Do you meet up with friends for coffee or tea? Maybe you just need an hour or two to yourself, to relax, read, or work on a project outside of your normal environment. Coffee shops and cafes are an easy venue to socialize or have downtime.
Thank goodness for these little buildings of caffeinated joy.
Here are some spots in my area that you might want to visit.
Does your city / area host a Restaurant Week? It’s a great way to visit new places or try out popular restaurants for a cool price of $35 (3-course dinner) or $22 (lunch)! Found an article about the history.
Tuesday night, I met up with my friend (who just moved into the area), and walked over to The Wharf, the new, vibrant section in Southwest DC (only a few blocks away from the Waterfront metro station). We didn’t have a set location to eat dinner and catch up, but we found out Officina was participating in DC Restaurant Week, so that’s where we ended up.
According to its’ website, Officina is an Italian-inspired culinary collective. I liked the ambiance. By the time we left, it was full of patrons, visiting over dinner and drinks.
Since we didn’t have a reservation, we sat in the cafe / bar section, which was fine.
I love visiting new places in my area. As busy as I am, it’s nice to take a step back and enjoy what’s being offered in my own backyard (so to speak). I don’t remember how I found out about The Family Room, but once I visited their instagram (thefamilyroomlaytonsville) page, I knew that I had to visit!
I treat myself to a mani/pedi about twice a year. Wait, let me clarify. Usually, I do my nails at home, but it’s nice to get them professionally done every once in a while. Since it was a birthday gift to myself, I decided to book an appointment at Varnish Lane.
Settled in an adorable yellow building literally right over the MD/DC border, Varnish Lane offers waterless manicures and pedicures, and other spa treatments. (such as waxing). VL only uses toxic-free polishes, essential oils, and other specialty products during appointments. Here is their page about why they do waterless.
After hearing great things when they opened, I visited for the first time in 2015. I enjoyed it but I never got a chance to return until a few weeks ago.
I’ve always enjoyed hosting parties and organizing social events. There’s nothing better than getting everyone together for a good time. I wanted to do something a little different than the party I hosted last Christmas. After a few revisions, I came up with an idea. Brunch! Who can say no to that? My friends and I love a good brunch during the weekend.
On Sunday, I had the pleasure of hosting a brunch at City Perch Kitchen & Bar in Pike & Rose. If you recall, I visited for the first time a few months ago. The experience was so memorable, I decided to return.
When everyone is busy with work and family, it’s hard sometimes to coordinate schedules, but thankfully, it all worked out. Lots of laughs and good conversation. It was great because it was a reunion of sorts. Catching up on what’s been happening in our lives this year, being silly. We were even singing – with harmonies too!