo to find a small little shop that sold fresh fruit, empanadas, and some carrot-beet juice. My body was REJOICING after I drank that juice. I normally like to pack my Kencko juices with me to ensure I get some fruits and veggies in the start of my mornings, but for some reason, I was utterly “unprepared” for Panamá, even though I had a whole lot of time to pack and prepare! But I was determined to make the most of my own predicament (which in hindsight, was more prepared than I believed, but still fell short of my own self-imposed standards).

When we got back from the shop, we all just laid in bed, watched horror movies, and I did Karla’s nails before we started getting ready for our Day 2 adventure: a food and drink tour hosted by a local Panamanian.

Another thing that struck me about Panamá was the amount of white ex-pats living there, and the amount of white ex-pat business owners who are then hiring Panamanians as employees. So it was nice to see that this tour was hosted by a local native.

Panamá City is a place of fusion. The true Panamanian food resides in the rural area while the city will have more diverse food. Given the location, and importance, of Panamá, it makes sense. Ana, our food tour guide, took us to several of her favorite fixtures, including Fonda Que lo Hay, which does serve as close to traditional Panamanian food as you’ll find in Panamá City. The tour highlighted local restaurants, food, and drinks that make Panama, Panamá.

It was a walking tour — so please wear some comfortable shoes. Ana taught us about the history of the food scene Panamá, which is mainly due to the canal’s presence (which I will talk a bit more about in pt 2 of my Panamá adventures).

Unfortunately, didn’t get the name of the rooftop bar we went to. But the calamari (which they name “spider legs”) were crispy perfection. And they served THEE BEST gin and tonic I’ve ever had, and I’m not a gin girlie! The overcast and sporadic rain damped (pun intended) the atmosphere, but I LOVED how the skies and the buildings looked in contrast.

We went to Mandinga, an amazing rum bar. Panamá, just like my country of Haiti, uses raw sugar canes to make their rum, compared to other countries using molasses. But what I really enjoyed was the Geisha coffee liquor. Smooth and perfectly balanced. I immediately envisioned myself pouring a shot into my daily cup of coffee. I don’t even drink coffee — that’s how amazing it was. Geisha coffee is so expensive due to the unique conditions needed to grow it, and because of that, only a certain amount can be grown yearly. Coralie picked up a bottle of the coffee liquor, but no coffee beans. Neither of us drink coffee enough to splurge on the Geisha coffee, but also, neither of us would recreate the coffee in a way that brings out the natural flavors. In essence, it would be wasted.

We ended our evening with Ana at Casa Catedral, a historic (if you couldn’t tell, everything in Casco Viejo is historic) restaurant where you can dine next to old cars. I’m not a car person, but it was still amazing seeing everybody else ooh and aah over these old cars. Apparently, a very old family collects these vintage cars and displays a handful of them at Casa Catedral. It absolutely contributes to the atmosphere. I felt as what I think I would feel like if I was in Havana — a place I haven’t been yet.

Even though our culinary adventures ended with Ana, the night was just getting started for us. We went back to our AirBnB to freshen up and change before grabbing late night dinner at Casa Blanca. I think most of the food we had in Panamá has been wonderful, but not necessarily stand-out, if that makes sense. Since most of what we had was Panamanian fusion, everything was delicious. My tastebuds were dancing with every bite, but as I look back at the fusion food, nothing popped out as my favorite. Take note I mention fusion food. We did try authentic Panamanian food later on during our time, and those were notable, but that’s a part 2 post *wink.* Yes, that does mean you need to come back and continue reading!

Quick side note… the cocktails were SUPERB. Two drinks stuck out to me: the mojito and a gin and tonic (had at the rum bar, and the rooftop bar). You might be reading it like, “girl… I can make that in my bathroom.” And you’re right, but it would suck. I have never had two super strong, yet alcohol-tasteless, yet bubbly and refreshing drinks in my life. I have been going crazy trying to ask bartenders here to remake them, “No can this have more club soda? Ok but not that club soda. Y’all have sugar cane syrup? No? Just simple syrup? Ok but what types of gins do you ha–just Hendricks? Ok. *scratches head.*” I think they spat in my drink. I gotta head on over to my fav cocktail bar to see if they can scratch the itch.

Ok. Back to our adventure! After dinner, we headed out to experience the nightlife. The night before, we had asked where the pretty black girls like to hang out to an Afro-Latina bartender. She gave us a list of recommendation. We first hit Selina, a cute, overpriced and highly overrated rooftop that charges a cover. Y’all know the vibes! Gorgeous views though (not pictured, sorry). Some random guy bought us all a shot, yum (jk). But there wasn’t any dancing. We could have gone to the main level to dance, but we were ready to try somewhere else. I’m not sure why, but I was tired, irate, sleepy–oh wait, must be because I slept a total of 5 hours over 72 hours? Nah, that’s not it. We walked around Casco Antigua, a place a couple blocks away from the center of Casco Viejo that has club next to club next to club next to rooftop next to club next to rooftop-on-top-of-a-club… The world was our oyster. We walked past each venue, listening to their music to see if we’d vibe. We finally just asked someone where we can go to get some lit black music. We were directed to Rush.

Chile… I was not ready. If I had some club days (and no, Shooters II does NOT count), I just know my club days would be OVER. Miss security guard patted me down and checked my purse. And the music was THUMPING. We tried to get closer to the center, but somebody threw (accidentally, drunkingly) drinks on us as we were walking around. I was done. I stomped, mad as hell, back to the bar. I was ready to leave on my own if everybody else was feeling the moment, but I did not want to leave a girl behind if two of the other girls also wanted to come back. Like, I’d brace it for the enjoyment of my friend, but if somebody else wanted to stay, too, I’d dip. Luckily, Coralie wanted to stay with Hannah, while Karla and I went back to the AirBnB. Part of me wished I did stay, given how Hannah and Coralie were talking about chaotic the DJ was, but I think it was for the best that I went back to bed.

Again, once my head hit the pillow… Lights out! The lack of sleep I got on that trip… whew!

DAY 3

THUNDERSTORMS! We chose a great day to–oh wait. I’m saving this for the next entry! So stay tuned.

A Li’l Update ft Boqueria

Listen, the fact I’m spending lots of money on this blog domain and can’t even be consistent… Sis. I keep saying I will try, but whew is the depressive state real. And right as I thought I was getting my life together, BOOM, the Rona hits and derails my plans. Like truly. Messing up job integration, extremely ill, bedridden for days, and just all the weight gain…

ok so when I uploaded this, I remembered why I like to take horizontal pics so excuse the squareish crop pls & thnx — also we like the rounded? yeah? myb?

At least my skin is clear, right? And not even really. But I am trying a new skincare routine to get rid of the inflammation coloring from ingrown hairs. Hey, I’ll keep y’all updated about that!

All that is playing through my head is “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” by My Chemical Romance, and that should really sum up how I’ve been these past couple of weeks.

I’ve also changed gears from health law to environmental law (oh! Did I tell y’all that I AM A FULLY LICENSED ATTORNEY IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND?!).

face courtesy of mom and forcing me to go to the ceremony lol

Wish me luck. The goal is to get into corporate social responsibility and environmental health equity. Now what does that all mean? Essentially, climate change is a public health crisis and the faster we get people and corporations to understand that a declining environment will lead to more health issues, especially in black and brown, low-income communities, the faster we can try to remedy the situation before it gets too bad.

Now, that also requires corporations caring for said population, and that really might be the challenge :))))).

teaser for the next paragraph but also relevant bc I used this cute lil jaunt as my work profile pic bc radiant smiles and, like, well i look cute

So how have I been spending my free time? A whole lot of DIY, cooking, sleeping, working, eating, and did I mention sleeping? Recently I’ve been reminiscing about a fun adventure I had with the one and only Bryanna Goode, the magic behind a lot of my recent photos. The way I miss adventuring… Lots of good memories, but I’ve been thinking about Boqueria (remember when I went in NY? No? That’s why I hyperlinked it for you! And here it is again!) a lot, mainly because what I wouldn’t give for a bottomless brunch in a chic setting right now. Full disclosure, DC locations > NY.

I thought about going back into video editing, but it really was not for me. I enjoyed capturing the footage, did not really enjoy mashing it all up together. So, if you’re reading this and you enjoy making videos, please let me know. I will appreciate you more than I already do.

And another thing I miss? The post-brunch adventures.

Surprisingly, I’m fine staying home, probably because I live with my family. But I hate not having the option to go out and adventure. What I would give to travel safely right now and eat my way through the tropics, lounge on a beach with crystal clear waters, but also drunk shopping, navigating through the metros of DC, and saying “yes” to every adventure that comes my way.

this lowkey looked a lil cuter before i cropped it into a rectangle

But, all I have for now are the memories and these yummy pics of me doing yummy things, so let’s all just close our eyes and take a second to imagine what life was like before this. Ready? Go!

Yeah, what a time. Let’s see… The food was good. I obviously went back and I want to go again! Unfortunately I took these pics in October, so my memory of the food isn’t perfect. Shout out to mega delayed posts, huh. What I do remember: the chicken tenders were delicious because they were coated in crumbled chips, but I did cut my mouth on them. The fresh toast was yummy but I enjoyed the apples more because I’m a sucker for cinnamon backed apples. The lil pineapples were GREAT, I had like 10, a lil smokey and a lil sweet. Steak and eggs were great, except I am very very weird about egg yolk, and I didn’t care for these because they were a littleeee too runny, but I ordered steak on the side just to eat more. The Bloody Mary shots were good too. They were more shot than cocktails and the spiced salt rim really sealed the deal. Take back too many and you’ll be wobbling your way down DuPont. 10/10 would go again, so hit me up if you wanna go.

Anyways. Let’s see what else I’ve been up to…

My friends and I all created a playlist of 25 songs we love so much, we wish we produced them. You can check out mine right here. I am no DJ, but I think I make pretty good playlists. Want a fun challenge? Make your own and send me the link so I can share!

And oh, look, another picture of me. Sometimes candids really DO turn out well. This was still part of the Boqueria brunch adventure, so no judging me on the same exact outfit, thank you very much. The only thing worse than an outfit repeater is an outfit rememberer! [Insert Lizzie McGuire gif here]. Duh.

And as much as this natural hair was cute as SHIT!!! I miss stunting in a wig. And makeup. I did my eyebrows the other day? And I forgot how to do them?? But then when I did perfect it??? It looked so foreign???? On my face?????

tbh surprised makeup still looking good at like 1am after drinking #champ also shoutout to dupont krispy kreme bc #lifesaver

not a wig but i do miss the high pony bc yes.

I can’t even recognize myself in makeup anymore?

hey siri, set a reminder to take pics vertically and horizontally

Honestly, I don’t even recognize myself, period! In all fairness, the picture was when I was extremely done up for a formal event, but I just wanted to be dramatic…

My plans for after this end? There’s so much I want to do! I cannot wait to leave, head to a MedSpa and get a Fraxel facial because—I deserve, and my face deserves even more. That’s it. And a new hairstyle. Either wig or silk press. I recently cut all my nails off because I’ve been doing them myself, but it’s been such a hassle. I bought a new manicure set anyways, so I will be entertaining the hassle once more. I bought a poly gel kit, so wish me luck.

And speaking of hassles… Men. Listen, it’s quarantine, sir. Leave me alone. It’s a pandemic! If I’m getting sick and infecting others, it’s because I’m hanging with my friends, not because I’m meeting new guys and fooling around with guys from the past. Yikes.

Please. Pls.

But all in all, life has been ~good.~ I even did some passion twists. They did not last long. But I tried.

i’d like to personally thank celena for letting me have/borrow/whatever her sweatshirt

No complaints really. I’m alive, and there really was a time where I thought I wouldn’t make it because I was THAT sick. I’m gainfully employed, and was worried because last to hire, first to fire. Luckily, the company I’m working for has gotten busiER during this time. Yay, work?

Started working out again to try to get a little bit of definition, but the way my sickness ruined my lungs… Trained 2 years to get to this level of fitness (not super fit lol but I can run, read jog, a couple miles without dying) just for it to be ruined from being sick for 4 months, lol. BUT! I’m determined to get back to where I was before 2020 ends :). We got this, right? Please, wish me luck.

So as per usual, I won’t make promises about this blog. But I hope I find the time and enegy to update you more. Thank you so much for checking in on me. Y’all are the reason I want to write these posts.

Until next time!

P.S. I like these updates, so maybe I’ll focus less on food and travel (funny, I know, because would need to focus on those things to begin with) and incorporate more about general life, because you’re here to get “elod” of my life, right?

P.P.S. You get brownie points for laughing at my pun. They’re worth nothing, yet.

Post Bar Relaxation, Pisco y Nazca, and a Donut

I’m trying out different post titles instead of just saying the restaurant name. Let me know how you like it.

It has been 2 weeks. 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS. Two weeks since I took the dreaded bar exam. And I really haven’t blessed y’all with a post in… a minute, actually. So I hope y’all are ready for this one.

Yes, let’s start this blog post off with a picture of me, because why not. Let’s do it. Also! I just saw this all blown up and portrait mode is a trip. I feel as if I photoshopped myself into this.

Let’s start with my life updates: the bar is over and now I have time to go to the bars. Friends are cool and all. Guys are there. Speaking of guys. Def saw this guy who halfway through hanging, told me he was in an open relationship. Just like that. Definitely was in some sort of shock, but I’m very over it now. I’m looking for a sugar daddy–I’m kidding. I’m broke. But I’m not kidding. But I am. Y’all know how much WORK you have to put into it? It’s a whole lifestyle. Anddd, I’m going on vacation on Monday! For a whole ass week. Hope y’all are connected with me on the ‘Gram, so that y’all can see my vacation stories (and pics) before they hit the blog.

Yeah, that’s it, really. But I know you aren’t here to read my life. If we’re being honest, you’re not even here to read about the food. You just want to see the pictures! So really, who am I to deny you this luxury?

So without further ado…

We have Pisco y Nazca. I have decided this is my favorite, favorite brunch place in D.C. I need to go back for happy hour, lunch, and dinner, to let you know if it’s an all around good place. But this really is top 5 brunch places I’ve been to. If not even top 3.

Ah, yes, another picture of me. On my own blog. Look at that.

And we have a donut from District Doughnuts. Top 5 donuts too. Shoutout to DC for making cool stuff.

Pisco y Nazca (translates to: The enjoyment of libations in a social setting).

And honestly, that it was. Good food. Good drinks. Good people. Good atmosphere. What more does one need? Good prices! And you’ll find that here too.

Doing this whole two birds one stone. Watch here, and I get a Tube view. That’s how it works, right? Ugh, send help.

I think here is where I say I don’t own copyrights to this song. It is not my song. It’s an instrumental version of “No Promises” with Demi Lovato by Cheat Codes. I got it from this Youtube dude. Hello, the lawyers reading this, can y’all help me out? Thanks!

So, I think I’m getting better at the videos, right? Right? Please tell me yes. Kidding, if it’s bad, let me know. And I’m trying the Youtube thing. That’s what all the kids are doing. But serious question: should I start doing voice overs? Should I start talking? Will y’all enjoy my voice as much as I hate hearing my own voice on video (but who doesn’t though)?

Prices. $30 for a 3 course brunch. $18 for bottomless mimosas and sangria. The food ranges from $10-$30, and the starters are pretty filling. I was actually full off of mine. I took my second course to go. And I had the third course (dessert, yes!) as I got hungrier.

I mean, I should have posted the first interior pic here, but… Too late now.

And the interior. I was in love. Perfectly modern without being obnoxious

And oh, Lord, did I down those amazingggg passion fruit mimosas. I could drink it all day. And I wanted to also, but might have actually died, but I would have been happy and dressed in a cute outfit. I don’t recommend the sangrias. We personally did not have them, but the nice people sitting next to us (shout out to y’all!) let us try them and… The red sangria was too sweet and the white sangria was very peach liquor-y. If that’s your jam, go right on ahead.

The tostones were perfectly crispy and the meat on top was, *chef’s kiss.* It really was so overwhelming with how much meat there was, so I ended up picking at the meat and then eating the tostones with less meat on it.

The sandwich was very good, especially with the sauce. But man, there was so much bread. I do not like ciabattas. I don’t. I’m sorry. I can do without it. But this was a huge ciabatta! The meat inside was amazing though. Yes, I ate it at night whilst I was sobering up, but it was still so good.

Listen, I am not a French Toast fan, but I swear this is one of the best ones I have ever had in my life. Perfectly crisp on the outside and extremely fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth–I just caught myself drooling at the thought of it!

The cheesecake was different because it incorporated rice (like rice pudding!) Still delicious and creamy. But I really think the French Toast took the win of the day.

And I guess my friends ate food too, but, I was already mimosas in and didn’t want to get up and take pics so… enjoy these subpar pictures. I’m sorry.

A Donut (or is it doughnut?)

Ya, at this point, I was lucky to even remember I wanted some pics, let alone pics of a donut. Is there anyway to put a poll? Doughnut v donut?

Thank you, District Doughnuts for the donut. I didn’t take pics of the donuts. I was a good handful of strong mimosas in. And a lil winded, honestly. I walked in. They were nice. I got a donut. I took a picture with said donut. But you can enjoy the photo progression of trying to post with the donut. If you were curious, the donut was key lime and it was oh soooo good.

Oh, you caught the outfit change? Well, yes, I ended up going into a store and changing my outfits. Might as well cop some pics for the ‘Gram, right?

All in all, it was a great Saturday. Perfect weather. Semi-perfect humans. And amazing food. Seriously. Here’s to good vibes to finish 2019 strong.

Barre x Brunch: [Solidcore] x Agua301

So I’m back at it. Taking a break from the bar exam to go do some barre only to go to a bar after that. Say that 5 times fast, everybody will be confused as to what you’re referring to. But don’t say it 5 times fast. Please.

[solidcore]: you love it or hate it. i love it. they hate it.

I’m trying a new thing, where I’m working out just to eat all my calories plus some right after, with my friends. I’m also trying this video thing again. Let me know what I should do (or not do, L O L). I was thinking whether or not I should add voice overs or have more of me talking. Or just scrap the whole video thing all together. But hey, enjoy the video. It turned out way better than I had wanted it to, #smallvictories.

Kinda cool, right? Oh, you didn’t watch it all? That’s fine. I think here is where I add I don’t own any rights to the song. It’s “Stars” by Marshmello. This isn’t for commercial gain. Just for the shits and the giggles.

But we all know what comes next: pics of food! But, to set the background for y’all… We went to [solidcore], a cute hardcore studio where it’s pilates reformer (using a machine) but on crack. Possibly one of the most effective core workouts I’ve ever done. Also, the biggest drain on my bank account. Yikes. Worth it? Yes. Honestly, I haven’t done it in 2 weeks and I know I’m going to cry because I missed a week. I wish I had before and afters for you. It was so fun to get my friends to come out and do it with me. I love working out with people, keeps me a little more accountable.

After, we yondered over to Navy Yard to get some food. I love to try out new restaurants, but I must admit, choosing a new restaurant for an event is a bold choice and it could have gone terribly wrong. We went to Agua301, a modern Mexican restaurant that faces the Potomac River in DC. The reviews were a bit mixed, but the consensus was: good food, bad service. I can live with that, as long as my alcohol cup keeps getting full.

I personally had 2 critiques: once you chose a bottomless drink, you were stuck with the drink instead of mixing and matching. I’d have preferred the mix-n-match, but beggars can’t be choosers. Also, as evidenced from above, my plate was the only one that didn’t photograph well. Albeit, a small thing, but, the whole point of this blog is to take pics of food to justify spending money on food. I enjoyed everything else and my friends didn’t seem to complain about the food either (they complained about the service, obvi). The food was GOOD though. Good taste. Good price. Would absolutely go back. But I definitely think I’m getting the crab cake benedict next because… you see how delicious that looks?!

People started trickling out and it was just me and the homie, Priscilla. Shoutout to friendship since Aug 2008.

we love girls who can pose. i, unfortunately, cannot.

We tried starting an IG page for brunch. Not a flop, per se, just trying to manage that, my own IG, and this blog is a lot. If only Priscilla could pull her weight *cough cough.* We tried to take pics (well, I tried and she succeeded) and then we went to Georgetown to eat all the ice cream at The Dough Jar. Why this cookie dough trend is a thing, no idea, but I am here for it.

So, au revoir, mes amis. Until next time. Studying for the bar exam is a TRIP. But almost there. When I do another public Barre x Brunch event, I have no idea, but I’m excited for it. But until then, stay cool. And of course, enjoy this picture of me.

model status. got my ‘fit from fabletics.

One Year Anniversary: The Sun Dial

Can you believe y’all have been on this journey with me for the past year? Through the ups and the downs… Climbing up and down the coast, and even going over seas. And yes, the disappointment of me not posting as often as I should.

BUT! I’m reinvigorated and I am here for y’all. Work (read: slavery trial) has been a little rough and I am in the process of signing up for the Bar exam. I even took the MPRE (multi-state professional responsibility exam… y’all know lawyers have ethics?? WILDT!). And to celebrate a couple of months of hard-work, I took a trip to Hotlanta to see one of my bestest friends. Yes, you can have more than one. And yes, I will fight you over my grammar usage.

Since brunch is my ~aesthestic~ and my friends know my oh so well, homegirl knew we HAD to brunch. AND we went to a cute place, The Sun Dial, with overpriced basic cocktails and food. $13 for a sticky bun? I didn’t buy it. But we were ~232 meters (if I remember correctly) off the ground in one of the tallest buildings in the southeast. This is what our waiter told me. No, I did not fact check.

They started the table off with 2 muffins: banana nut and chocolate. Uh. Chocolate wasn’t great but the banana nut was pretty good. Could have had a little but more moisture, but the butter (which my friend thought was ICE CREAM!!! I really should have let her eaten it omg) helped with the moisture. Could have done without the muffins, but since I wasn’t going to buy a $13 sticky bun, the muffins worked.

The water was nice too. I’m only saying this because they charged $1 for the water automatically, so I feel the need to comment on the water quality. But the peach iced tea (not mine, but my friend’s) was good too. Now, it would have been bomb with some champagne… or tequila… but at $18 a cocktail? Like a basic basic cocktail? Like a moscow mule but with peach or whatever? And not even at a cocktail bar to get fancy drinks? Y’all got my lack-of-income ass really confused. But anyways. Enough of my complaints, you’re here to read about food!

Remember when I said I was going to try to incorporate videos? Wellllllll, here you go. Somebody please PLEASE remind me to start taking my videos horizontal because vertical is not the move honestly. Don’t hate me. But uhm, look at the food??? Delicious??? Non??? By the way, I got the Surf and Turf Burger, cooked medium rare (which, was definitely more rare than medium, but alas).

These videos WILL get better, once I have more time whilst I study for the Bar exam (yes, you did read that correctly). They will also get better once I upgrade this site plan AGAIN to incorporate legit videos. Until then, you’re stuck with me, kid.

Ok ok ok, let’s just look at the burger definition… again. My goodness gracious. The cheese over the lobster, sitting over some sirloin beef burger? And crispy parmesan fries? *mouth watering* My friend ate the bun and she said the bun wasn’t the best, so I’m glad I skipped that part, even though I rarely ever eat the bun. 2 reasons: 1) I have a personal vendetta against burger buns and 2) I’m actually gluten intolerant and if I’m going to f- around my intestines, trust me when I tell you it’s NOT going to be over a burger bun.

As per ushe, I didn’t finish my food (this is why my friends hate taking me anywhere), so it’s packed up, waiting to be eaten as I waste my time away at the airport. My dumb ass thought taking a 9:30 flight would be the move. Well, it wasn’t.

I’m looking forward to 2019. It’s been good so far, and I can’t wait to keep you guys updated here on out :).

Champagne in my Membrane — BrunchFest ‘19

Hello friends, fans, and others. Miss me? You missed me. I really won’t boggle you down with my “Oh my goodness, my resolution is to be more attentive to my blog!” madness because… what’s the point of empty promises. I don’t like them. You don’t like them. Let’s skip alladat ;). Hey, but enjoy a picture of me in front of a mimosa bar sign, drinking what I believe is a mimosa (I ended up mixing all the liquors). What a great way to herald in February, right?

So first post of the new year??? BrunchFest 2019, hosted by Drink.Eat.Relax.

Yes, the sign was crinkled as hell, and I suck at taking pics

Too lazy to read the whole thing? Not same, but I’ll throw you a bone anyways.

+: “free” booze: champagne, rose, spritzers, ales, henny. bloody mary’s, boozy coffee bar, mimosa bar.
+: “free” food: eggs, sausage, bacon, mini-quiche, mini-poptarts, mini chicken biscuits, ham biscuits, bagel bites, donuts.
+: unlimited booze: well this is self-explanatory
-: the price: $77 with service fees? hahaha. for the lack of food there was… and long lines for alcohol… humph.
-: the food: continental breakfast, nothing from local food places (except the chicken biscuits lol)
-: the layout: take a rectangle square and put up awkward dividers.

Would I do it again? Only if I get the tickets on sale. Read on for a slightly longer (not by much) explanation. Or better yet, watch the video I tried creating that gives you no insights on the cons of the event.

I tried… I really did. No idea how to shrink the video. Bear with me as I figure this out. I might just have to download to YouTube and upload here… So much extra work, but I guess you guys are worth it (right, y’all are worth it…?) So stay tuned. For now, apologies.

So the video is kinda cool right? I did none of the work except provide the pictures and videos, thanks to Magisto App. So one thing I CAN promise you is that I will try to incorporate videos into my blogs. Let’s look forward to how my video “editing” progresses.

First of all, there should have been directions to the location because we, and others, walked around looking like that Swaggy P meme where he is confused as all heck, okay. But eventually we found it. ID check. Wristband. Security eyeing you. Ticket check. Plastic BrunchFest cup. Mimosa line!!!

The whole venue was explored in about 10 minutes, walking every square inch of the place. We scouted before we pounced. And by pounced, we meant alcohol since there was no food we were dying to try. And we had a lot of alcohol. I also tried Henny for the first time. Mixed it with champagne and orange juice. Talk about a turn up brunch.

If we’re being honest… there really isn’t much to talk about. There were vendors there who were trying to sell you clothing in your drunken stupor. There were also representatives from banks trying to get you to sign up for their bank? There were sweepstakes people also. Honestly, I would have enjoyed the whole thing more had there been no vendors. It would have been better if they were replaced by more food or drink stations, or even places to sit and high tables to eat at, but beggars can’t be choosers.

I did enjoy tasting samples from local distilleries and wineries, but not worth the full price paid. In the end, I did have fun. It is what you make of it, but unless the layout is changed, probably will not be going back (unless tickets are cheaper). I’m hoping to go to NYC’s BrunchCon. So long as it isn’t on my graduation (holy shite, yes, I’m GRADUATING from LAW SCHOOL), you’ll catch me there.

As always, hugs and kisses. I’ll catch y’all on the flip side. Enjoy some more stills with my friends from the day.

selfies are life esp w/ a selfie case, yw
my fav bar……. no lie

Bottomless Mimosas: Lago

Wow, hey. Did y’all miss me or did y’all miss me? Because I def did NOT miss myself. But shout out to the wonderful souls who kept harassi–checking in on me. This post is for you ;). Look at the G L O W. Anyways.

So, let’s take you through my life from June all the way through now: nothing. Whew, glad we got caught up! Well, in all seriousness, amidst the boy drama, academic struggle, mental breakdown, friend drama, and food relationships, I’m still standing and going strong. I’m down weight and feeling healthier than before. I’ve also been switching in and out of vegan-seagan-keto etc. Not sure what I’m doing but I’m eating foods I like when I want. I am mainly plant-based. I don’t eat gluten (slight allergy). I avoid things with lactose (intolerance). And… that’s it really. I’m doing HIIT, yoga, barre, cycling, and strength training, too! Oh, and being natural is getting easier, thank GOODNESS.

And now, I’m back. And I know last time I said I would be better with this, so I’m not going to promise such a thing, but I will promise to try harder. As for the other updates I did promise… The travel diaries (London) will be up soon. During winter break (I know, 2 months from now) everything should be up and ready for your viewing pleasure. But, we’re gonna try to get it all up and running smoothly before then.

But! You’re here because you saw the title “Bottomless Mimosas” and if you’re a Clevelander or Cleveland-visitor (student, friend, etc), you’re probably thinking “They have such a thing?” (I’m from the East Coast where we speak in bottomless brunch).

After HOURS of searching and calling different rumored restaurants… Ya girl FINALLY found a bottomless mimosas place. And, ya girl finally just recovered from that Olympic sport.

Let me present to you: Lago (Bireria, Cucina, Enotecca).

Service was a little… slow. We sat down for 15 or so minutes without anybody checking in on us. We started off with the bottomless mimosas right away. We were going to make the most bang for our buck. It was $15 for the bottomless, so truly, even 3 would be cost efficient. 5 would be better. But 10?! A steal! 15 would have been… hospital inducing honestly.

I am used to mimosas being like at least 75% champagne, but these were a good… 50%? Or something like that. But I don’t really eat grains, so alcohol hit me H A R D.

So mimosas are mimosas. But the food? So, listen. I asked for the wagyu steak and eggs… $64. My eyes popped out of my head. I don’t mind spending money for some good steak, but for breakfast? Am I made out of money? I was literally just there for the bottomless mimosas. Whew, chile…

We ended up getting the burgers. Mine sans buns and a side of tater tots. The burger was goooooood. And the house chips were very good too, but the tater tots were AMAZING.

One got the Avocado Benedict. And… It pictured well. It was literally guac on toast with an egg. Not sure what we were actually expecting, but it wasn’t that. We don’t recommend it (even though it was recommended to us). So we were able to sub it out for the breakfast burrito and that tasted amazing.

The waiters we had were pretty cool. Lots of jokes and was pretty quick on the refills (the most important part).

The interior was very nice and I would love to come back at night for their dinner menu. If you’ve tried it, do let me know!

We showed up at 11am and didn’t leave until almost 2? And we all had takeout boxes. I ended up snacking out of it while sobering up when walking around.

After, we just goofed around in the Flats, one of my favorite places in Cleveland. I got a pic with a Rolls Royce (yes, I’m annoying).

Walked around by the water and I pretended to be an IG model. Then I ate a hot dog as we played some corn hole. Then when I got home, I drank some electrolyte water and took my sweet sweet drunk booty to bed. And woke up at 7pm. And went straight back to sleep.

Ah, the joys of day drinking. Overall, I do recommend Lagos; if not for their food then for the bottomless mimosas. If not for that, then because I told you to.

The Land of Kush: Vegan Food for the Soul

For Summer 2018, I have decided to vegan(ish). I started in June. Like my seagan that I was during Lent. Vegan foods and meals, sometimes with a side of fish. Although, as I have been diving deeper into plant-based vegan, I’ve been straying away from supplementing parts of my protein intake with fish. But, I’ve read horror stories about people becoming violently ill after ingesting even chicken broth after months of not eating meat. SO, that will not be me. Homegirl is definitely going to have meat once a month. So for my blog posts, don’t be concerned about all the meat posts, lots of my posts are queued up for future posting.

After a night of wild shenanigans, with my other vegan-ish friend, we went to a black owned vegan restaurant: The Land of Kush.

I’ve been here once before, because my friend wanted some vegan crab cakes. Kush is known for having the best vegan crab cakes, buuuutttttt, it’s made out of gluten (seitan). I’m a bit gluten and lactose intolerant, so to avoid dying later, I had to take a pass on the crab cakes today. But honestly, I’m never going to not eat a real crab cake. So if I’m going to die, might as well have the real deal amiright?

It’s a cute little place. You can sit down and eat, but it’s mainly you go in, get your food, and dip out.

Everything is pre-made and heated, for a fast casual experience. I don’t like soul food, so I stayed away from the usual culprits: collard greens, candied yams, mac & cheese…

I got the lentil burger with gravy (in the cup), “tuna” salad, and rice.

My friend got the collard greens and candied yams haha. But we both decided to get some of the fresh juice. She got the ginger spice (and boy, did it have a kick!) and I got the liver detox (after years of college induced binge drinking, my liver probably needed some extra TLC).

Goodness! The food was AMAZING. And man, it was hearty and filling. For the first time at a restaurant, I wasn’t feeling bloated and gross (probs because this is my first time eating something without any of my food intolerances and plant based so funny how life works). I brought the rest of my food home, and I cannot wait to finish the rest.

Anyways, we will see how the rest of the summer brings with my vegan lifestyle, and more importantly… how long I will be vegan. So, wish me luck.

La Tasca

Whheewww, child. I know it’s been a while. I would like to thank my followers who have reached out to ask me if I’m okay or if I need any emotional support. Truly. I am so sorry I’ve been MIA. First week of my dream internship is done, and I really do love every minute of it. The people, the other intern, and the work. Where I am in Baltimore is a biiiiiittttt suspect, but I’m also only a 10 minute walk to work, so you win some and you lose some. Once I have my affairs in order, I’ll start a new tab for Baltimore eateries. I will also continue to keep you updated about my adventures in London. As for the natural hair… I’m going to hold off on that new column. It’s going to be a little bumpy for the next couple of weeks, but we’ll get through this together :).

BUT, this is not a post about me. This is about one of my new favorite restaurants. If you know me, you know how much I love love love (when it comes to food): my mom’s food, latin american cuisine, spanish cuisine, tacos without the shell, mediterranean cuisine, sushi, hibachi, and trashy $8 dinner specials american-chinese take out. Even if you didn’t know me, now you do. You’re welcome.

Image-1-1 — Just checkin’ out the district of columbia

So, I was super excited to come across this cute gem, La Tasca. My friend had come in from Kansas to visit yours truly, so we ate a lot, we drank a lot, and we watched TV a lot. La Tasca was one of 2 notable places that I decided to blog about.

mxdc9302 — This place was paaaaacked during the Stanley Cup. Go Caps! Had a bit of FOMO even though I don’t even watch hockey.

When we went, it was pretty empty. We also went after the lunch rush in the middle of the week. People started pouring in towards happy hour though. The waitress was a delight. I like how she actually was from Spain. The other waitress who served our food was from Colombia. Not sure why, but I enjoy when a restaurant (either by coincidence or intention) employs people from the cuisine location.

My friend and I used the lunch menu and decided to split two tapas and a paella, in addition to getting two sangrias.

She’s boooorrriinngg, so she got a dry red sangria. Not that people who get dry red sangrias are boring, she just happened to not want to try anything new, even though I suggested lots of other flavors. My personal fave is the cava sangria, because your girl loves prosecco. I’m not the biggest fan of blueberries, but I love all fruits when they’re in wine. Next time, I’m getting the Mango Blackberry, because does that not sound amazing???

For our tapas, we got the Bistec, cooked medium or medium well. The “fries” were two potato wedges (I only like french fries when they’re in the form of super crispy and tater tots and chips). And a spicy sauce. The Haitian in me loves spicy, but I let out a couple of coughs upon the first taste. It really had a kick.Ask me about the time I thought I was a daredevil and ate a spoon of Habanero sauce in Mexico. Wow.

The steak was amazing too. I was eating it slowly to savor the taste, and she asked if I was going to finish it! So rude.

The other tapa was the Albodigas, the lamb meatballs. I love lamb. I prefer it ground, but a good seared lamb shank with a green harissa spot will hit the spot 10 out of 10 times. The meatballs were cooked in a tomato sauce and topped with some goat cheese. The meatballs were the melt-in-your-mouth variety and at that point in time, life was gooood.

We didn’t get the Calamares… which I really wanted. I love calamari. But my friend does not like the idea of breaded fried squid. I just let out a deep sigh. Next time I’m taking my mother, because she LOVES calamari.

Lastly, we got the vegetarian paella. The paella was my favorite, by far. Came in a cast iron pan and the lunch size was enough to feed the two of us (along with the other tapas).

mxdc9300 — I got sooooo hungry while writing this post

I’m never sure how to best describe paella except that when I was in Spain, that was primarily all I ate. It’s like having a taste of wonderful in your mouth. And La Tasca’s paella was no different. I love a good rice. The perfect amounts of moist and sticky but not soggy. Maybe it’s the saffron that I truly enjoy. No kidding, this has been the best paella I’ve had outside of Spain. I loved it so much, I called my parents and told them that we need to go the location by us, in Rockville. My dad is not a fan of Spanish dishes or latin-american cuisine, but he LOVES a good paella. So I hope he will enjoy it as much as I did.

mxdc9301 — happy member of the clean plate club

Towards the end of the summer, I’m taking my mom to the paella making class La Tasca offers, and I am pumped. So definitely stay tuned.